The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-09-04
A JUMP FOR LIFE.

buo beTHlllus, OuI OF tne rays OF the gilt
tering lamps, and watched engine No. SO.
The engineer was oiling her, and the fro
man, as he opened the furnace door and
shoyeled in the coal, stood out like red
Rembrandt picture in the cab against the
darkness beyond John knew every Joint
and bolt in that contrary old engine-the
most cantankerous iron brute on the road,
and yet, if rightly managed, one Of the
swiftcst and most powerful engines tho
company had, Notwithstanding The many
improvements that had been put upon To-
comotiyes since old SO left tho foundry
The cry Of "All nboardl'' rang out, and
John Saggart climbed into the smoking
carriage at the front part of the train. lie
found place in ono Of the forward seats,
and he sank down into 1t with q vague
feeling of unrasinrss at being inside u
coach instead of on the engine. He gazed
out of the window and SAW the glittering
electric lights slowly slide behind, then
more quickly the red, green and white
lights of tho station lamps, and finally
there tlickered swiftly past the brilliant
constellation of city windows. showing
that the town had not yet gone TO bed At
last the flying train plunged into the dark
country and Sagsart pressed his face
against the cold glass of tho window, un-
able to shake of his feeling of responsible
ity although he knew that there was an
other man at the throttle.
He was aroused from his revcric by a
touch on his shoulder and curt request,
"Tickets, please.
'tHello, John, is this you2" cried the
conductor as soon us he saw tho face turn.
cd toward him. "lIaug it, man, you did
not need pass travelling with me "
81 know it," said the engineer, ''but
they gave it to me to take mt home and
may as well Ese it rs not / don't want
TO get you Into trouble.
"Oh, I'd risk the trouble, " said the con
ductor, placing his lamp on the floor and
taking his seat beside the engineer 81
heard about your worry today. It's too
cursed bad Ii man had got drunk at
his post, as you and have known EN- to do,
it wouldn't have seemed SO hard, but at its
worst your case was only an error of iudg-
ment, and then nothing really happened.
Old 80 seems to have tho habit Of pulling
herself through. l suppose you and she
have been in worse fixes than that with
not word said about it.
'Oh, yes, y said John. "We'ye been in
many tight place together, but we won't
be any more It's tough, as you say I've
been 10 years with the company and seven
on old ST, and at first it comes mighty
hard But / suppose I'll get used to it,
Look here, John, said the conductor,
lowering his voice to confidential tone,
the president Of tho read j. with us to-
night. His private car is the last but one
on the train. How would 1t do to speak
TO him? If you're afraid to tackle him,
IN put in a word for you in minute and
tell him your side Of the story .
John SagGart shook his head
xitHti1IJ.'t III, ba raid EtIIa .,,a,,ll
not oyeIrala What ono Of his sGbordtnatcs
had DONE rillless there was serious injus-
tice III the case. It's the new manager,
you know. There's always tronble with
nHw manager He sweepI clean. And
suppose he thinks hy bouncing one of the
oldest engineers ON the road he II scare tho
rest =
'tWell, l don t think much OF him, be-
tween ourselves; said the conductor
"Whut do you think he has done to-
nightf He's put a new man ON se--a man
from one OF tho branch lines, who doesn't
know tho road, doubt if he' ever been
over the main line before Now, it's an
anxious enough time for me with all the
Christmas traffic moving, with tho ther-
rnonleter at zero and the rails like glass,
and like to have man in front that
can depend on. .
eaid John gloomlly, but it's worse not to
know old 80. She's brute if she takes
notion.
II don't suppose there's another engine
that could draw this train and keep her
time"
mo. Shell do her work all right if
you'll hulnor her admitted Saggart, who
could not conceal his love for the engine,
even while he blamed her.
ttWell, " said the conductor, rising and
picking up his lantern, the man in front
may be all right but d feel safer II you
were further ahead on this train than the
smoker. I'In sorry ! can't offer you
berth tonight, John, but we're full clear
through 10 the rear lights. Thero isn't
oven vacant upper on the train. "
''Oh, it doesn't matter" said Saggart,
81 couldn't sleep anyhow Id rather Sit
here and look out the window. -
''Wel, SO long" sud the conductor,
"I'li drop in and see you as The night
passes on
SagEart lit his pipe and ga2ed out into
the darkness He knew every Inch OF the
Toad-all the up grades, and tho down
grades and the levels. He know it even
better In the darkest night than in the
claarest day, Occasionally the black hulk
of barn or clu1np of trees showed for
moment nganst the less black sky, and
Saggart would say to himself, Now he
should shut off an inch Of steam, or
..Now he should throw her Wide open y
Tho train nat!c few stops, but he saw
that they were losing tlme-s6 was sulk-
ing very likely TlIe thought of the en-.
gine turned his mind TO his own fate No
1nan was Of very much use in the world
after all, for the moment he steps down
another is ready TO siahd in his place The
wise men In tho city who had listened to
his defense knew so we'll that an engine
was merely a combination Of iron, steel
and brass, and ihat a given number Of
pounds of fs"n,a ~atld get it over piven