The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-09-11
MAKING TIME.


am certain, however, in all my expert
ence I never saw a road that was the
equal of the Valley Air Line, upon
which was, at the time of the incident
about to be related, a brakeman.
The engineer of our train-the Light
ming Express-was one of the most
sober, careful, thoughtful, and indus
trious men that ever handled a throt-
tie. He possessed more than the ordi-
nary share of thoughtful prudence, of
his class, and it was owing to this fact
that so great a degree of good fortune
came to us.
A few moments before the train was
to start one morning, Gardiner, the en-
gineer. called me to his cab. He ap-
peared unusually downcast that morn
ing, though at best he was by no means
a gay" fellow.
Bob" said Gardiner, after a few
seconds talk about general matters,
bob, I want you to be very careful to-
day. I know you're a good fellow. and
always do your duty well, but to day
l want you to do more. Iwant you to
stand by your brake every second of
the trip-do not leave it for a moment,
and when I signal I want you to set
them up as you never did before, and
promptly too. I know you will do it
for me, won't you, Bob?"
I was too astounded to speak for a
second, and then I asked:
"Why, what under the sun is the
matter with you, GARDENERS You know
the brakes are SO nearly worn out that
it is impossible to set them up, and you
know, too"
81 know it all, Bob, and that is the
reason why I want you to be careful.
I am going to try and make the time
table to day; and, if possible, I will do
so. I feel just as though something
was going to happen, and I am more
than half sorry that I promised; but
I'll do it, though. Now, promise me,
Bob, and off to your brakes"
Ipromised, and took my post, not a
little mystiied at GARDENERS words,
looks, and actions.
We left the depot. and vent rafting
on over the iron. Passengers looked at
each other in surprise, and wondered
what under the sun was the matter
with the Valley-if it had suddenly
awakened from it's long sleep, and now
proposed to be a railroad in earnest.
When the conductor came through the
train and came along to me, I asked:
What is the matter with Gardiner
this morning9"
"Oh, was the reply ''he and the old
man have had a blowout this morning.
You see Dur train never makes connec-
tions-passengers always lay over, and
of course they growI. This morning
the old man called us into the Office,
and the whole thing was out. Gardiner
talked like a father to them, and as he
greW excited, he said that it was GRIM
inal running the road in the condition
it was. He told them the timetable as
made up was fast even for a first class
road, and it we undertook to run it a
frightful accident could not be avoided.
When Gardiner said it was criminal to
run the road as it was, Superintendent
Brown was very hot. He fairly boiled
over. He declared that there was no
better road in the country, and that
Gardiner was a coward who ought to
go on to a gravel train, and if he didn't
make time he'd have him there, too.
The road was losing it's business, and
there had got to be a change. Brown
also said that in Valley Greek, where
he lived, he had noticed that the train
always slowed and lost time enough
there to lose the connections. Gardiner
replied to this, that at the creek there
was a down grade, the bridge was I'M
safe, and he was obliged to slack up
for safety. More than this, the track
passed through the playground of the
Creek school, which was not fenced in,
and they could not go through at a
rapid speed without danger to the chill.
dcen.
Then Brown burst out with an oath,
that if parents did not want their chill
dren run over they must keep them off
the track. It would be q good thing
TO run over one or two Of them, as it
would teach them a lesson. Of course,
he didn't mean this, but he was hot,
you see, and did not know what he did
say. He added, that GARDENERS family
lived near the track, and that GARDENERS
sole reason for slowing was to have a
chat with them as he went through.
This set Gardeners anger On fire, and