The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-02-28
A TERRIBLE RIDE.

/ began life OH one OF the big rail-
ways ot the states as cleaner in an
engine shed.
had been employed in the shed at
Louisville for about fifteen or sixteen
months when | went on my first trip
rs n fireman.
Ii was very near being my last
/ firmly believe all the years Of 1y-
ing about in an express since | was
made an engineer have not taken as
much out OF me as that single turn of
an hour and half. IL occurred in
this way:
One evening tho superintendent at
Louisville received wire from Wes-
ton--a station about seventy miles
down the line--to send an engine 10
replace one which had broken down.
He came To the she'd and selected tho
Gen. Grant. one of the finest locomo-
tives on the road. Then he sent word
10 the engineer aud fireman TO come
on duty and start on their journey mt
z o'clock.
The driver. Bon Norris. was there in
good time. and busted himself with his
oil can. But Jim West. the fireman.
At last, when il was near the hour
for starting. he came Into the shed.
One glance nj his bloodshot eyes
and unsteady walk showed me that he
was the worse for drink Polg fellowi
! knew the cause OF this aud hom the
bottom OF my heart pitied him. The
week before he had lost his little
daughter Kate. aud to drown his grief
he had taken 10 liquor.
knew he was utterly incapable OF
going on duty. and | also knew that il
he was discovered In this state IL would
mean instant dismissal.
There was only one thing for it--an-
other fireman must be found immedi-
ately. If the matter was referred TO
the superintendent IL would be all up
with my friend Jim. From that mo-
ment made up my mind TO take his
place myself.
/ gave him in charge of one OF my
mates, who promised 10 take him home
quietly. thought that in few hours
he would have slept of the effects OF
the liquor, and left word TO have him
come on BY the night train TO Weston.
/ had 10 explain matters TO the engin-
Ger. but he made no objections to my
plan. Ii struck ne at the time that he
took the matter very coolly; in fact.
he seemed perfectly indifferent as to
who went with him.
Time was up. ! took my place In
the cab. Norris set to work at once
and we moved slowly out of the shed.
We were off
While in the station ! took care TO
keep bending down. MS IL examining
the lire. so that | should not he recog-
nizcd. But once clear Of the town i
stood upright aud looked around.
Ii was a glorious summer evening.
We skinned rapidly past meadows
and corn fields and then dashed along
the bridge over the river / began TO
think | would enjoy the run inn
mensely.
/ next turned my attention to the
engine. As | ran my eye over tho
shining machinery felt gratiiied TO
think thu. It's neat order was chiefly
owing TO my care. | was proud Of tho
Grant aud wondered II the time would
ever come when | should have charge
OF IL myself.
was so clatcd that thought my
Ben seemed TO think of nothing but
his work. He stood with his hand on
the throttle. aud his eyes steadily fixed
upon the track ahead. | made one or
two remarks. but he scarcely answered
me. While | was wondering ut his
silence he suddenly appeared TO rouse
himself. lie glanced at the steam
gauge. multcred something which l
did not understand. then bent down
and examined the iirc-box.
More coall' he cried in voice
which almost startled me.
| complied without word. Instead
OF throwing In thc coal rccklcssly.
which know would only dcadcn the
fire. piled IL up carefully around the
sides Very soon the speed OF tho en-
CINE increased. We were ratsing
along at grand rate. examined the
gauge aud saw that the hand pointed