The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-11-16
TEMPERANCE NOTES.
CRAZED BY DRINK.
The Terrible Results of an Engineers
First Drunk.

80, there's plenty of excitement in
the life" said the engineer of engine
No. 10. What with the chance of
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, | may say there is no com
plant Of monotony in running an en-
CINE. But the worst snap ever struck
in the business was 4 trip took one
time with mailman. Yes, sir, as wild
a lunatic as you'd find chained and
ait-iacketed in any asylum in the
country. Want the story? Well,
here's to it, and straight one it is. 1t
was in 1850 that | was serving as fire
man under a man named Grady. He
was a fine engineer; could do more
with an engine than anyone ! ever
saw. and knew his road like 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.
Ale was just the lovingest father |
ever did see. Never got drunk like
other men but this one time | 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 mighty
good humOr. III be there in time he
said to me, I'm just going up to the
house to kiss my baby good-by.
"Wcll, 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 saw him knew there was
something mighty wrong with him.
STEAD OF saying Hello or something
like that, he just climbed into the ca
boosc 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 rifle him, l kept quiet. We
pulled out steady enough, Grady still
saying nothing but staring straight
ahead Jas 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 a 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 answer
and went on; Amt sick, are you,
Grady, old man? If you are lie down a
bit and II run her awhile.''
But still he paid 40 attention, but
would look out at the headlight and
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 taken
had crazed his brain, and yet his looks
weren't those of drunken man and his
hand seemed as steady as usual. But
presently, whiz. we went past the
lighted lamps of a small station where
we were due to wait fifteen minutes for
the up train. Good Lordr | thought,
wen meet that train on the main
track and then look out"
"With this in mind | called out:
Hello, Grady, forgot about the up
bound, amt you?' But he stood just as
before mumbling to himself in that
strange fashion, and just caught him
by the arm, storming at him. Where
are you going to, mani and then he
looked back over his shoulder at me,
grinning and crashing his teeth like a
dog. TO helln he shouted, and all of
you with me. I've killed my baby and
I've got to 90 to hell, but you'll have to
go with me. When he said that
waited no longer, but grabbed him
about the waist, | did not want to
hurt him, but to save the train-no
both trains. But he fought me like q
devil. clutching me about the throat
while slipped my hand up to his, and
there, swaying from side to side, with
our breath hot in each others face, we
struggled for what seemed to be an
age, with the train all the time thun
dering on, on to destruction. l had NO
thought for my own life, but could moi
get the idea of the unconscious people
behind and coming out of my head, so
hung on like grim death until happy
thought struck me, and yelled out
Look out, Grady, there's your baby
Just behind YOU and, as he turned tC
look, brought my fist down on his heaC
with ali the strength had left, and he
fell San~cIcsS.
Then began race between time
and me. ! had to run the train back tC
the station, where we were to pass the
up-tSund, SO away | went. The con
ductor rang to know what the matte,
was, but | had no time to answer
Away we went back, back. with me-
fancying every moment that | hearC
the other train laundering down upoI
us. Could | make it? Could /? Back
back, and on to the side track wher,
we were to wait. and as l knew W,
were safe, down fell by Grady's sid,
in a dead faint They found us lying
there together, and /, coming to first
tried to tell them what was wrong
when my poor boss sprang to his feet
was ont of the caboose and ponc int,