Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-02
A rRAMP's 4 FDE OF TERROR.
nl-Clad and Foslor4 He Stole . Place ON .
Cowcafeher n Zero Weather.

nl-Clad and Forlor4 He Stole Place ON {
Cowcstcher n Zero Weather.
A poor, half-staryl tramp stole ride on ths
cowcatcher Of New York and New England
railroad locomotive ct Willimantic. Conn,
Christmas night, and he Il not likely soon "a
forget his trip. As Engineer Potter Of the
limited express drove his long train into Will
mantle from the west that evening and halted
his painting engine at the station for q few min
utes preparatory to beginning the long run "a
Boston o slight man, shabbily clad in short
thin coat, light trousers, shoes and felt hat
came timidly across the network Of iron rails
to his cab and asked il he might ride on the
engine to Boston.
''No," said the engineer, the rules Of the
road expressly forbid it." Then the tramp
wanted to get aboard the baggage car, but Mr..
Potter was not at liberty to permit him to do
SO. He shivered and went away. Then the
locomotive bell changed, the passengers (who
had alighted and gone into the depot restau-
rant for supper) hurriedly got aboard and the
train moved of, quickening its speed rapidly.
1t was still night, with the mercury almost at
zero, and the moon was very bright. The en-
gineer let his steel horse 60 at the rate of more
than fifty miles an hour and, though all the
cab windows were tightly shut, SO cold was the
air that rushed into the engine that even the
engineer ana ureInAn Ielt emily.
As Putnam was passed the fireman fancied
he heard an unusual sound above the roaring
of flying wheels and he hastily drew aside one
sash in cab window. He glanced along the
curved side Of the great boiler and instantly
uttered q cry Of astOnishment He saw the
wretched tramp, who had begged for ride at
Willimantic, clinging like fiy to the front Of
the engine and whose face now turned toward
the fireman was white with hopeless terror.
He was shaking like leaf with the trembling
OF the locomotive, his clothes fluttering in the
hurricane-like rush Of the engine and it was
evident to the fireman, at his first glance, that
the poor fellow could retain his grip on the
engine only few moments longer.
The cry OF the fireman brought Engineer
Potter also to the side of the cab in an instant.
and even as the two men stared at the wretch,
tossing on the cOwcatcher the latter made
desperate effort to climb higher upon the pilot
to the hot engine front. In doing SO he grasped
Q live steam pipe. The pipe was blistering hot,
but the tramp dared not let 20, for he would
have fallen to the roadbed or been ground
under the great driving wheels. Still he ut
tered no cry, though the look of agony in his
face told what he suffered. The train was still
numbering on at fifty miles an hour and the
engineer dare not apply the brakes, for he
knew the sudden ia. and jolt that would result
from that act would fling the wretch under
the wheels. There was only one way in which
the man could be saved and Engineer Potter
saw it at once. So he went out on the loco
motive, the fireman following him. crawled
along its side, and yelled to the man to hold up
bis hand. The engineer then fairly pulled the
tramp, with the aid of the fireman. into the
cab. The man fell on the floor of the cab com
pletely exhausted He received kind treatment
during the rest Of the ride to Boston, in which
city he was provided with food and lodging
and medical attendance.