San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-27
THE CAT SAVED THE TRAIN.
How 1t Was Done, as Related by the
Honest Young Fireman.

Honest Young Fireman.
As the train was about to pull out Of the
Broad Street station l recognized an old
friend in the engineer. He nodded to me
and | jumped into the cab. Dick and l
shook hands, and he introduced me to his
fireman, a young fellow, with large truth
full, honest eyes, and the most innocent
looking face ever saw. Perched on the
seat was a huge black cat, ugly, scraggy,
and with ground plan of fur that looked
like railroad map, it was so plowed and
cut up. Naturally l noticed the cat, and
asked what it was doing there.
That's wonderful cat" said the youth
full fireman, land thereby hangsa tale. Do
you want it?"
''Of course"
"Well, about a week ago we-Dick and
me--were making the run between Phila-
delphia and Trenton. 1t was dirty, black
night-cOld and a driving rain, and we
vere-that is, Dick was-behind time and
we were-that is, Dick was-making her
hum for all she was worth. We-that is,
Dick-had clear track and the right OF
way. A few feet ahead of the pilot it was
as black as nothing. We were driving into
the chaos at the rate of sixty miles an
hour. l could not help thinking that il
we ran into anything we'd know more
about the other world than was ever writ,
ten in books, and / said little prayer that
| learned in Sunday school. The prayer
didn't seem to do me much good, and
asked Dick if it was necessary to run sc
fast. Dick gave me a look of mild con.
tempt, and then | got on my dignity and
felt as if I'd rather like to strike something
just to change that look of Dicks to one of
surprise This was wicked, knew, but
couldn't help it.
Suddenly there was an awful crash di.
rectly in front of me, splintering of glass
in the cab window, and this cat came tum,
bling in. My heart got right up in my
throat and | thought I'd choke. | saw
Dick turn pale and, terrified as | was, l re,
member being glad of it. He didn't lose
his head, though-Dick never does-but
reversed the machine, and when the train
was stopped we-that is, Dick-got out tc
investigate. And what do you think!
There was rail misplaced within dozen
feet of where we had stopped The flag
man at the switch had seen it, and had sta,
toned himself up the track to signal u.s.
He had pet cat which followed him
wherever he went. The cat was with
him as usual. When he heard us thunder
ing down upon him his lantern went out.
He laid it down to relight it; gust of wind
caught it and it rolled down the embank
ment Here was a state of things. The
fagman was quick to act, however, anC
grabbing his faithful cat by the tail he
hurled it at the cab as we ratified by. Here
is the cat that saved our train. Didn't
you, Danger"
The cat bumped its ugly back in recog
milton, and looked at the frank, innocent
face of the boy. He returned the look with
wide open, truthful eyes.
Shades of Mount Vernon! What lal
that fellow is!' said Dick to me in whis
per. "He has the reputation of being the
biggest liar on the road. He'd finish first
in race with Tom Ochiltree. That cat
story is his latest saved the train bust
ness. | saw him fish that cat out of
ditch two days o."-Philadelphia In
uuirer