The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-07
a GIRL ENGINEER.

4aMx Se-O - DS0V sAssS
paak Hs had fsndnsss for the fowinl
beWi tkai had bssn his downfall. He ha
snpatdown from the fast mail to = pas
peAAer TIM. and nnally had TO 20 hauling
fseieAk Whsn no was sober there wasn't
bettsf of more careful man on the road
butsWhsn No wasn't--whish Was most Of th
n tins4-his drsman had to watch him prett
SlOsely. II was no unsommon thing to go
"a Han with No. 48 cons In with the eng
nsef scarcely abba 10 keep his seat, and wit
III daaahtsr. = girl Of ~. who knew NOR
About N engine than half the mon on tn
road, handling Air and throttle like an oil
engineer.
This mothsslsss girl Was . universal IA
voSits AMONG the employees, and Benz
shortcomings ware not 20 severely deal
With q they would have been otherwise
She VA known a. Blazes on account OF he
6ery temper.
Many a. The trainmen, most OF them IN
fast had fallen in love with Blazes. for
whils she was not BY any means handsome
thsrs wal ! charm in her wild, hot temper
and sho had the brightest and blacklist pail
Of eyss in the country around. Blazes'
however, didn't seem TO have much use fol-
Shs mon. Her experience with the sex, az
1Ar as her parent was concerned, was such
That she thought that she was able to take
care Of herself about as we'll as any man
could care for hcr. With ono exception.
Dave Gilchrist ran passenger No. 5 out OF
Como and there wasn't a moro spruce
looking conductor on tho road. He was a
daahing, handsome young fellow, and he
ruled supreme in tho heart Of this fierce,
untamed creature Of the roundhouse and
yards.
Blazes had never been to school, but she
had q good deal more of common sense than
u usually allotted to mortals. All her life
had been spent in the roundhouse and
around the yards, and she loved the iron
monster with q passionate love second to
her passionate affection for Dave Gllchrlss,
whose wife she had thought to be.
Now, Dave Gilchsist was, after the man,
nsr Of his kind, something Of "masher."
and though Blazss did not know 1t, and
would not have believed had it been told
hor, Ne was married already, but. man like,
he did not see az that was any reason why
he should not hirt with Blazes or any other
girl that took his fancy.
One evening as Dave and BlaZes we're sit
ting on the sofa in Ben Clark's little parlor
-or, more properly. as Dave was seated on
the sofa and Blazes. we'll, she on his lap-a
picture dropped ont OF bis pocket and fell
unnotioed on the floor.
After Dave had gon Blazes saw the pic
ture, and, picking it up. she read upon the
back. .'Mrs. Dave Gilchrist." The picture
was that of a fair girl, apparently about her
own age, and as che looked az it Blazss
realized that her lover had been deceiving
another trusting woman as we'll as wreck
ing her own happiness. Strangely enough,
shc did not hate the fair creature whose
cQunterfeit she was gazing at, but rather
abe pitied her.
Choking back a passionate sob. Blazss
went to bed, but it was little rest she got
shat night. In the early morning she crept
ont to the shed whore her favorite old
engine, old Seventy-nine. was undergoing
the grooming, and. slipping into the cab,
she rat and thought.
She felt drowsy and soon fell into a light
doze from which she was awakened by the
sound of a whispered conversation. One
Of tho voices she recognized as that of a
man who had been trying to incite the men
10 q general uprising and the other was
that Of a man who had been discharged
from, the service a few days BEFORE.
How about the telegraph wires1" asked
the walking delegate. -.
ave liked 'em O K" replied the second.
"Thsre's only one thing don't like about
this ERE job. Dave Gilchrlst's wite'sasoin'
to come down on that train and Pm afraid
she'll eit hurt. It's a hi of a way for
Dave to make love to Blazes, when hes got
D wife in Topaz"
"Well." said the delegate, well get even
with the corporation this time. I've fixed
the rails so that the Skill 90 into the ditch
the other side of the station. Some of
the officials are a-comin' down with her.
d-n 'em."
Blazes waited until the men we're out of
sight. "She's due in thirty minutes and
they've spiked the rails just beyond the
BRIDGE she thought. Luckily old Seventy
nine had up steam waiting to 90 out with
he'eastbound local that left after Six had
passed.
Blazes seized the throttle and the engine
sprang out of the stall like a startled bird
from her nest. There's a straight road to
Topaz, and tho engineer VIII see me- IN time
Dawes wife. Mebbe if she was dead Dave'd
marry me-" she thought, and ~involuntatily
slowed up. But the better part OF her ma
ture asserted itself. and she sped on with
the speed of a frightened pigeon.
Suddenly she heard the sound Of wheels
behind. The wreehers had OWNED hen pur-
pose and given chase; My God" she
thought, II can't keep ahead of 'em and do
all the firing" but never a thought of
the undertaking occurred to
her. Slowly the better manned engine
gained upon the brave girl. seventy-nine
WAS dong Aor OebS, DuV i'A6HSS WAS IOb
equal to tie task of handling her engine
and keeping up the tires.
The chase kept up for several miles. It
was twenty to the first station and Biazes
saw that she was soon to be captured. Her
face paled as a sudden thought flashed
across her mind and her lips quivered. but
she set her teeth and piled the waning fire
with fresh coal. Seventy-nine was running
forty-fve miles and the pursuers were not
one hundred yards behind, when. with Il
smothered cry. God help, me! It's for
Dave and her!' BIazss quickly reversed
and threw the throttle wide open.
The engine responded like q thing of life
and spranR back toward the pursuing mon
ster. There was a terrible crash. a woman's
Shrek. the terrible hiss of escaping steam.
and Blazes had saved the train. The en-
piueer of No. 6 was leaning ont of his cab
and far ahead he saw the wrecked engines.
Two short. sharp blasts of the whistle and
he had his train under control. Slowly ne
drew near the scene of the catastrophe, won.
dering what could have been the cause.
When the train came to- standstill he
leaped from his seat and ran to q mangled
body lying near poor old Seventy-nine.
my God, it's Blazes!" AS the PASSENGERS
crowded around ono tall blonde bent over
the dying girl:
MRS. Gilchrist?"
Eyes, dear; what is it?"
II did it for you. Lean down closer.
them that the rails are spiked Just beyond
the bridge, Dave!" and with her lovers
wife's kiss warm on her forehead Blazes
Registered in" at that station where no
one js sver docked for being behind time.-
nmahp Ras