Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-07-04

back again. as handsome - ever. Il
was not easy to find q man who wa.
willing to have any thing to do will
het.
..Being all made over may have talk
en- the mischief out of her" suggested
the ''bOss"
''The mischief niver comes out o.
the likes of her." returned old Mike.
grimly, and the men accepted his
verdict unquestioningly. Among the
firemen was . new hand, Charlie
Ruggles, who had but recently come
on the road. He was q young fel
low, bright looking and good tenn
pered, but. as yet none of the boys had
made much Roadway in getting &C
quainted with him, though all felt
kindly to him, and were disposed to
be friends. 1t was rumored that he
was the sole support of widowed
mother, who was consumptive sent
to Colorado for health. When it was
made known to the men that he was
to be engineer on No. 147 cry Of
dismay went up from one and all.
"Oh, me bly," said old Mike, 'what
are We thinkin' Off"
Thinking of the big wages" said
| Charlie, '.and the comforts can buy
| for the little mother.
'Oh, wirra, wirra, let her alone.
Have nothing to do with her. She's a
| murtherin' villain, that's what she is. -"
Mike meant 147. not Charles moth
er.
"Why. Mike, you can't really think
the engine is to be blamed because
people got on the track before her?'
said Charlie.
'It's her luck thin, it's all the same.
She bring throuble to any one who
has aught to do wild her. Let her
alone, me by"
''Now, Nike" said Charlie, II take
it we're all in the han1s of the Lord,
wherever We are. 1 am as much in
His care on No. 147 as 1 am standing
here talking to you. 1 don't believe
He gives locomotive power to hurt
His creatures, and do believe it is my
duty to take this chance, and do the
best can"
This was new view of the matter,
and the men were silenced. if not con-
WINGED. No one opposed Charlie Rug
giles decision, and in day or two he
entered upon his new duties.
He was sent into the mountain re-
gions to help take trains over the
highest passes in the State. Until one
has crossed the Rocky Mountains by
rail it is impossible to form an idea of
the awfulness of these passes.' The
train creeps slowly up the mountain.
with labored breath, giving one sen-
sation of painful exertion. The road
winds about to find the easiest grades,
now zigzagging back and forth, now
crossing itself by means of trestle
work. or tunneling under. but always
going upward, slowly but surely.
As the train climbs higher, far be-
low in some abyss may be seen the
track already passed, while high
above tower rows of snow sheds vet
to be gone through. In the higher
altitude the solitude and stiffness be-
come oppressive. One seems lost in a
sea of mountain peaks, while above
all tower mightier SUBMITS. eternally
snow clad. where foot of man has
never yet trod.
In the heat of midsummer below, it
is always winter in these passes.
Huge icicles hang upon the roofs of
these snow sheds, and deep snow lies
on the ground. 1t was at the entrance
to such a pass that Charlie and No.
147 were stationed. When the through
express came, daily, it was divided
into two sections, and each section
was given two engines to pull it up
the steep grade. But at the top it was
coupled together again, one locomo
time being quite enough to take it over
the down grade, and the remaining
three were sent back again to help
bring the next train up.
Well up in the pass stood little
cabin. where a few of the section
hands had their home. There were
two little children, boy and a girl
in this family, to whom Charlie be-
came much attached. They were
pretty little creatures. but it seemed
lonely life for them. isolated entirely
from playmates, from school and all
the pleasant things which children
love. A water-tank stood near the
cabin. where the locomotives stopped
to take in water, and in summer the
children ran through the cars while
they waited selling punches of the
beautiful Colorado wild flowers which
blossom in spite of Encouragement
under the shadows of the everlasting
snow banks.
This was their only diversion
and Charlie learned to watch
for them as the prettiest Incl
dent of the trip. He always
had q pleasant word and smile for