The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-11-10


ZEN z ERANCE NOTES.
MADDEnED 81 DRINK. ]. ]
rhs Terrible Results II IN EnRines,rl,s
First Drunk. ~ IS sis L.
20, there's plenty Of excitement in
the life said the engineer. of engine
No. 10. What with the chance of q.
wreck every mile or so, a general
smashup at the sidings, the giving way.
Of bridges, and the forgetfulness Of the
dispatcher, all of which is likely to
happen, i may say there is no com-
plant of monotony in running an en-.
CINE. But the worst snap lever struck
in the business was trip l took one
time with a mailman. Yes, sir, as wild
lnnatic as you'd find chained and
trait-jacketed in any asylum in the
country. Want the story? Well,
here's to it, and straight one it is. It
was in 1880 that was serving as fire.
man under man named Grady. He
was q fine engineer; could do more
with an engine than anyone ever
saw, and knew his road like a book.
I'd been with him about a 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. sa y S IS - 0 :
s"He was just the lovingest father !
ever did see. Never got drunk like
other men but this one time l am 60
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 q mighty
good humor. I'll be there in tilne,' he
said to me. Pm just going up to the
house to kiss my baby good-by.'
'.Well, 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-
ment l 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. Thought
to myself: Well, if this is drunk, it's
the queerest one ever saw and, not
wishing to rile him, l 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 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 answe,
and 1 went on: Amt sick, are you
Grady, old man? If you are lie down 6
bit and I'll run her awhile
But still he paid no attention, but
would look out at the headlight anl
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 taker
had crazed his brain. and yet his looks
weren't those of drunken man and hi!
hand seemed as steady as usual. Blu
| So,9 l.
lighted lamps of small station where
we were due to wait fifteen minutes fo1
the up train. Good Lord!' l thought
well meet that train on the mali
track and then look out!'
'With this in mind l called out
Hello, Grady, forgot about the up
bound, amt your But he stood just a
before, mumbling to himself III tina
strange fashion, and just caught hin
by the arm, storming at him. 'Wher.
are you going to, man?' and then b.
looked back over his shoulder at me
grinning and gnashing his teeth like ,
dog. To hellv he shouted, and all o
you with me- I've killed my baby anc
I've got to go to hell. but you'll have t.
go with me- When he said that
waited no longer, but grabbed hin
about the waist. I did not want t,
hurt him, but to save the train-no
both trains. But he fought me like
devil, clutching me about the throat
while I slipped my hand up to his, AM
there, swaying from side to side, will
our breath hot in each others face, w,
struggled for what seemed to be al
l. ~
dering on, on to destruction. had nc
thought for my own life. but could no
get the idea of the unconscious peopl,
behind and coming out of my head, so
hung on like grim death until Il happ,
thought struck me, and 1 yelled out
Look out, Grady, there's your bah,
just behind you, and, as he turned t,
look, brought my fist down on his heat
with all the strength had left, and Ii,
fell senseless.
e ''Then began a race between TIM
and me. had to run the train back t,
the station, where we were to pass tn
up-bonnd, so away 1 went. The con
ductor rang to know what the matte
was, but l had no time to answer
Away we went back. back. with m,
fancying every moment that heart
the other train laundering dowf upo,
us. Could l make it? Could 1? Back
back, and on to the side track wher,
we were to wait, and as 1 knew W,
were safe, down I fell by Grady's sid,
in dead faint. They found us lyinf
there together, and l, coming to first
tried to tell them what was wrong
when my poor boss sprang to his feet
was out of the caboose and gone int
the black night. The up train was fit
teen minutes late that night and tina
and my mad back pull was what savee
them both from destruction. Grady
was found next day hiding III the woods
q gibbering idiot, and put in an asylum
where he died in few weeks. l
seems that he had gone home drinking
that night, and playing with his little