The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-06-23

p S8 ton on a mission
Ez4 r res 's' nde"s. W We
had passed Baltimore, and within
an hours time we would be at our
place OF destination. The conductor
had finished collecting the fares, and
seeing vacant seat by my side drop
ped into it, as if for little rest at the
end OF tiresome days work. He
made an entry in hisnote book, closed
it, placed it in his breast-pocket, but
toned his coat, folded his arms, and
then turned to me with friendly re-
mark, as if he now felt at liberty to
lay aside an official duty and be So
,ciable. was glad to while away the
time as the train was rushing along
i'm the darkness, which concealed all
objects OF interest without, and so
encouraged the conversation.
''You must have met with some
Interesting experiences, and perhaps
with some great dangers, in the course
of your life,' said 7, the conductors
grizzly beard showing that he might
have seen g. long service.
''Well, perhaps the most exciting
dime in my experience was the night |
WAS chased by an engine a night
which this one reminds me Of" said
he, looking out into the darkness.
CHASED by an engine?" said I, get
ting interested. "How did that
.happen?"
"Well," said the conductor, settling
down in the cushion, and bracing his
knees against the back OF the seat in
front, "many years ago was running
the night express on Long Island from
Brooklyn to Greenport, a distance
ninety miles. the entire length Of
the road, The Long Island road was
then a one-horse affair, having only a
single track, with switches at the
different stations to allow trains to
meet and pass. On the evening to
which | now refer [ started from
20 Brooklyn at ten o'clock with the old
Constitution, long since broken up,
but then the crack engine On the
road, with a baggage or freight car
and three passenger cars. The nj ht
was just as dark as a pocket, or, if
anything, perhaps darker" he added,
as if he had accurately tested the
internal obscurity OF that useful
portion of the dress.
cit must have been very dark, :"
said I.
awe were the only regular train
upon the road that night, with the
exception OF the Greenport express to
Brooklyn, which was to start at ten
o'clock and meet us at Lakelan,l
Station, in the middle of the island.
switching off there to allowus to pass.
''Well, we were perhaps six or eight
miles on our way when I stepped out
on the back pla torn OF the rear car
to see if it was growing any lighter
We were then going over a part OF the
road which was as straight as an ar
'row for q distance Of four or five miles.
AS | was looking back over this
stretch l saw behind us, at the dis
tance of three miles or so, what I
knew was the headlight OF an engine,
as it was too bright for anything else;
for Of course did not suppose the
Government had been putting up any
lighthouses along the road"
"Probably not" said I.
"IOu may be sure l was a little sur
prised," said the conductor, "for
there wasn't an extra train once a
week upon that road, ard I knew
that there was none going out from
brooklyn that night, anyhow. !
waited for a few minutes, until saw
that it was really an engine coming,
and what was more, that it was gain.
ing rapidly on u.s.. although we were
going at our usual rate Of speed
When / was satisfied of the fact ]
hurried forward and said to the en-.
glneer,; Jake, there is a train close be-
hind us.
"Jake dropped his oil-can and his
lower jaw at about the same moment
and looked to see whether Twas crazy
or joking. ...s....-.-
"'Well let the fireman attend to
matters here, and come back and see,
said I.
"W e hurried to the rear, and in a
moment Jake saw as we'll as mvsel
that if there was any Joke in the
matter we were. the victims OF one
and OF rather q serious one too, fo1
the train in the rear had gained on us
e full mile while had been forward
The red cinders werepouring out OF the
'smokestack as if from a blast-furnace
the headlight threw glare along the
road, Furnishing the iron rails to III
very wheels. Close as he was upon us
tine, engineer of the advancing trair
had not given the slightest signal te
warn us OF his approach, and made ne
response to our repeated whistles o
alarm. He was violating all railroad
rules, and if he had determined t,
secretly run us down he would act jus
as he was then doing. Jake at. frs