The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-06

l1e Iof there were two or three msn that
could have fred all right, but 10 struck
me all Of . sudden that here was . fine
chance 10 get even with Bully, and let him
80 whether Il took any knowhow TO nrs
an engine for . no miles run. II 90 hap
psncd that We had Just wooded up on the
home trip at . little station three miles
from GEORGETOWN, 30 we had plenty OF
fuel aboard to make the rum with.
"Can you do itfS says he. "Remember
y Is ITO miles, and IL IL $40 now, 90 you
have only two and . half hours to make
the run that generally takes double that
time"
"Ican do IT," says I, "if you will jump
aboard, pull ca your coat, and do just ~ !
tell you"
No sooner said than done, and In ten
minutes we had the old engine on the
~turntablc, turned her around and were OF.
sIf the road was rough when We ran at
our usual speed, that night, making
double time, Il was Just awful. As we
few around the curves 1t seemed ~ II We
should lose the track Ct every turn Of the
drivers, and the poor old machine rocked
and swayed SO that, used ] was to IL, I
could hardly keep on my seat by the lever.
II 1t was hard on me, what must 1t have
been to poor old Billyf I could hardly
keep from laughing In his face, as /
watched him and heard him groan rs he
handled the heavy sticks we used for fuel.
The heat OF the weather, added to that of
the furnace and the unusual work, made
him look as IL he was In q Turkish bath.
The water ran down his face, his stiff,
white collar hung down on his shoulders
Hk q wet rag, and his beautiful, smooth
shirt bosom looked as II some one had
thrown q pail of dirty water over him.
His hands were torn and cut from hand
ling the wood, and take 1t altogether he
was the most unlikely looking railway
president ! ever saw. Once in awhile I
had to shout at him to lay the wood more
even in the furnace, and would tell him
he would get the lnack of it in time.
Whenever he tried to rest / told him we
were losing steam, and II he wanted to
catch the train he mustn't idle over the
work. Ill had thought to hitch a car on
when we started We should nave run
much smoother; but IL was too late to
think Of that now, and SO on we rushed,
now through woodlands, now past grain
fields, lurching first to one side and then
to the other, until ! expected every
minute to land wrong side up in the ditch.
However, luck was with us that night,
and we pulled up at Junction City just
at IL. Poor old Billy could hardly climb
down from the engine, but he managed to
gasp out:
"Come to my Office at 2 o'clock next
Saturday"
/ learned afterward that, finding the
Chicago train was behind time, he hunted
up a clothing shop and rugged himself out
go as to look like q civilized man, which
he didn't when he left me.
managed to find a fireman who was
willing to make the run back with me,
and i finally got home at 8 o'clock, and
finding the cleaners q little sobered up,
got to bed as 500 as possible, for ! was
clean played out. I told Bob about my
trip next day, and thought he would die
laughing to think of old Billy playing
fireman. But all he said was:
"Im afraid thatW settle your hash,
Jim, for he will find out that you worked
him more than was needed"
The next Saturday, at 2 O'Clock, I re-
ported at the presidents Office, wonder
ing whether I was going to be rewarded
for my extra work or get kicked out for
my impudence.
When / entered the Office there sat the
old man, spick and span as ever and
showing no signs of his hard work.
"Well, young man." says he, "you
helped me out the other night, but /
would not go through the Same expert
ence again for 10,0O0. At the same time
l think you were trying to get even with
me for not doing what you asked about
your salary, and / have concluded that
this line can dispense with your services"
At this my heart went down into my
boots, for ! can tell you 1t isn't an easy
thing to get a new job when you can't
bring a recommendation from your last
place.
Then he went on to say:
rave a letter here from the superin-
tendent Of the Chicago and Western, ask
ing IL I can recommend to them a driver
who has a sharp eye and cool head to run
their new fast night express. / have
written in reply that l can recommend
such a man, one James Martin, who will
report for service the LIST of September.
The pay will be 800 a month. I may add
to you privately that ! shall never apply
to you for the position Of fireman. Good
day, sir"
That's all there il TO my story. Molly
and ! were married and went to Chicago
to live. ] took the new train, and have
brought her in On time every trip I've
run, so you can see I've a pretty good rec
ord with the company. I've never seen
Billy since, and I don't believe he wants
to see me; for Bob told me the last time l
saw him that they called the old man
Z" Martins Fireman." that he knew 1T,
and naturally didn't like 1t. There's my
mate signalling for me now, sir, and ]
must Performances.