Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-03-20

are mighty trying on machine, nos
tell you before you get through; aot
right on to the end you don't know
what minute tho poor old creature may
break her heart on you looked tha
Sycamore over as I took her ont Of the
shop. I always do that with my own
eyes, but If had known what we were
to try on I'd given those connecting
rods more attention. We used to wedge
them on the wheels; you have seen the
steel keys? Nowadays they are fastened
so the men can't wedge them too tight
1t is this new way of fastening that
causes the ringing noise that you now
hcar as the big drivewheels pass you
Did you never notice ?
"Well, | soon began to feel Of her
wind. She was not long in making
that fireman's box to uneasy for my
general manager. He danced like toy
man. Then he closed the window ahead.
Then he shut the one at the side and
braced his legs. Then he left the win.
dows alone, though they ratified up
open, and he lost his hat. which the
fireman caught on the baggage car
brake ; but Mr.. Manager could not let
go his clutch on the seat to replace his
hat The hat was all coal dust, any
way, so it was put into the tool chest.
Now we were just flying. never took
my eyes off the iron, but out of tho
corners of my eyes saw how distressed
he was He undertook to holler some-
thing, but paid no attention. The
fireman showed in the sprinklings fine
he knew exactly how. Firing is half
the battle in a big run. Well, we were
going so we'll that was afterward told
the paymaster's car, which we were
pulling home, could not keep all the
dinner disher on the table. No, sir.
Twice, going round curves, every dish
the boys had was swept on the floor. II
we had had dining cars in those days
wouldn't the soup have spilled ?"
IL should have thought your con-
ductor might have interfered," I sug-
gested.
81 expected he would" was the re.
ply. "But as time went on, and our
rate grew simply fearful on the passen-
gers, / knew well enough tho conductor
had been scolded as well as the rest Of
us. No; he told me afterward that he
simply sat down and said his prayers,
But to 60 on; saw that we had made
up twonty-oight minutes, then thirty
three-being only seven minutes be-
hind. But there we hung. She could
not increase her load, do my best.
II knew then that we should soon
begin to lose them, for she was heating
Whether the boxes were Juggling on the
cars or engine could not be sure.
Then. too, it might have been the
curves, at all events We were Juggling
and losing We fell off, | calculated.
some five minutes, when we struck the
tunnel. 1t was a heavy rail and
straight track there, and | pulled her
clean out for one more spurt, live or
die. as we dashed into the steam and
darkness of that long hole The Saga
more answered me for just one plunge
But the next Instant crash God help
mo Tho whole side Of the cab was ay-
ing in splintcrs. | knew what that
meant Jumped from my seat in front
of the fre box. There, under my seat,
was the general manager. He had been
mercifully knocked in instead Of out,
but he was senseless My drivers hold
their rod yet, but knew the strain
could not last long without swapping
that rod, too. as | could not find the
throttle to shut her off It was so queer
about that throttle. turned round and
round, trying to find it.; kept turn
ing to the left. thought | had M
extra eye ust over my ear, aud my
other two eyes were blind. That new
eye showed me beautiful clear light,
but not the throttle. Round and round
that fearful steel hammer, the broken
rod, kept crashing, tearing and grind
ing out the shreds of the cab on that
side. Then the other one twisted, which
threw old Sycamore pump into the gran
ito wall We were all piled up there,
dark as pitch all about, and finally still.
Now, the curious thing about it oil is
that with my new eye over my ear |
actually read the time by my watch,
and we were only seven minutes late.
Yes, sir, we had made up thirty-three
minutes in the seventy-four miles, slow
ups and stops included, and a minute
more would have brought us to the sta
ton. just yelled, 'How's that, old
English I? aud my new oye seemed to go
out in darkness"
The new eye was the result Of fear
full cash on the side Of the head, from
the effects Of which tho poor man lin
gered on the borders of death for weeks.
That postponed the wedding. The Pc
culiar effect Of that blow on the head,
the writer cannot explain, but the fact
that he read his watch correctly is sub
stantiated by the conductor Of the train,
Of whom asked my information.
Were there many injured 7" | add
ed, in the pause that followed his con-
clusion.
Don't ask mc--yes. Thank God.
Pm alive Now, Mollie," addressing
his wife, who just entered, "Pvo told
that story for the last time, except In
my prayers. New York ledger.
Don't be alarmed" said Ethel to
Young Smallscad. ut is only pa put
ting out the gas"
ooh" said he, laying his hat down,
"I didn't know whether it was to be the