Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1890-11-20
THE MAD LOCOMOTIVE.

"A story of railroad adventure, eh?'
"f you please answered the vet
eran engineer, rs we sat in the cool
shade to the east Of big Providence
roundhouse | may say that Peter
Hank, the narrator Of this exciting Incl
dent, is well known by me and esteemed
as man of truth by everybody who
knows him.
Il never had but one son. All my
boys were girls. Eut when little Burn
side was born tell you we were happy.
Yet I never supposed that chap would
save my own life and lots Of other peo-
ple's. That's just what he did, how
ever. You know I always run the ex-
press. We got big engine some years
ago on the road. She weighs more than
any machine we ever used before. l
never liked her when saw her in the
shop, that giantess, No. 643. She never
had any name. And that machine never
liked me. All because of this" The
engineer took his pipe from his mouth
to look me squarely in the eye. II was
in the shop one afternoon just to look
her over. That's when they were paint
ing her up. The painters and varnish-
ers were crawling all over her.
''Of course she wasn't fred up. An
other engineer and just were walking
round her huge body. l said: Jake,
that critter will heat the first trip, and
hot box on her will mean lots of work.
I hope may never be asked to run her.
Well, sir, believe it or not, know she
heard it and was mad When climbed
into her cab, just to look at her there, /
naturally enough took hold of her re-
verse lever. She threw that lever over,
sir, quicker'n lightning, and caught my
leg just under the knee, taking out bite
as big as walnut. Myl How she panied
mel tt was weeks before my stiff leg
was all right"
Then he resumed his pipe while that
soaked into me-
Now, you newspaper men do not
take any stock in such things, know.
But no railroad man would say / was
fool if thought hard of the machine.
And all railroad men have seen engines
act inst as if they had spirits in them.
There amt an engine on our road or any
other which will work as well for one
man as she will for another. Every en-
gine has her favorites, for whom she viii
do anything, and her enemies, to whom
she acts like she demon"
A fact, by the way. which the writer
has since verified on considerable inquiry
among locomotive engineers.
We'll, sir. if you believe me, that No.
GAS hadn't been out O. shop week be-
fore the master mechanic sent for me
one night to take her remember
was eating supper. 1t was my two days
lay off. Little Burnside was sitting in
his chair beside me. He was just years
old the Thursday before. 1t was q very
hot August night. was asked to put
the big engine through for a special.
There was party Of big fellows from
Washington who We're returning from
the White Mountains. I was to drive
'em down to Wexford Junction for
Newport.
" God help me, Susier l said to my
wife, pushing back my chair. I don't
know why, but I'd rather be killed by
pistol shot here at home than to CO..
"'You foolish fellowl' she replied.
What ails you9
81 don't know, / said But that
machine hain't been run dozen times.
Besides she hates me. This is to be a
show off run, like lightning, and know
she'll kill us ALL
''My wife she just rose up then. Be
ing good Christian church member as
l amt, she exploded on me.
t'Pete, I'm ashamed Of you. You're
the best runner on the road, and this is
an honor. Do you want to get dis
charged and lose our daily bread? God
will take care o my husband. Here!
It's a hot night, and you'll be back by
II o'clock. Take the boy. He's always
wanted night ride
'tThat got me. / just rose up. She
put ON the boys little cap and gave me
his coat, and went off, taking the boy.
I remember how he laughed carried
him over the rails in the dark yard on
my shoulder, and he kept patting my
cheek and kissing me till boosted him
into the cab Of No. CAB. How proud be
sat up there on my box between my 1egsi
"Well, again." continued Pete, rub
bing a fresh match on his overalls,
nothing occurred az we coupled on and
ran quite while. We drew four Pull
mans besides the baggage car. 1t was
hot and dark. We had the right of way,
but were to approach Wexford cautions,
for there we should find the regular New
York express, which we should oyertake.
No. 643 worked stiff, as I knew she
would, but she was so big that when she
got started nothing could trouble her
much, and she just tossed the load along
as light as feather.
Il noticed that the throttle valve
worked hard when ] had to shut off steam
once or twice slowing through station.
Still I could jerk her in and out well
enough with one hand. An ugly throttle
is a terrible thing, sir, though. For, you
see, man can't be sure Suppose You
couldn't shut off. Suppose your throttle
got stuck, full head on. going at fifty
miles an hour, and you a-coning into a
station, for instance, even if there was
nothing standing there, l tell you, you'd
feel about as the Almighty would if the
earth got loose and he couldn' stop her.
Then Hank puffed smokeless whiffs.
Well, again" he resumed presently.
The excitement OF his own memory had
brought the sweat drops to his forehead;
ia SixaA lad rErszaa ont -f1aa third 4iuaa.