The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-01-18
panied me most of all was his unkind-

that the Princess had turneI him
down, and Ifgavc him some mighty
vigorous language that didn't seem to
help the case a Bit though it relieved
my mind. Alice still held the station
she and the baby with the wife of
the section boss, who lived in the old
station and boarded the section crew,
her only society. So I'd always try to
cheer her up bit whenever we passed,
and l did try to get her to go to her
folks below, but she was too proud,
and preferred to continue to hold the
fort, hoping against hope.
But the boy used her mean. l can
see him now on the very mornin' OF
the day we tried her love so keenly.
| can see him turn from them both as
| they came out to greet us as we passed
the little station at the cliffs, Alice
with tho baby in her arms, and | can
see the look of pain that crossed her
face, though she called, BE kind to
| him, father as we wheeled slowly
past up the grade.
"He didn't waste many words
between that and our arrival at tn
terminus, you may be sure. | was at
white heat with passion, | thrQttled
my tongue, for still loved th, b0v and
ruarvu NOT TrusC vrCngr or Us rU -speaK.
"Well somehow, we got to tn end
of th' run, and for return load coupl-
ed Oh to some fifteen flats loaded with
rough logs from tn head water Of tn
Connecticut, over ST. Johnsbury way,
going to Conway. They are a nasty
load to haul, let alone hold down these
steep grades, especially when, as was
the case with this lot, tn log was so
long that it took two flats to carry
them. Before we'd start from the
terminus I'd look the load over, as a
general thing, and fignre how she'd
haul, but this trip didn't seem to have
much mind to business, kind o. ratified,
you see, by my feelings. So when the
conductor, Fatty Daft, gave us tn word
we pulled out for tn main line.
"Now, between the terminus and
the top OF the divide is q matter OF
five miles gentle up grade :hen when
We pitch over the summit the down
grades commence and continue for
nine straight,away miles, falling l{6
feet to. the mile.
Hundreds of times had / tipped a
line of cars over that divide without q
break, but my hand and head were out
that day, and the first l knew the
train parted right on top OF the hill.
Relieved OF the load behind the old
Mogul leaped like a hound ahead and
a second link gave way. The engine
was clear OF it's load now, and behind
us followed six flats linked together
and loaded with sixty foot-logs. The
remainder of the train remained
with Fatty on the other side of the
divide.
cit didn't take but a moment on
that grade for us to get gait on, |
tell yer, nor for the runaways to fol-
low. Fore I'd got the machine in
hand they was rolling so didn't dare
to try and couple running, tho q mo-
ment or two later wished l had but
shock of parting. had broken a stake
which held tn logs and / expected
every minute they'd take a tumble and
derail the whole outfit, and we'd be
safer ahead. So l just kept out OF
their way and let things bile.
My, how we did sail 1t was nip
tuck between tn Mogul and tn log
train, an was close for mile or two,
and then l tried working steam TO
make, if could, somewhere below, q
siding. Before l pulled tn throttle
she was rocking like cradle and tn
bell was a-tolling and a-tolling with
the motion, fit to break it; so you can
Judge how she moved when l put
"At five miles from the break-way
the speed was awful for fact hadn't
tn nerve to keep her steaming, an it
didn't seem to do any good either, for
that blamed lOg-loaded wreck was
camping hot on our trail.
AS for tn boy he simply couldn't
stand on tn floor O. that cab, was a.
rocking-and a-curving so in an out,
following that mountain trail of steel,
an as | looked across and saw him
singing to his seat, pitied him from
tn bottom o. my heart, but tn mem'ry
O. what he'd done that very day rose
in my mihd, and, tho l oughter not
done it, called to him: You'd bet
ter speak to your wife an baby, hadn't
yer, when you go by the station; g
your last chance, for your goin' plumb
to hell Eastern any gait you ever run
before, and just then we rounded tn
shoulder of Mount Willeo and there
was tn Saco Valley stretchin' away
clear to tn lower gateway Of tn
in plain view five miles ahead.
You call it beautiful to day, but
just think what it is to man who's
dead sure he's goin' down into that
valley, in that shadow Of death.
Five miles at that speed means less
than five minutes; mighty short time
to make your peace with God.
thought, better begin with the boy.
So softened, and turned to speak to
him again, when / sec him give a
start, as figure in skirts appeared
upon tn little station platform ahead.
You see there's not much vegetation
to obstruct the view it's mostly bald
rock, and the station stands well out
into the valley from where we was
skirtin' the mountain walls, so when
we caught sight of Alice at the station
she also saw us flying down tn valley,
and understood our plight.
If I'd been standin' beside her I'd
never asked her to cross that 300 feet
of trestle, between the cliffs and in III
face O. that flying machine to save our
lives. Likewise 4 I'd had any idea
he'd speak to her with the whistle I'd
never allowed tn boy to touch the
lever. AS it was, however, first thing
| knew he was by my side ami Jerking
away at the whistle with series of
long and short blasts, which | after
ward learned was the Morse some
thing like: Saveus, the switch