Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-03-15

new manager, you KCOW. Inere
always trouble with o new manager.
He sweeps clean. And I suppose he
thinks by bouncing one of the Oldest
engineers on the road he'll scare the
rest"
"Well, I don't think much of him,
between ourselves" said the conduc-
tor. "What do you think he has done
to night? He's put a new man on SO
"a man from one of the branch lines,
who doesn't know the road. l 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 like to have
man in front that can depend on"
'sIt's bad enough not to know the
road," said John, gloomily, "but it's
worse not to know old sc. She's
brute if she takes notion"
81 don't suppose there's another
engine that could draw this train and
keep her time"
''No. She'll do her work all right
if you'll humor her." admitted Stag
CART, who could not conceal his 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 I would
feel safer if you were further ahead on
this train than the smoker. Pm sorry
I can't offer you a 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. ~ couldn't sleep anyhow. I'd
rather sit here and look out of the
window"
"Well. SO long," said the conduct
or. '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 down.grades and the levels.
He knew it even better in The darkest
night than in the clearest day. o.
casionally the black bulk of barn or
clump of trees 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 p
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 his mind to his
own fate. No man was of very much
use in the world, after all, for the
moment he steps down another is
ready to stand in his place. The wise
men in the city who had listened to
his defense knew SO we'll that an en-
gine was merely combination of iron,
steel and brass, and that given num-
Der OF pounds of steam would get it
over given number of miles in
given number of hours. had smiled
incredulously when he told them that
an engine had her tantrums, and that
sometimes she had to be coddled up
like any other female, and that even
when'a man did his best there were
occasions when nothing he could do
would mollify her, and then there was
sure to be trouble, although John had
added, in his desire to be fair, that
she was always sorry for it afterward,
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 che 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 tho making up OF time. Still, it
was more than likely that old SO, like
Gilpin's horse, was wondering more
and moro what thing upon her back
had got. "He'll have trouble" NUT
tered John to himself. "when she
| finds out"
The conductor came in again and
sat down beside the engineer. He
said nothing, but sat there sorting out
his tickets, while Saggart gazed out
of the window. Suddenly the engi-
neer sprang TO his feet with his eyes
wide open. The train was swaying
from side TO side. and going at great
speed.
Tho conductor looked up with "a
smile.
"Old So" no said, s'is evidently
going 10 make mp Tor lost time"
''She should bo slowing down on
crossing tho u. ani VI. line, answered
tho engineer, Good heavens f. he
cried moment after. We've gone
across tho q. and NJ. track on the
keen jump"
The conductor spraug II his feet.
iie knew tho seriousness of such a
ihiHg. Even the fastest expresses
must stop doai before crossing on tho
level tho line Of another railway. IL
IL the Law.
"Doosn't that isy IA front know
enough o. stop at q crossing
III ISN'T thai. ssli sagsert Gle
knoas all right eyaa the train boys
knas that. OH sd has taksa the bic
bstsesa hes teeth hs eaa't alpp her.
Where d0 yoa paa. ~. q d nightfH
''At fQlatsyllla.
"ihat's aik mlles aAeal la ave
mlautts a thls saIa - all ba raa
AiAg "a hes tlfan aad hsE ITaek. shes
sisAys iais, snd usAt y - The ssds
ilaek. tsast gel u II. :