The Butler weekly times., 1897-12-23
grade. It beats the Dutch"

Ills AaoictaIy ssooQ Oy tue track
with an empty bucket in her hand,
and looked sadly at the two long
lines OF rails that stretched along,
blach and frostless, although the
morning was sharp and the fields
were white.
Then she went slowly back to the |
home. Her head hung low, and she
was already sorry for what she had |
done. The longed for revenge was
not sweet after all, and for the first |
time for many a day she was sober
and listless about her mornings
work
Meanwhile, with a good head OF
steam, the day freight came puffiug
up the grade. Then in the same
placs came the slipping and whirling
of the drivers, after pushing ahead
with lessening momentum the train
came fairly to stop.
Big Ben g!owered with rage He
pulled the throttle wide and sent
the steam roaring through the cylin-
ders till the big wheel whirled with
lightning speed, but to no purpose.
When the train came to a staudstill
Big Ben sprung out and hurried to
that part of the track where the
trouble was.
! This is to pay for killing the
pig" the fireman said to him.
"Yes, the company ought to fix it
up with her fer that. and the geese,
too-look how the fence is neglect
ed. But We must get out of this
before we stall the passenger"
But getting out was not SO easy.
} In vain they tried to pass with a
rush, but each time falling back
again, till Big Ben heard whistle
and saw the passenger crawling care,
, fully up. Again he made fierce
: attempt to climb the grade and fell
f back again. The passenger con-
s ductor came forward. What did
3 you break?' he asked.
Nothing broken, sir, but can't
seem to get up the grade, that's all,
J. replied Big Ben.
{ "Steam low7' asked the conductor
8 looking severely at the fireman.
o "Steam's right up to the top motel
Q on the day freight, sir"
There was another whistle ane
~ Big Ben saw an engine pulling VI
. with a single handsome car. A LITTLE
man came hriskly forward. eth
y division superintendent. you're ii
:. for it," exclaimed the conductor.
The delay was no fault of Ben'a
but he felt uncomfortable as the mai
, looked sharply at him through gol'
"a bowed spectacles and said: "Well
h my man, why don't you 60 ahead!
70 II can't get up the grade, sir, th
- iron is creased"
The magnate looked at Ben as
10 he certainly must be at fault. 9TH
iron creased! Hum. Well We can
wait here. Send men ahead and wip
:. off the rails, sand them thorough,
then go ahead. The other engine
- will follow Sd push if the wheel
y dod't hold"
ID Mrs. Mulcrary saw the long prt
o. cession pass up the grade, wit
W much slipping and whirling ovt
xt the sanded irons She had mad
ID trouble for Big Ben and the firema
ID and was heartily sorry for what sh
ia had done.
be The two men were called befol
ed the division superintendent ne1
be day and questioned. An agent I
;e the road was sent to Mrs. Mulcrar
of to get her story of the killing Of Il
geese and the Christmas pig, az
ed he noted her poverty and frugal,t
re, and did not fail to lay stress upe
this in his report. And the FEM
,g, had been neglected. And here Il
DIV matter rested until Christmas eve.
As Big Ben left his Office that d.
ht he was called to the superintendent
he Office with much trepidition. NJ
ad was he reassured by the appare,
on severity of the little man. He to
nd | the fireman afterwsrd the iuteryie