Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-09-29
MALONE'S LAST RUN.

A little knot of smoky begrimed engi-
neers, fremen, and switch tenders were
sitting together on tool box at the east
end of the train shed at Altoona. The si-
lence of the night was broken only by
the monotonous puff, puff of shifting
engine dragging a heavily loaded west
bound freight to the upper yards.
Through the maze of tracks cleaned
scores of red, green, and white lights,
marking the switches. The group of
train hands were idIing the time away
until the hour should come when the en-
CINE should be brought out to haul the
two sections of fast freight No. over
the middle division to Harrisburg. There
was yet long time to wait, for the bell
on the machine shops had just tolled IL,
and the train was not due until after mid
night. The crowd on the Logan House
porch, that great resort of Mountain
City inhabitants, was thinning out, and
as the air grew more chilly and lively
conversation halted, the men on the tool
box became silent and thoughtful.
Suddenly one of them exclaimed:
SHere comes old John Malone. Let's
get him to tell us that story about the
last run he made. Hi, therel" he con-
tinued in louder voice. John! John
MalOnei"
The passerby stopped and peered in
through the railing.
"Oh, is it you, Billy?" he calculated.
81 couldn't make out who was calling
me. My eyes and ears are not as good
as they were ten years back.
Billy soon had the gate open for Ma
lone to enter, and as the two drew near
the others the old man asked: What are
you sitting here for, and what do you
want with me-"
"The same old thing, Johnny; we're
waiting to take out first section of A. and
to pass the time we want you to tell us
again of that trip you made back in the
eighties which made you leave the foot
board.
The old man took a seat. filed and
lighted his pipe, and puffed away vigor-
ously for awhile before replying.
@Well, boys, he said at last, i don't
particularly like to talk about that run,
and it is hardly the right kind of story
to spin to you, as you are going to take
out the same train had that night, but
if you want to hear it I'll go ahead.
"It's been a good many years ago, but
/ can see the whole thing as clearly as
when it happened, and it was no dream,
though everybody thoughtso. needn't
tell you fellows the fast line was the first
east bound passenger train after the mail
express, which left here about o'clock.
We generally got the train from the
Pittsburg division about half an hour to
an hour late, but as we only tagged at
Tyrone and Huntington, we always
came into Harrisburg on time to the sec
ond. This was easy ON down grade
and 130 mile run without stop. The
way we used to yank the coaches along
the river was caution, and many's the
time we ratified over the Juniata at a
mile minute, not even slowing down
for the Spruce Greek tunnel At that
hour of the night we always got the
white light from the towers. Now and
then the green would be given, and we
ha to reduce speed, but rarely the red.
Well, this thing of running train like
4 with a. clear track, no stops and moth
ing to see but the ballast and trees along
side of the rails. makes a fellow grow
indifferent, and won't say little nerv-
GUS 1t is wearing on a man to speed
along through those mountains hour
after hour in the middle of the night,
never seeing light except in the tow
ers, and feeling the cold air blow in ON
him from those hills rising hundreds OF
feet overhead. An engineer can not tell
what instant he is going to crash into q
land slide tell you q nights run Is
enough to make man feel mighty sol
emn when passing through Jacks Mar
rows or half dozen other barren rocky
spots, such as can be found between here
and the Susquehanna, al Of which you
boys know well.
The night was speaking Of ~ -
nuere 80 minutes late. and a hot box on
the smoker held US Is minutes more at
Tyrone Forges. When we got started
again pulled her wide open and let her
rip. We had nine cars on, three Of them
sleepers, and that was heavy load for
one of the old style engines, but we