St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-10-01
MISCELLANY.
A WILD RIDE.

Bill Jones, the driver of the big ex-
Bress engine 1856, wiped his hand
On bunch of waste and leaned back
fl his cab contentedly smoking,
awaiting the signal from the con-
6uctor to start. In front the green
Eght below the headlight. indicating
another section of the same train
Mould follow, shone brightly, while
Behind long line of baggage, day
and sleeping cars stretched out into
#fhe darkness beyond the sta ton. At
Iast the signal came. With alert
senses the engine men opened the
Ihrottle and the train slowly started
Through the maze of tracks in Har-
risburg yard on it's long run to Phila-
delphia. Little by little more steam
WAS put on, and faster and faster the
Express ratified along. Then the
xleafening noise ceased, and the
Steady click, clickity click of the
wheels as they passed over the rail
olnts indicated that the long siding
filled with freight cars had been LETT
behind. Gathering momentum, the
brain dashed into the quiet night.
Far off in the distance light shone
from a farm house, but the nearer
dwellings lay white in the moon
Eght. Suddenly dazzling lights
Haired all around. Big half-naked
hen, looking all the more gigantic
ia the radiance, ran hither and thlther
upon tasks which could only be
surmised, and then the picture was
Hblotted out. 1t was a group of iron
mills. On dashed the train, it's
eourse now lying between the old
eanal and the Susquehanna.
light mist was rising from the river,
but far across twinkled the dim light
of another train, emphasized by a
flearer light as the furnace door was
opened by the fireman. Bill Jones
Saw it and smiled to himself. twas
the Baltimore connection which had
L left Harrisburg five minutes before
his train. He jerked the cord and a
Hshrill whistle sounded through the
Knight. Two minutes later an an
+ swering blast hoated across the
water. The express rumbled on,
Hnow at full speed, whizzing by a
coal train, which had crossed over to
the west bound track to let it pass,
and ratified through Middletown
past long lines of freights held back
bv the angry red of the semaphore
so that the express might not be de-
1aved at the intersection. Far ahead
the signal governing the eastbonnd
track shOne crimson. Suddenly 1t
turned into a white light, and Jones
released the air which he had just
put on, the train dashed forward,
and with a jolt, a rumble and a
twist sped across the mainline tracks,
disappearing down the Mount Joy
branch, the single track line used for
passenger service between Lancaster
and Harrisburg.
lust % minutes from the time the
express passed the intersection it
drew up at Mount Joy, Il miles dis
tant, and took the siding to clear the
Pacific express going west. The 81
lence of the night was almost OPP
pressive and the only sound which
broke the stiffness was the steady
working of the injector, resembling
4 nothing so much as a person pant
ing after a long run. From down
1.-THE valley came faint whistle, then
la rumble, a roar, the flash of
headlight and the rush of a heavy
train dashing by at full speed, with
4 scarcely a light visible in the long
line of sleepers. AS it passed Bill
roused himself and pulled the whistle
tord sharply three times to warn the
Dther engineer of the section follow
ing, and then he started his train
again for Lancaster.
Meanwhile, the rear brakeman
was standing half doing on the
platform of the last sleeper. He
heard Jones give the signal to the
Engineer of the Pacific, and he saw
The red tail lamps of the other train
Vanish in the direction of Harrisburg
as he felt his own train in motion.
z8Then there foated back another
signal loot, toot, foot. The
#brakeman's heart leaped. That
meant there was another section of
Il the Pacific, also, close behind, and
the engineer had neglected to call
Jones' attention to the green lamps
on his own engine until aroused by
bills whistle. The brakeman was
In a quandary. Should he pull the
bell cord and stop the train only to
find Bill already knew of the second
section of Pacific running that
hight and was supplied with orders,
/ he would invite a reprimand for his
! officiousness On the other hand, if
4 bis fears were we'll founded, the
Express was running on the single
track toward the opposing train.
/ He resolved to run the risk of leav-
! ing his post and go forward. 1t is
no easy task to tread ones way
4 Through three or four sleepers,
around staterooms and smoking de-
/ partments, and it is still more difficult
to pass through an ordinary coach
4 In the middle of the night, when pas
4 sengers sprawl into easy attitudes,
and extend their limbs into the aisles.
Like an age it seemed to the brake
man ere he gained the platform OF