Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-05-02

ductor, lowering his voice to conf
Dental tone, "the President of the
road is with us tonight. His private
car is the last-but one on the train.
How would it do to speak to him? If
you're afraid to tackle him I'll put in
a word for you in a minute and tell
him your side of the story.
John saggart shook his head.
at wouldn't do" he said. "He
wouldn't overrule what one of his sub
ordinates had done, unless there was
serious injustice in the case. It's the
new manager, you know. There's al
ways trouble with new manager,
He sweeps clean. And l suppose he
thinks by bouncing one of the Oldest
engineers on the road he'll scare the
rest.
"Well, l don't think much of him,
between ourselves" said the conduct
or. What do you think he has done
tonight? He's put new man on Sc
"a man from one Of the branch lines,
who doesn't know the road. | doubt
if 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 l like to have a
man in front that l can depend on"
"It's bad enough not to know the
road" said John, gloomily, "but it's
worse not to know old sc. She's
brute if the takes a notion"
81 don't suppose there's another en-
CINE that could draw this train and
keep her time"
"No. She'll do her work all right
if you'll humor her." admitted Sag
CART, who could not conceal hi. love
for the engine, even while he blamed
her.
"Well, said the conductor, rising
and picking up his lantern, "the man
in front may be all right, but would
feel safer if you were further ahead on
this train than the smoker. I'm sorry
I can't offer you berth tonight,
John, but we're full clear through to
the rear lights. There isn't even
vacant upper on the train."
"Oh, it doesn't matter, said Sag
CART. II couldn't sleep anyhow. I'd
rather sit here and look out of the
window"
"Well, 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
and the grades and the levels.
He knew it even better in the darkest
night than in the clearest day. Oc-
casionally the black bulk of barn or
clump of tress showed for one mo-
ment against 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"
The train made few stops, but he
saw that they were losing time-S6
was sulking, very likely. The thought
of the engine turned hi, mind to his
own fate. No man was of very much
use in the world, after all, for the mo-
ment he steps down another is ready
to stand in his place. The wise men
in the city who had listened to his de-
tense knew so well that an engine was
merely a combination Of iron, steel
and brass, and that given number
of pounds of steam would get it over
a given number of miles in given
number of hours, had smiled incredu
lously when he told them that an en-
CINE had her tantrums, and that some
times she had to be coddled up like
any other female, and that even when
man did his best there were occa-
sion. when nothing he could do would
mollify her, and then there was sure
to be trouble, although John had add
ed in his desire to be fair, that she
was always sorry Tor IL alterWaru'
which remark, to his confusion, had
turned the smile into laugh.
He wondered what sc thought OF
the new man. Not much, evidently,
for she was losing time which she had
no business to do on that section of
the road. Still, it might be the fault
of the new man not knowing when to
push her for all she was worth and
when to ease up. All these things go
to the making up of time Still, it
was more than likely that old sc, like
Gilpins horse, was wondering more
IL baV hnR p