The Penn's Grove record., 1893-09-29
A MAD ENGINEER.
C,suy Sfad Gone on q Drunk for ths rIIs
TInie-Ihe Terrible Result.

likely 10 happen, L may say tnese Is
no complaint Of monotony in run
ming an engine. But the worse snap
/ ever struck In the business was a
trip I took one time with a mad
man. Yes, sir, as wild a lunatic as
you'd find chained and strait,jacketed
In any asylum IN the country. Want
the story? Well, here's to IL, and a
straight one 1t is. II was In 1880
that l was serving a. fireman under
a man named Grady. lie was a fine
engineer; could do more with an
engine than any n l eyer saw, and
knew his road like a book. I'd been
with him about q year, and we got
pretty thick. and he was always show.
ing me his little gals picture and
talking about her. His wife was
lead and his sister had the child.
"IIe was just the %lovingest father !
ver did see. Never got drunk like
other men but this one time l am go1
ing to tell you about. We were to
go out that night, when I met him
on the street Just before ark and /
saw he had been drinking, but was
ia u uiikhty kOOu buiHOi. III Do
there In time, he said to me, I'm
just going up to the house to kiss my
baby good-by.'
swell, we parted and I come down
20 the depot It was mighty neal
time TO start, and l had steam all up
when here comes Grady. The mo
ment I saw him l knew there was
something mighty wrong with him.
Stead Of saying Hello or something
like that, ne just climbed into the
caboose without looking at me, but
Kidd of staring straight ahead of him
with his eyes hot and dry and his
lips as white as my shirt off duty. I
thought to myself; We'll, IL this Is n
drunk it's the queerest one / ever
saw and not wishing to rile him /
kept quiet. We pulled out steadily
enough, Grady still saying nothing.
but staring straight ahead as II he
saw something in front OF him.
Pretty soon we become to get faster
and faster, tili the old engine just
rocked and / could feel the ears be-
hind fairly jump over the rails. / did
not like to say anything, for he was
boss of the engine, but when we went
whi1zing past a station where we we're
TO stop without paying any more at
tention TO 1t than II IT had not been
there, | began to think there was
something mighty wrong, and l step.
ped forward and pretending to look
at the dial-plate, said: 'Hain't we
rather going It, boss?' But he didn't
answer and / went on: Amt sick,
are you, Grady, OLD man? II you are
lie down q bit and I'll run her
awhile
"'But still he paid no attention, but
would look out at the headlight and
kind Of mutter to himself. So l
went back to shoveling In the coal,
but keeping an eye on him, for by
This time l was sur that there was
something very much wrong with
him, and l began TO think that what
he had taken had crazed his brain,
and yet his looks weren't those of a
drunken man and his hand seemed
as steady as usual. But presently,
whiz! VIC went past the lighted
lamps OF a small station, where we
were due to wait fifteen minutes for
the up train. Good Lordr l thought,
we'll meet that train on the main
track and then look outn
"With this in mind J. called out:
"'Hello, Grady, forgot about the
upbound, amt you?'
''But he Just stood as before
mumbling,to himself In that strange
fashion, and I Just caught hlm by the
arm, storming at him:
"'Where are you going to, mainland
then he looked back over his shoulder
at me, grinning aud crashing his
teeth like a Cog.
"'To hellr he shouted, and all Of
you with me I've killed my baby
aud I've got 10 go to hell, but you'll
have tn 40 with me-
"when he said that / waited ne
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 a
devil, clutching me about the
throat while l slipped my hands up.
to his, and there, swaying from side.
Ia side, with our breath hot In each
others face, we struggled for what
seemed 10 be an age, with the train
all the time Numbering on, on 10 de-
struction. i had no thought for my
own lie, but I could not get the idea
o. the unconscious people behind and
coming out OF my head, 90 l hung on
like grim death until a happy thought
struck me, and l yelled out: Look
out Grady, there's your baby Just be-
hind you,' and. as no turned 70 look,
brought my fst down on his head
with all the strength l had left, and
he fell s~onsclcSS
Then began a race between tint
and me. l had 10 run the train back
Ia the station, where VIC were 70 pass
the np-bound, so away ] went The
conductor rang 20 know what tho
matter was, but l had no time 20 an
swcr. Away we went bacg, back,
with me ~fancylng every moment that
I heard the other train laundering
down upon us. Could I make Il?
Could II Back, back. and on 10 the
siir irar'' whore We were % walt.
and as l knew We were safe down I
felt ny Grady's side Ia a dead faint.
They found us lying there together
and j, coming u lrst, tried 10 tell
them what was wrong when my poor
boss sprang 10 his feet, was out Of the
ca,Opse aud gone Into the black
night The np train was fifteen min.
utes tate that night aud that and'ny
mad back pull was what saved them
both from destruction. Grady was
found next DAY hiding In the woods,
4 rihhcring IDIOT and put Ia an nay
lum. where he died IN q few weeka
IL seems that be had gone home
drinking that night aud playing with
his little girl had tossed her up In his
arms when her head coming IN con.
tact with tho ceiling the skull was
crushed AMI the baby left : CORPSE In
bis aHaS No sir. I want 90 more
sach Fans vas slck a week after
that n aud exchanged 10 another
fuad when ] got up