The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-11-10
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
CRAZED BY DRINK.
The Terrible Results of an Engineers
First Drunk.


First Drunk.
30, there's plenty of excitement in
the life" said the engineer of engine
No. 10. What with the chance of a
wreck every mile or SO, general
smashup at the sidings, the giving way
of bridges, and the forgetfulness of the
| dispatcher, all of which is likely to
happen, l may say there is no COM
plant of monotony in running an en-
CINE. But the worst snap ever struck
in the business was trip l took one
time with a mailman. Yes, sir, as wild
a lunatic as you'd find chained and
strait jacketed in any asylum in the
country. Want the story? Well,
| here's to it, and straight one it is. 1t
was in 1880 that | was serving as fire.
man under man named Grady. He
was a fine engineer; could do more
| with an engine than anyone l ever
saw, and knew his road like book.
I'd been with him about year,
and we got pretty thick, and he was
always showing me his little gals
picture and talking about her. His
wife was dead and his sister had the
child.
Gle was just the lovingest father
ever did see. Never got drunk like
other men but this one time | am go
ing to tell you about. We were to go
out that night when met him on the
street just before dark and saw he had
been drinking, but was in a mighty
good humor. I'll be there in time he
| 10 10 hA
house to kiss my baby good-by.'
swell, we parted and | come on
down to the depot 1t was mighty
near time to start, and had steam all
up, when here comes Grady. The mo-
mcnt ! saw him | knew there was
something mighty wrong with him.
Stead OF saying Hello or something
| like that, he just climbed into the ca
boose without looking at me, but kind
of staring straight ahead of him with
his eyes hot and dry and his lips as
white as my shirt off duty. l thought
to myself: Well if this is drunk, it's
the queerest one ever saw and, not
wishing to rile him, | kept quiet. We
pulled out steady enough, Grady still
saying nothing. but staring straight
ahead as if he saw something in front
of him. Pretty soon we become to get
faster and faster, till the old engine
just rocked and l could feel the cars
behind fairly jump over the rails.
did not like to say anything, for he
was boss of the engine, but when we
went whizzing past station where we
were to stop without paying any more
attention to it than if it had not been
there began to think there was some
thing mighty wrong, and | stepped for
ward and pretending to look at the
dial plate, said: 'Hain't we rather GO
ing it, boss?' But he didn't answer
and ! went on: Amt sick, are you.
Grady, old man? If you are lie down a
bit and I'll run her awhile.
"But still he paid no attention, but
would look out at the headlight and
kind of mutter to himself. So ] went
back to shoveling in the coal, but keep
ing an eye on him, for by this time
was sure that there was something
very much wrong with him, and be-
gan to think that what he had taken
had crazed his brain, and yet his looks
|
hand seemed as steady as usual But
presently, whiz we went past the
| lighted lamps of a small station where
we were due to wait fifteen minutes for
the up train. Good Lord!' | thought,
well meet that train on the main
track and then look outp
"With this in mind ] called out:
Hello, Grady, forgot about the up
bound, amt YOU? But he stood just as
strange fashion, and ! just caught him
by the arm, storming at him. Where
are you going to- MANI and then he
looked back over his shoulder at me-
grinning and gnashing his teeth like a
dog. TO hclln he shouted. and all of
you with me. I've killed my baby and
I've got to go to hell, but you'll have to
go with me- When he said that
waited no longer, but grabbed him
about the waist. / did not want to
hurt him, but to save the tran-no,
both trains. But he fought me like a
| devil, clutching me about the throat
while / slipped my hand up to his, and
there, swaying from side to side, with
our breath hot in each others face, we
struggled for what seemed to be an
age, with the train all the time thun-
dering on, on to destruction. | had no
thought for my own life. but l could not
| get the idea Of the unconscious people
behind and coming out of my head, so |
hung on like grim death until happy
thought struck me, and | yelled out:
Look out, Grady, there's your baby
just behind you, and, as he turned to
look, brought my fist down on his head
with all the strength had left, and he
fell senscless.
"Then began a race between time
and me. had to run the train back to
the station, where we were to pass the
| up bound, so away | went. The con-
ductor rang to know what the matter
was, but | had no time to answer.
Away we went back. back. with me
fancying every moment that I heard
the other train laundering down upon
u.s. Could / make it? Could /? Back,
back, and on to the side track where
we we're to wait, and as | knew we
were safe, down fell by Grady's side
in a dead faint. They found us lying
there together, and J., coming to first,
i