Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-25

A great many good stories remain untold
because the men who hold the secrets know
that their publication would embarrass
those responsible for them. Often the most
careful man will make a mistake at the
beginning of his career. which. if published.
would make his whole life failure. Some
times by a single move, i'll the face of "A
great emergency, a young man places him.
self unGer the eye of the management and
in the sure line of promotion.
The incident related here. however. seems
TO have made no great difference with the
young here. Some men seem born to sue
ceed and others doomed to failure MIR.
Derrah has himself made great success
of railroading. He talks better writing than
the writer writes. and here is the tale:
One dark. stormy night, in the winter OF
1SS1-'S2 the writer sat in the waiting room
of the old Santa Fe depot at Trinidad, pa
tiently watching the hands of the clock
they slowly crept toward the point on
the dial that indicated midnight.
California express No. 10f, east-hound.
was reported four hours late at Wallace
and at Las Vegas IL lost thirty minutes
more. y motley crowd was gathered in
that room. and as the minutes wore INTO
hours, and the reports from the delayed
train became more discouraging. it was
apparent to all that daylight would still
find US in Trinidad. A roaring fire biaZed
in the mammoth stove that stood in the
middle of the room. and. wearied by the
tedious wait or made drowsy by the heat,
those who were SO fortunate as to secure
benches which lined the room. In one cor
ner. wrapped in his striped blanket, a
Navajo buck snored Justify, while beside
him upon the floor sat his dusky squaw.
her vigilS keeping. ever and anon sucking
an embryo Sitting Bull, who at other times
stood strapped TO a board which leaned
against a convenient bench. In another
corner party of Mexicans and cowboys,
from a ranch up the "Picketwire." were
playing high five, and the frequent jing-
ling of silver indicated that it was not for
pastime only A bevy of gaudily dressed
maidens, whose rich, olive cheeks and
languishing. dreamy eyes bespoke their
Spanish origin. chartered and laughed over
the fun and frolic of the bale which they
had come down from FL Moro to attend the
night before Their escorts, bashful and
awkward. occupied bench at the opposite
side of the room and contentedly smoked
their cigarettes in silence. A couple of
miners from the famous Ten Strike" were
sizing up their losses over by the ticket
window, and cursing Victoria and his
devilish Apaches, whose bloody raids into
that part of New Mexico had made life in
unpleasant for them. The merry clicking
OF the telegraph instruments in the adjoin-
ing room could be heard. and occasionally
the sleepy operator would volunteer some
cheeriess information as to the where
abouts and prospects of No. 1O4"
Outside the wind blew in ftful gusts. the
snow sitting in through the crevices in
doors and windows. only to last brief
IN tidt StiIiliS atmosphere.
Through the small mulioned windows
could be seen the Pickering street lamps.
upon snow-covered wooden posts that
stood like ghostly sentinels at long inter-
Fals on Commercial street. Diagonally
across and high up in one of the blocks on
Main street cleaned a row of lights which
marked the News Office, where Editor New
en- nishtiy prepared the mental pabulum
on which the "unterrified'' of that day fed
and waxed fat Near the bridge which
spans the "Picketwire'' stood Peg-Iegged
Petes dance house and the sounds of rev
cry borne upon the night wind mingled
Weirdly and gruesomely with the dismal
creaking of the old windmill. that for SO
nany years held sway upon the opposite
bank of the stream
ABOUT O'Clock turned to the telegra nh
window. when the following message most
ed on the bulletin board caught my eye:
LA JUNTA, Nov. -.
Start Engineer Murphy for La Junta at
z a m with engine G1. light A. T."
Immediately determined to be a pas
seheer on il l could get Murphy to
carry me- About 30 Mr.. Murphy showed
up, and. presenting my credentials he
finally consented to take me along If 7
would promise not to fall out of the cab
window and disfigure the right of way. I
asreec to this provided he kept on the rails.
SO the matter was settled. Shortly after
the fireman brought his engine out of the
round house. and quickly signing his or
ders. and oiiing round Murphy and the
WIlter chmpcd on Dodrd, the latter assign
ed to a part of the fireman's seat
The -'t-'' was Murphy's pride; a swift.
powerful and handsome giant that re-
sponded promptly to his every touch and
wish. and seemed almost human in its
obedience Throwing forward the lever,
Murphy took his seat, and shooting a
quick glance ahead. to where the multitude
of switch lights flashed their signals of
warming or safety. his hand grasped the
throttle. and moment later we were off
Tor Sp-rniie dash into the darkness of
the night. with clear track as far as
Thatcher. thirty-six miles away, where we
were TO meet NO. 1O3." and report for or
ders. Slowly at first. then faster and faster
turned the huge drivers. until by the time
We had reached the yard limits and passed
the last friendly light. the ''G3'' had warm
ed well mp to her work, and was dancing
along the rails like thing of life. Not a
word was spoken until We slowed I'D for
the Denver and Rio Grande crossing. al
Ell Moro. when Murphy remarked 1t was
about she blacklist night he had ever gone
over the road Again he opened the throt-
tie and, with bell ringing and a lurtd 0Iov