, 1890-01-26

and all conversation was drowned in the
turmoil of an echoing veil and screech
and roar and spit and double shuttle as
the eccentric chased the drawhead over
the swift flying cylinder escapement with
a doubly echoed statement like that of
Wall street on a busy day so he lost that
remark.
But oh, sir" l exclaimed to the fire.
man, who loves a beautiful girl named
Annie, "can you not tell me something
brave and beautiful that you have done,
something hat | can make a dear little
story of and print, something that will
bring tears to eyes unsued to weep, some
thing that can put in the holiday num-
Der OF a nice paper with pictures in 1t?
Did you never save anyone?"
Yes" he said, as he mopped his brow
with a ireman's handkerchief. Il used
to know a sentle old cuss here on our old
run who did odd Jobs and worked faith
fully. He had a sweet little laxen haired
child Can o use thal?'
Yes"
"Well, he used to come down town
evenings and we would met at The
Busy Bee to visit aud play a game of
Old 5ledge. We never played for the
drinks. but we wouli often. when 1t was
time to go home offer to shake each
other for the drinks. l do not drink
now. even beer"
And what was this shaking for the
drinks?"
Why, nothing at all, only we shook
poker Dice for the beer, and the one who
lost paid for it. See2"
Aud how old was this fossy haired
child YOU speak OFF,
She was then ~ years old. At the
time of the accident, however, she was
about Is. 1t was a foggy night. We
were late. You will notice that [ use
good grammar. Put the printer on that,
will you, please? Story fremen and en-
gineers always use poor grammar and
spell a little queer. They also swear a lit
tie and lie. The actual fireman or en-
glneer does not do that unless he is filling
up a young person. We generally talk
very little to visitors in the cab, for we
have to look out for our trains. We are
not here to sit for our photographs or tell
pleasing pre- varications to people who get
large prices per column for them after
ward; but we have a little open stretch of
road here, and so | will talk between
work. as you seem to be a plain man,
barring the high hat, which has no bust
ness on a locomotive"
'Welll
We'll, it was a toggy night and we
had to hustle, not only to make our regu
lar time, but to keep out OF the way of
late trains. 1t was right along hers that
L looked ahead between scoops of coal
and saw a girl going down the track with
her back this way, and | concluded she
was crying a good deal. for she had her
mutf up to her eyes all the time, and, of
course, that kept her from hearing the
train. We whistled, but she didn't hear.
L told Harry. and he reversed and all
that, but | saw Id got to get QUO on the
pilot and help, no doubt; so | crept out
in lust time to catch this fair young girl
by her blonde and Psyche knot and
swing her free of the track
And did you save her?"
Eyes, | saved her. 1t wasn't roman
tic, and you'll have to change it a good
deal if you print it, but that was the way
it happened
"Who was it2"
1T was this little blind girl of Mileses."
And what did he say about it?''
We'll, first he didn't know what to
say. and hen he says, for he is not a man
OF many words, and also he is a poor man,
but he did catch me by the hand and his
chin trembled, for she was his only child
and her mother is dead. but he took a
scrap of cotton waste out of my pocket
and wiped his eyes with it and said, Old
man. | ann recall what fathers do when
their dear and only daughters are ierked
from the Jaws Of death, but if you will
excuse the bluntness of a plain old man
| will shake on for the drinks"
At st. Paul | met a very tall Scotch
man l am six feet high, but he looks
down on my broad and desolate skull as
do the gallery people when l hobnob with
the orchestra on an opening night con
tanning a advertisement.