The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1890-10-31

certainly take me until midnight TO get
the machine in proper trim for the next
days rum and a hot, greasy job it was in
any weather, but on such night as that
was 1t was frightfhl to think Of. How
over, there was no help for it, and l
started in. Ihad barely made begin
ming when,P heard some one coming in
the door. Booking up, saw it was
Billy Thedford In very excited voice
he asked where Hunter was.
"Home, said; "and so sick he can't
hold his head up"
my Godr' said he; 81 shall be
ruined!"
Then he went on TO say that if he
WASH t in Chicago next day, some deal,
l think he called it, would fall through,
and it-wouId cost hims quarter of a
million
Theresa train goes through juno
ton City at Ills that'll get you to Chi
cago in time,' says |.
what good'll that do me?" says he.
"T've been away for two days, and only
just now got the telegram. If Hunter
was here he might get me down, but as
tits, | might as well go homo, and let
the money 60"
'Mr Thedford," says I, Bob is sick,
but Lcan-run this machine to Junction
City in time to connect with the train
you, want; but you will have to fire for
me, as nay two cleaners are drunk, as.
youssee, and there ism another man in
this village knows the engine from the
tender, hardly"
lhope the Lord has forgiven me that
lie, for there were two or three men
that could have fired all right, but it
struck me all of a sudden that here was
fine chance to get even with Billy,
and let him see whether it took any
know-how to, fire an engine for hum
dred and. ten miles. 1t so happened
that we had wooded up on the home trip
at little station three miles from
Georgetown, so we had plenty Of fuel
aboard to make the run with.
Scan you do it?" says he. "Remem-
Der, it is hundred and ten miles, and
it is $50 now, so you have only two
hours and half to make the run that
generally takes double that time"
81 can do it," says l, ''if you will just
jump aboard pull off your coat, and do
just as ttell YOU"
No sooner said than done, and in ten
minutes we had the old engine on the
I turn-table, turned her around, and were
off.
If the road was rough when we. ran at
our usual speed, that night, making
double time, it was just awful. As we
few around the curves it seemed as il
we should leave the track at every turn
of the drivers, and the poor old machin,
cry rocked and swayed so that, used as
was to it, could hardly keep on my
seat by the lever.
If it was hard on me what must il
have been to old Billy?
1 could hardly keep from laughing in
his face, as | watched him, and heard
him groan as he handled the heavy
sticks we used flor fuel.
The heat of the weather, added to
that of the furnace and the unusual
work, made him look as if, he was in a
Turkish bath. The water ran down his
face, his stiff white collar hung down or
his shoulders like wet rag, and his
beautiful smooth shirt-bosom looked as
If some one had thrown, pail of dirty
water over him. His hands were tori
and cut, from handling the wood, and
take it altogether, he was the most un'
likely looking railroad president ever
saw. Once in awhile l had to shout a.
him to bay the wood more even in the
furnace, and would tell him he would
get the knack of it in time. Whenever
he tried to rest / told him we were los
ing steam, and if be wanted to catch
that train, he mustn't let up on the work
If l had thought to hitch a car on whe1
we started, we could have run mucl
smoother; but it was too late to think O
that now, and so, on we rushed, nov
through woodland, now pastgraiu fields
lurching first to one side and then to thu
other, until l expected every minute tt
j land wrongside up in the ditch. How
ever, luck was with us that night, an(
we pulled up at Junction City at jus
eleven. Poor old Billy could hardl,
climb down from the cab, but he man
aged to gasp out:
"Come up to my Office at two oclocl
next Saturday"
LEARNED afterward that, finding the
Chicago train was behind time, he hunt
ed up clothing store and rugged him
self out so as to look like civilize,
man, which he didn't when he left me
managed to find fireman who wa
willing to make the run back with me
, and finally got home at three O'Clock
/ and finding the cleaners little sobere,
up, got to bed as soon as possible, for
was clean played out. told Bob abou
my trip next day, and thought he woul
| die laughing to think of old Billy play
ing fireman But all he said was:
'J'm afraid that'll settle your hash
.s1l e. II.