The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-30
TALES OF THE TIMES.
Strange Adventures OF a Party on Hun
away Train.

Strange Adventures OF q farty On nun
away Train.
There was shooting match the other
day on the grounds of the Westminster
Kennel club at Babylon, n. Y, and those
members who took part went thore from
Long Island City in special train consist
ing of engine 90 and single private car.
Charles McKeever was the engineer, and
he jumped the light train along to Its des-
tination in such manner as to make tho
teeth Of the shooters rattlo. The 3S miles
between Long Island City and Babylon
were covered In exactly 43 minutes, and
the brevity of the journey seriously inter
fered with quiet little game OF poker In
the private car. William X. Knapp, who,
It is said, was considerably behind the
game, and who had just opened jack pot
with pat straight, protested because his
companions wouldn't play out the hand.
"It's just my luck" Knapp grumbled.
"The first hand I've held In month. Ill
travel on slow freight hereafter.
The shoot passed or without hitch,
and the members of the party were In line
spirits when they boarded the private car
for the return journey. The cards and
chips were brought out, and In the frnc-
tional part Of minute the poker game
was in full swing again.
The cards wero dealt and tho chips wore
rnttling on the board whom Engineer Mo-
Keever backed No. % against tho private
car and made ready TO start. BY the time
the train rolled out of tho station Mr. Wat
rous had considerable difficulty In looking
over tho top Of his chips. W. X Knapp
was steady loser, and he urged tho Others
to play fast, so that he might have chance
to get even.
In the mcontin:o tho train was plunging
along Mt terrific speed, and the private
Cur rocked from side TO side with tho swing
of a Dutch cradle, but without its smooth
ness The swaying of the train made the
chips dance about like quicksilver, but the
players needed neither the speed nor the
motion, for tho gamo was at critical
point. When leaving Mnssapequa, tho
players throw up their haEds, md IL was q
natural jack Hand after hand was dealt,
but no one was fortunate enough to draw
openers, and the process OF "sweetening'
went on until there was n mighty stack OF
chips I'm the middle Of the board. Suddenly
w. II. Kpapp's face became rigid, and he
drew n long breath. Holding his cards
close to his chest, he peored at them eau
tiously. When he had satisfied himself
that he was not mistaken In the first esti-
mate Of lis hand, he placed his cards, face
down, carolcssly In front OF him and smiled
tho smile of man who had struck good
thing" for the first time. Ho had drawn
three kings. He Is so accustomed to draw.
ing bobtail flushes that invariably refused
to I'll nnd straights with disconnected
middlcs that he could not trust his eyes
when he saw the kings. Mr. Stafford pcss-
cd. Mr. Watrous, who was hugging two
deuces, looked long at his hand, but finally
admitted that he had not tho wherewithal
to open tho pot. All this time w. II.
Knapp was toying impatiently with his
chips. When his turn camo, no grabbed
up q dollar stack.
"Ill open, no said, and just then there
was terrific crash, as though the engine
had been smashed into atoms. There waf
a roar of escaping steam, which enveloped
the car, and a shower Of gravel and cinders
pattered on the windows. All the players
except W. n. Knapp throw down thcil
hands and fled To tie rear OF tho car. Knapp
did not stir from his seat, and above the
roar and tho din his voice could be heard
pleading with the players to return to the
game.
"It's the second good hand I've had In q
month, he shouted. "If you fellows have
ono drop of sporting blood In your veins
you il come back and play out the jack. '
But the players needed him not The trair
was running at terrific speed, the shower.
of gravel against tho windows broke some
Of the glass, and tho car was flied with
steam. Finally Mr. Watrous ran forward
TO find out what had happened, and as h'
was about to put his hand on tho door
knob the front door flew open, and th'
body OF Fireman Sbirtcliff was projected
into the car. His overalls and jumper wer,
plastercd with mud and his face was {
sight to behold.
"Wh-what's tho matterg" gasped Mr.
Watrous Whom Shirtolff got his breath
ho explained that both parallel rods on th,
engine had brokon while the train wa
running 60 miles an hour. Both rod
seemed to snap at the same instant, ant
| they whirlcd hack ON the cab with awfu
force, smashing In tho roof and derangin,
the machinery 10 such an oxtont that Nc
Kcever was unable to shut of the steam
Shirtcliff wns STOPPING over to gather up
shovelful OF coal from tho tender when th
crash came. Mckccvor had just left hi
seat for an instant, and thus both meI
escaped tho blows Of tho heavy rods. Nc
Kccycr tried 20 push In tho throttle, bu
the connecting rod Of the bar was bont $,
badly that lie could not bulge it. Then
like lightning, his hand glidcd to the littl
lever OF the airbrake. But this, too, wa
jammod down In such n manner that n,
human power could move It. Mcanwhil