Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-11-16
The excitement was alta

this demand. The excitement was at "a
fever pitch, that the least, of the cx-
cited ones was Col Mason himself.
He quickly determined that he would
comply with the young mans request,
for special, and giving an order to one
of his assistants, he declared he would
pull Louis Patterson into Sandy Lake
station before o'clock, come what
might, and let the consequences be
what they would.
All his orders were quickly responded
to. He would have the locomotive
ready first and Immediately. and trust
to luck to get his orders from head
quarters before starting.
The track was ordered cleared of all
trains; the locomotive came putting up
in excellent trim, with plenty of water,
plenty of fuel, and ready for the race.
Louis climbed into the cab and sat
down in the engineers seat, and the
superintendent who had proposed to
make one OF the party took seat in
front of the fireman.
Just then the train-disp atcher came
forward with the order from the gen.
eral office, and the superintendent Civ
ing the signal, at $50, the locomotive
responded to the open throttle, and
fairly trembIed, and shook it's great big
iron sides as it gave lunge ahead,
and, amid the deafening cheers of the
crowd, it got right down to work, that
made the engineer proud of his noble
steed.
The mile posts were passed as though
they were telegraph poles Screech-
ing like made through the villages,
fairly leaping over switches, shaking,
roaring, putting, whirling over bridges,
through fields and forests, faster and
faster, steady sturdy hand at the
lever, stout and sinewy arms at the
furnace, watchful eyes gazing eagerly
beyond the smokestack and scanning
the track to see if all were clear. and
faithful, obedient and trusty locomo-
tive bent down to it's duty and per-
formed it as though it were a living,
breathing being and comprehended
fully the responsibility trusted to it.
Henry spoke not word.
His whole being kept pace with the
engine, in it's nervous tremor and ap-
parent agitation. In fact no one ut
tered syllable, except the superin-
tendent, who, with his watch in his
hand. at intervals called out the time,
the speed. and the distance run.
Fifteen miles, twenty minutes!
twenty-five miles, thirty minutes!
Forty-tive miles, forty-eight minutes!
Sixty miles, sixty-one minutes.
The superintendent was now as ex-
cited as the engine itself. Louis sat
there as though hewed out of stone.
The engineer and fireman were as
happy as though they owned the road.
Fifty-five miles more and eighty-nine
minutes to make it in.
The track passed the Nordrum farm
within sixty rods Of the house. So
there would be no delay in getting
from the station to the lawn, where
the marriage ceremony was to take
place.
Seventy miles in seventy-two min
utes.
Losing little, Mr. Fireman, can't
you throw in an extra lump or two OF
those choice pieces there at your feet?
Saving them for the last: Save
nothing. Crowd on all the fuel she
if possible, Mr.. Engineer. Can't do it?
No matter, she is behaving beautifully.
What splendid creature!
Now she just flies. The last five
miles was made in four minutes.
4NAHCOy 1uAA0o LII " 10" oOoOAlGo
less than ninety minutes. Twenty
five miles more and a full hour
to do it in That is splendid margin
TO go on Will make it in time with
half an hour to spare.
Don't move finger there to reduce
her speed, Mr.. Engineer. Let her do
all she can. Take no risks. Better
have the time to spair at the end of
the run than on the road.
A mile minute is now the pace,
and she is buckling down to that speed
with ease. Heavens don't she round
that curve handsomely?
The engineer sees something ahead
that alarms him. Isit puff of smoke?
He stretches his neck out of the cab
window as far as possible, strains his
eyes, hastily draws back, clutches the
lever with both hands, ready to close
the throttle on moments warning.
Another second and the steam is shut
off, the engine reversed, the brakes
applied, the noble steed lothfully les
sens its speed, and, turning an abrupt
curve, comes to dead stop and within
three or four feet of bridge whose
timbers are smoking from an explosion
of gunpowder, which some miscreant
had applied, no doubt, in order to pre-
vent the engine from reaching Sandy
Lake.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Small Fortune Between the Cracks