Connecticut western news., 1891-04-01
MALONES LAST RUN.

gineers, fremen and switch tenders were sitting together on tool box at the east end of the train shed at Altoona. The eileace of the night was broken only by the monotonous puff, puff of shifting engine dragging heavily loaded west bound freight to the upper yard. Through the maze of tracks gleamed scores of red. green and white lights marking the switches The group of train hands were idling the time away until the hour should come when the engines should be brought out to haul the two sections of fast line, No. A." over the middle division to Har- risburg. There was yet long time to wait, for the bell on the machine shops had just tolled II. and the train was not due until after midnight The crowd on the Logan house porch, that great re- sort of Mountain City inhabitants. was thinning out, and as the air grew more chilly the lively conversation halted and the men on the tool box became silent and thoughtful.
 Suddenly one of them exclaimed: Here comes old John Malone. Let's get him to tell us that story about the last run he made. Hi, therel' he con- tinued in louder voice. John, John Maloner'
 The passer stopped and peered in through the railings.
 "Oh. is it you, Billy?'' he ejaculated. Fl couldn't make out who was calling me. My eyes and ears are not as good as they were ten years back"
 Billy soon had the gate open for Ma lone to enter. and as the two drew near the others the old man asked, What are you sitting here for. and what do you want with me?''
 "The same old thing. Johnny; we're waiting to take out first section of four, and to pass the time we want you to tell us again of that trip you made back in the eighties which made you leave the footboard."
 The old man took seat, filled and lighted his pipe and puffed away vigor- ously for while before replying.
 "Well, boys" he said at last. "I don't particularly like to talk about that run. and it is hardly the right kind of story to spin to you as you are going to take out the same train 1 had that night, but if you want to hear it I'll go ahead.
 "It's been good many years ago, but l can see the whole thing as clearly as the night it happened. and it was no dream. though everybody thought so. needn't tell you fellows that fast line was the first east bound passenger train after the mail express. which left here about o'clock. We generally got the train from the Pittsburg division about half an hour to an hour late, but as we only Jagged at Tyrone and Huntingdon we always came into Harrisburg on time to the second. This was easy on down grade and hundred and thirty mile run without stop. The way we used to yank the coaches along the river was a caution. and many's the time we rattled over the Juniata at mile minute, not even slowing down for Spruce creek tunnel.
 "At that hour of the night we nearly always got the white light from the towers Now and then the green would be given and we had to reduce speed, but rarely the red. We'll. this thing of running a train like four with clear track. no stops and nothing to see but the ballast and trees alongside of the rails makes fellow grow indifferent. and won't say little nervous. It is wearing on a man to speed along through those mountains hour after hour in the middle of the night. never seeing light except in the tower. and feeling the cold air blow in on him from those hills ris- ing hundreds of feet overhead An en- gineer cannot tell what instant he's go. Ing to crash into landslide. tell you 8 night run is enough to make a mar feel mighty solemn when passing through Jacks Narrows, or half dozen other barren rocky spots. such as can be found between here and the Susquehanna. all of which you boys know we'll
 1.-The night was speaking of we left here thirty minutes late. and a hot box on the smoker held us fifteen min. utes more at Tyrone Forges. When we got started again pulled her wide open and let her rip. We had nine cars on three of them sleepers. and that was g heavy load for one of the old style en zines. but we bumped along at a lively rate. Beyond Huntingdon we fairly hummed along the canal. depending al together on the towers, for it was SC dark we couldn't see even the Juniats right below us. We had no further trouble as to delays. The east bound freight and coal trains were all side tracked, and we did not even get greer light until we reached Lewistown Juno ton.
 Somehow or other was not feelins myself that night. and l don't believ, the fireman and had half dozen word in the first hundred miles. AS we ru1 through the Narrows l leaned out of tn cab and kept an eye on the track fo rocks. It was impossible to see any dis tance, however. and as turned around to look for the tail lamps on the req sleeper l thought of the scores of peopl
 behind me riding in fancied security
 while the only safeguard from wrecl
 was in Providence. Straight up on tn
 right rose the mountains for nearly
 thousand feet. and on the other hand wa
 the Juniata. dark and unreal in the way
 ering glare of the headligh:.
 '.On and on we went. ast little vii lages and farm houses. shooting over tn, road crossings and crashing by empt, stations. all of which knew by instinct for there were no lights to tell us
 "As we drew near the Susquehann, the air became clearer, and when wi came within sight of Duncannon th great flaming stacks of the iron work shone ahead of us like immense torches We were again on schedule time whel we passed through the town. and as VI ran along the bank of the Susquehann I slowed down little. Away across tn water could s4e the tall switch signal on the Nozthsrn Csntral tracks. By an,