Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-07-05


what it used to be-" said the en-
gineer, wiping his hands upon a
bunch OF waste and taking piece OF
tobacco from his overalls pocket.
"Give me the good old days when
schedules with long stops and no
telegraph TO bedevil us. We could
run pretty much to suit ourselves
then, and it goes without sayin' we
had lots of enjoyment.
"Take. for instance, the fun Jim
Larkins and mo had one night about
fifteen years ago You see Jim and
me were both courtin' the same girl.
both bein' engineers on the Whining
ton. Columbia, and Augusta road be-
tween Columbia and Charlotte.
"Old man Smith, that's Mollie's
father. didn't like me near as we'll as
he did Jim, but seein' that Mollie
preferred me. wasn't carin' much
about her dads opinion. 1t wasn't
no use for us to try to get spliced in
Columbia, for everybody knew that
her father had ordered her not to be
seen with me; SO the only thing for
us to do was to watch our chance,
and go off on the quiet to some place
along the line. thought it over for
several days and got the whole thing
in shape. l told Mollie to come
down to the round house about Z
o'clock one night and l would take
her little ride on my engine. She
afraid? Well. l guess you don't
know her. Why she had run the
machine herself many time.
Il had given the hint to Jack, my
fireman. and he was on hand when !
backed out on the main track. leav-
ing Jim's engine in the round house.
Mollie was waitin', and she jumped
on the tank like an engineers sweet
heart ought to do. Just as we were
pullin' out Jim came around the
corner. His eyes opened, l tell you.
"'Where ye goln'. Bill?" he
shouted
just out for little ride re-
marked, coolly, putin Mollie up
on the box in front of me. SO had
to put my arms around her to reach
the levers. saw Jim gasp and
start on a run for towards Mollie's
house, where he knew her father
was.
"In two minutes we were spinnin',
in three hummin' and in five tearin'
through the valley like a cyclone.
1t was a pitch dark night and not a
thing could be seen ahead.
There they come" yelled Jack
before we had gone ten miles.
.Lookin' back we saw shower OF
sparks just visible above the tree
tops. w concluded ut once that
was Jim and Mollie's dad, and that
we would have to do some pretty
tall travelin' to avoid capture Mind
you, Jim carried gun. The en-
gines were pretty well matched, but,
of course. l was somewhat nervous.
Just ahead was heavy grade i've
miles long. and knew it would be u
tough pull to get over it, but once
on the other side of the hill our
chances for gettin' away would bo
good.
"All of u sudden we heard whis-
tie and it sounded right behind us.
jumped with dismay and looked
back. There was Jim less than half
mile away, and comm like a house
afire. Mollie looked. too. then her
eyes fell on Jack. whose wood was
gettin' low. and who had rolled q
barrel out from the back part of tho
tank and was tryin' to bust tho head
in. She slid out of my arms, and
holdin' onto the levers, got down he
side the fireman The first thing
know of it was when saw her fish
in out big fat hams from the barrel,
and passin' them to Jack. who was
feedin' the furnace with 'em.
didn't stop to ask any questions.
Bully for you. jack yelled as the
steam guage jumped up again.
IL knew that as soon as Jim reach
ed the top OF the hill he'd be after
us iickety split, and / begun to fear
we couldn't make the rifle this
time, but all at once thought
struck me. l shut off steam and
yelled to Jack to put on the hand
brakes. He jumped to the wheel,
Mollie helpln' him. and in few
minutes we had nearly stopped.
Jump down quick, Jack. and
open the switch, 1 said. I'm goin'
to run up the bark sidin,."
i "In less time than it takes to tell
it we were on the sidin', the switch
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