The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-05-13
No Cure
No Pay.
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.
Sentiment on an Engine.

The night of February "a, 1892, had
with it one of the bitterest little biz
yards of the season. Tons of snow had
fallen upon the earth, and tons more
were on their way from the clouds-the
cold flakes being viciously thrown by
the wind against the drifts that it was
at the same time flinging into the air.
Through this white frenzy of the ele-
ments, freight-train was trying to
find its way over the snow-crusted
tracks. 1t consisted of thirty-two heavy
box cars, small "caboose or office
coach at the rear, and powerful loco
motive in front. This was not one of
the high-built, stately machines that
are used upon limited express trains;
it was stalwart, low-built creature,
with small drivers and massive piston
rods. The Company called it "No.
1884," and its brass and painted badges
so announced it; but employees on
that section always referred to it as
1.-THE Black Satan" or something
equally significant.
The night would have been pitch
dark without the storm, for there was
no moon; and the occasion was upon
the whole just such one as "Jim
Comstock," the driver, liked. Gwen
pull Ter through, the Old Lady an me-"
he was muttering: They won't have
to send any snow plows arter u.s."
The fireman was small, delicate
looking fellow, almost too much 80 for
that laborious position. He stepped to
the door of the well-roofed cab, and
peeped out. The wind and snow
slashed his face. He reached for the
cord that connected with the bell away
out on the boiler.
"No need O. ringin' that bell to-
night" said Comstock. Nobody'd
hear it, the length O. the engine. If
any one gets on the iron ahead of us,
they'll have to step off of their own
cord, or get under. Feed her up,
Sam! Give the Old Lady another
mouthfull"
Sam grasped an iron chain that
served as handle to the big door of
of the furnace, and pulled open the
great flaming apartment. A yellow
glare of light flooded the cab. Step.
ping back and forth under the heavy
leather curtain, he threw scoop-full
after scoop-full into the great red
nav.
"We're a-runnin' race with the
witches tonight" said Sam, closing the
door at last with shrill bang, and
wiping his forehead.
Runnin' race with nothin'," re-
piled the engineer, with kind sort of
contempt. It's just the Old Lady a.
crunchin' her way through snow
storm. There amt another one on the
road that could do it,"
"It's a regular avalanche from the
Clouds" said Sam, as the roof of their
mansion trembled under a huge on
slaught of snow.
81 tell we you're too sentimental"
insisted the other. They amt no ava
lanche about it. We've done it before,
an are doin' it now in the usual way
When we get to the top of ColedrOn's
Hill, they's long stretch O down
grade; an then you'll see the Oh dar-
lin throw her heels in the air!-
"They wanted me to put on another
engine in front of her. But says no;
she'd feel insulted. She knows mighty
well l wouldn't allow it; don't you, Old
Chip and he petted the handle of
the escape valve. A slight hiss of
steam was the reply.
1lCdi hCl, culQ thO
admiringly. "She's a-whisperin' back.
She knows amt any wife or chick of
my own, an she all of EN- to me.
They wanted me to take one O. the
express-engines five years ago, an hev
been askin' me to ever sence. No.
/ says, 'Ol Satan is good enough for
me. Ell leave her, l jump the track.
She'd break her heart with jealousy eff
she ever see me a-runnin' any other
engin'p"
Oh bother, Jim!" said the fireman.
"Why don't you tie to real tiesh-and-
blood woman? They're nicer"
Full o. sentiment as ever" replied
jim, scornfully. "You'll never make
good railroad man; you amt matter
o'-fact enough. I've seen your gal.
She's pr'tty little creatur' with her
pink-an'white color, an her blue head
lights, an ribbon-fags all over her indi-
catin' that another train is comm!
seen her that night she went to the
ball with the master mechanic-don't
finch, Sam; didn't mean to say any
thing to hurt you, but they're all alike
pr'tty much, these gals"
The driver reached for the whistle
lever, as a shrek of the storm came cut
ting into the cab.
"Le's give 'em little word back
ag'in. Did ye ever see an engine that
had voice on to her like this one
Sam? She kin do anything with this
whistle, the Old Lady kin. She kin
scream, or howl, or laugh, or scold, Oh
purr, or swearl She feels jest about
the same as do, on nearly every oc
casion. must go for'ard an look hel
over"
| The driver took lantern, which