The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-04-18
view the engine sent it's shrieks Of warn
ing; it grew louder-still louder.

ing; it grew louder-still louder.
We dashed over the switches, UP to
the station, where group Of passengers
waited, and passed it without the halt
of an instant, catching glimpse of the
appalled, faces and the waiting crowd.
Then we were in the fields again. The
speed now became literally GREATNESS,
the furnace glared red hot. The heat,
the velocity, the terrible nervous strain
of the man beside me seemed to weight
the air. 7 found myself drawing long,
stertorous breaths. like one drowning.
Iheaped in the coal at intervals as
he bade me. I did 1t because was OPP
pressed by an odd sense of duty which
I never had in my ordinary brain-work.
Since then I have understood how it Is
| that dull ignorant men, without a spark
of enthusiasm, show such heorism as
soldiers. tiremen, and captains Of wreck
ed vessels.
1t is this overpowering sense of
| routine duty. It's a finer thing than
sheer bravery, in my idea. However,
I began to think that Markley was mad
-laboring under some frenzy from
| drink, though l had never seen him
touch liquor.
He did not move hand or foot, ex-
engine, his eyes going from the gauge
to the time-piece with steadiness that
was more threatening than any CLEAN
of insanity would have been. Once he
glared back at the long train sweeping
after the engine with headlong speed
that rocked it from side to side.
One could imagine he saw a hundred
men and women in the cars, talking,
reading, smoking, unconscious that
their lives We're all in the hold Of one
man, whom I now suspected to be mad.
L knew by his look that he remembered
that their lives We're in his hand. He
glanced at the clock.
Twenty miles," he muttered Throw
on more coal, Jack; the fire is going
out"
I did it. Yes, did it, There was
something in the face of that man 1
could not resist. Then climbed forward
and shook him roughly by the shoulder.
'Markley,' I shouted, you are rum
ming this train into the jaws Of death!"
Il know it, he replied, quietly.
'Your mother is on board"
'HeaVens!"
He staggered to his feet. But even
then he did not remove his eyes from
the gauge.
Make up the fire" he commanded,
and pushed in the throttle valve.
Il Will not
Make up the fire, Jack" very
quietly
Il will not. You may kill yourself and
your mother, but you shall not murder
| mel"
He looked at me- His kindly gray eyes
Slared like those Of a wild beast, but
hn rTr, 11o1 - q
I could throw you off this engine,
and make short work of YOU" he said.
But, look here, do you see the station
yonder?"
I saw faint streak in the sky about
five miles ahead.
Il was told to reach that station by
O'CLOCK he continued. 1.-THE express
train meeting us is due now. l ought
to have laid by for it at .Dufreme. I
was told to come on. The track is
single one. Unless can make the sid
ing at the station in three minutes, we
shall meet in yonder hollow
'Somebody's blunder?" said.
Yes, 1 think so.'
I said nothing. I threw on coal. If
| had petroleum, I should have thrown
| 1T on; but l never was calmer in my
| life. When death actually stares a man
! in the face, it often frightens him into
the most perfect compOsure. Markley
| pushed the valve still farther. The en-
CINE began to give a strange painting
| sound. Far off to the south I could see
| the dense black smoke of a train. I
looked at Markley inquiringly. He
| nodded. 1t was the express. I stopped
! to the fire.
| mo more,'' he said.
| I looked across the clear summer sky
at the gray smoke Of the peaceful little
village, and beyond that at black line
coming closer, closer, across the sky.
Then I turned to the watch. In one
minute more-Well confess sat down
and buried my face in my hands. don't
think tried to pray. I had a confused
| thought of mangled, dying men and
women--mothers and their babies.
| There was terrible shrek from the
| engine, against which leaned, another
in my face. A hot, kissing tempest
swept past me. I looked up. We were
| on the siding, and the express had gone
by. It grazed our end car in passing.
In sort of delirious joy, I sprang up
and shouted to Markley. He did not
speak. He sat there immovable and cold
as a stone. I went to the train and
| brought his mother to him, and, when
he opened his eyes and took the old
| lady's hand in his, I turned hastily
| away.
Yes, gentlemen. have been in many
a railway accident, but I have always
considered that the closest shave I ever
had.
| what was the blunder?'
| II don't know. Markley made light
| of it ever afterward, and kept it a Sc
cret; but no man on the line stood 50
high in the confidence Of the companN
after that as he. BY his GOODNESS and
nerve he had saved a hundred lives.