The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-03-26

engine No. SO. The engineer was
oiltng her, and the fireman, I'D he
opened the furnace door and 81, :
coal, ~staNS reu
radt pfcGure In the eau against the
darkness beyond; AS the engineer,
with, his oil can, went carefully around
engine No. SO, John Saggart drew his
sleeves across his eyes, and a gulp
came up In his throat. He 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 swiftest and most
powerful engines the company had,
notwithstanding the many improve
ments that had been put upon locomo.
tiyes since SO left the foundry.
The cry of All aboard |" rang out
and was echoed down from the high
arched roof of the great terminus, and
John, wtths q sigh, turned from his
contemplation of the engine and went
to take his place on the train. It was
along train, with many sleeping cars
at the end of it., for the heavy holiday
traffic was on, and people were getting
4 out of town by the hundred.
Atlast the flying train plunged into
the dark, and Saggart pressed his
face against the cold glass of the
window, unable to shake off his feeling
Of responsibility, although he knew
Shat there was another man at the
throttle.
He was aroused from his reverie by
request, "Tickets, please"
He pulled out of his pocket a pass
and turned to hand it to the conduc-
tor, who stood there with a glittering
plated and crystal latern on his arm.
Hello, John, is this you ?" cried
the conductor as soon as he saw the
face turned toward him II heard
about your worry to-day. It's too bad.
III 8 man had got drunk at his post, as
you and l have known 'em to do, it
wouldn't have seemed SO hard, but at
Its worst your case was only an error
Judgment, and then nothing really
happened. Old SO seems to have the
habit of pulling herself through. |
suppose you and she have been in worse
fixes than that with not q word said
about it.
"Oh, yes" said John. "We've
been in many a tight place together,
but we won't be any more. It's tough,
az you say. I've been fifteen years
with the company and seven ON old
SO, and at first it comes mighty hard.
But [ suppose I'll get used to it,
"Look here, john" said the con-
fdential tons, 1.-THE president of the
road is withssus tonight. His private
car is the f@A but one on the train.
How would it do to speak to him? If
you're afraid to tackle him I'll put In u
word for you in o minute and tell him
your side of the story"
John Saggart shook his head.
1t wouldn't do" he said. she
wouldn't over-rule what one of his
subordinates had done, unless there
wac serious injustice in the case. It's
the new manager, you know. There's
always Trouble with q new
He sweeps clean. And l suppose he
thinks by bouncing one of the oldest
engineers on the road he'll scare the
rest"
Well, | don't think much of him,
between ourselves, said the conductor.
What do you think he has done to-
night He's put q new man on SEA
man from one OF the branch lines. who
vCJesn't know the road. / doubt ii he's
ever been over the main line before.
Now It's an anxious time for me, with
all the holiday traffic moving, with
the thermometer at zero, and the rails
like glass, and / like to have a man in
front that l can depend on."
cts bad enough not to know the
road" said John, gloomily, +" but it's
worse not to know old SO. She's a
brute liz h takes a notion"
II don't suppose there's another
engine that could draw this train and
keep her time"
mo. She'll do her work all right
If you'll humor her" admitted Saggart,
who could not conceal his love for the
engine, even while he blamed her.
We'll, so long," said the conductor.
I'll drop in and see you as the night
passes on"
Saggart lit his pipe and gazed out
into the darkness. He knew every
inch of the road-all the up-grades
the down-grades and the levels.
knew 1t even better in the darkest
light than In the dearest day. Oc-
casionally the black bulk of q barn or
q olumpO of trees showed for q momen
against tho less black sky, and Saggart
would say to himself; "Now, he
should shut off an inch of steam 20
or, NOW he should throw her wide
open"
The train made few stops, but he
saw that they were losing time-86
was sulking, very likely. The though
OF the engine turned his mind to hi
own fate. No man was OF very much
use In the world, after all, for the
moment he steps down another Is
ready to attend in his place. The wise
me ~ city who had listened to
81, y knew 80 we'll that an engine
a combination of from. |
lss, and that a given NUM-
Is of steam would get IL
-,,nohon ~ Yafloa a. "