The Meeker herald., 1892-10-01
AT THE THROTTLE.

without thoug', Il NJ ,i.rasnaot W..
hunchback ID boy bore The nicI.n nS
con ..eoat thinking it other than d
-non title. lew who saw him
-, NOV. about with his mis- ,haper
shoulders and undecided form. woult
| guess that he mad talent, but the
or!l!iancy OF his large eyes. the
! breadth OF his forehead and the pleas
ant INTEL sence of his pa,e face die
much to redeem his de 'ormity anG
| proved him. what he really was q
| genius lie was noted for his con.
structive skill Mechanics was hi.
passion and from making tiny water,
| wheels 10 whirr in the foamiug noun.
tain stream he soon progressed to Il
study o! the engines in the round.
house Mt the railway station. 1t was
the end OF branch road and many a
dark monster was stabbed in tho sooty
building. He pondered over them
with an enthusiastic patience and an
artist zeal until he knew every par,
perfectly and was often allowed to 81,
up with the engineers on short runs
| ana even 10 handle the throttle during
The switching about the yards.
Alpine junction was at the head OF
canon One autumn day the mayor
OF the little city at the foot, looking
out on the plains 10 the east visited
the town 10 ned to his own by the
railway running close to n mountain
stream often crossing and rccrossing
it In the afternoon the wind changed
clouds came scurrying over Pike
peak and big storm threatened.
About three o'clock tciegra ii was
received for the mayor Of the lower
town Not twenty minutes after the
operator had. with grave face cop
led it and sent of /. messenger. a
covered carriage came hurrying
through tho wind and rain. drawn by
galloping horses. The mayor ulighted
ind in q moment was excitedly asking
tho agent: When does tho next
train 90 east?'
AT six o'clock"
That will not do; / must go a,
once. How many miles is it to tn,
springs"
Sky"
II couldn't get there in five hours
by horses ! must have an engine
a riot has broken out between the
towusmeu ana tho workers in the
smelling works. l ought to BIO there
now"
an telegraph the superintendent
said tho agent There Is an engine
here. but it is against orders to let 1t
20. 1t will cost you considerable.
sir
u don't care what it costs. Hurry
up the message"
The agent lew 20 his instrument
The indicator gave no answering
click The wires between the station
aud the Springs were down. Either
the storm had broken farther east or
tho rioters had Gu. them. He OK
planned the situation TO the mayor
Mel said he. lire up your en-
gine and let me go 1t Is for tho pub.
lie good ard must go"
The agent thought moment
There is hardly chance The
man who runs the Pilgrim. Edward
Forester. Is sick"
Then who can go with it3" asked
the mayors host.
Il had thought said tho agent
hesitatingly. that as the track is
clear and will be for two hours that
If you can get Forrester's consent
that maybe Ben might do it
The gentleman clapped his hand.
The very one" he exclaimed. and
in moment he was away in his car
riago TO fetch the boy.
When he reached the station and
the mayor locked at the fragile.
humpt acked form and the frail face
he hesitated.
Have you ever run an engine
boy" ho asked.
Yes sir little ways. But /
understand it as we'll as anybody
Then you think you can make this
run?"
..Yes SIR"
But the mayor hesitated to trust
himself to Ben's handa and it was not
until the officials host returned from
n trip to the sick engineers bed to re-
port that Forester said Ben was cap
able that orders were given to hurry
up and try it"
Tho storm Lad risen in fury. and
great driving gusts OF rain came tear
and the hills were hidden in mist and
n dismal gloom overspread every
thing.
In the midst OF it all there was
rumble and jnr and the Pilgrim stood
s,eaming at the platform. Crooked
Ben was in the cab with his hand on
the throttle while sturdy fireman
stood behind him.
Tho mayor looked again at the boy
and hesitated.
He'll take you through all right
said the agent. Climb up to the
firemau's seat and keep tho bell ring
ing"
The mayor thought OF the scenes Of
bloodshed. perhaps taking place in
his own town. He stepped into the
cab. SEQ here" said he 10 the
young engineer Iii you take me
through in seventy minutes I'll give
you hundred dollars but If you feel
uncertain about your ability don t try
it What do you say:"
: III go sir"
The passenger reached for the rope
and the bells clangor sounded through
the howl Of the storm Ben tried the
water guages looked at the fire and
then with His slender white hand
drow tho leyor 70 lot the steam into
tbo uyl,ndof
With ~ angry hiss the sasint
starisi ou W. ~ay, followed by leua
hufrshs ana waving eapu from ths
DI,iea mon, On shs pbsd sAalsf Ard