The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1895-04-18

W %gHIA IT Tor IOIIleT PURSUITS.
y - During my college
vacation, I con-
stantly 1ounged about the station, MAX
ing friends with the officials, and es-.
peciaIly with an engineer named Silas
Marley. | became much attached to
this man, although he was forty years
Of age, and by no means a sociable fel-
low. '..@< ?"
He was my ideal of brave; skillful,
thoroughbred engineer and / looked up
to him as something of a hero. He was
not married man, but lived alone with
his old mother. I was frequent visitor
at their house, and 1 think they both
took quite fancy to me in their quiet,
administrative way. 49, t@4
When this Markley's fireman left him,
T induced him to let me take his place
during the remainder of my vacation.
He hesitated some time before he, con-
sented to humor my boyish whimj but
he finally yielded, and | was in great
glee ...... .....s
The fact was that, in my idleness and
the OVerworked state of my brain,
oraVed for the excitement, and BESIDES:
I had such longing dreams of thelfieryi
ride through the hills, mounted literally.
on the iron horse. SO ] became an eX-
pert fireman, and liked it exceedingly;
for the excitement more than COM
pensated for the rough work / was re-
CURED to do. a.t.s af..:"Gj
But there came a time when l got my
fill of excitement. Mrs, Markley one.
day formed plan which seemed to
give her a good deal of happiness. 1t
was her sons birthday, and she wanted
to go down to Philadelphia in the train
without letting him know anything
about it, and there purchase a present
For him. She took me into her conf
dence and asked me to assist her. / ar
ranged the preliminaries, got her into
the train without being noticed by
Markley, who, of course. was busy, with
his engine. .s.. :.....,. .4s..i
The old lady was in high glee over
the bit of innocent deception she was
practicing on her son. She enjoined me
again not to tell SiIas, and'then I;lefts
her and took my place. .,~4.ra env
1t was midsummer day, and the
weather was delightful.
The train was one which stopped at
the principal stations ON the route On
this occasion, as there We're two specials
on the line, it was run by telegraph
that is, the engineer had simply to obey
the instructions which he receives at
each station, so that he is put as a
machine in the hands of one controller,
who directs all trains from a central
point, and thus has the whole line under
his eye. If the engineer does not obey,
to the least little his ORDERS it is de-
struction to the whole i.:oc.s
Well, we started without mishap, and
up to time, and easily reached the first.
station in the time allotted to us. AS
we stopped there, a boy ran alongside
with the telegram, which he handed to
the engineer. The next momentaI' heard
a smothered exclamation from Mark
ley. ~..,. !. r.. h. r,f..6,A
Go back" he said to the boy; tell
Williams to have the message repeated;
there's mistake. '<''F. az. y 'A'''5S' 'P ~
The boy dashed off; in asfeWs1ninutes'
he came flying back. .sG
Had it repeated he pantedo,;:WH-
Hams is storming at you; says there's
no mistake, and you'd best get on. :" -
He thrust the second message up as
he spoke.
Marl<ley read it, and stood. hesitating
for half a minute. -, - .e.<l.><4,. :
There was dismay and utter .perplex-
1ty IN the expression OF his race as
he looked at the telegram and the long
train behind. him. His lips moved as 3if
he were calculating CHANGES and his
eyes suddenly quailed as. he. saw death
at the end of the, calculation. n was
watching him with considerable. cufios-.
ity. 1 Ventured to ask him what was
the matter, and what he was, going to
do. ~..ff% -syTzE1
I'm going to obey" he said, scurtlyqot
The engine gave long shrek 1lhofT.
FOR that made me start as if IT.. were
Markley's own voice. The next instant
we slipped out of the fstation4and. dashed
through 1ow-lying farms at 'a..1a4Es speed
which seemed dangerous to me,t zo5osrI
Put in more coal,' said sMaFkley, ~'fa
I shoyeled in more, but took time. : ~
1--WE are going very fast; Markley, = !.
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