Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-12-23
JlM'S SURPRISE.


Express, stood with his hand on the
throttle lever, waiting for the sigma
from the conductor 10 pull out on hi;
run Of sixty-three miles to Winwood
He had just looked at his watch and
saw that it was exactly seven o'clock
the time the Express was scheduled tt
leave the town of Glenmore, the start,
ing point. Jack Hurley, the fireman
was seated on the other side Of the
cab with his head out of the window
looking back along the platform where
the passengers were hurrying into the
cars, and the usual hustle and confu'
sion reigned. Jacks hand graspe(
the bell rope, which was drawn SO tight
that the bell lay on its side, the clap
per mute, until he should release the
tention and give it chance to clanl
against the sonorous metal. The last
piece of baggage had been tumbled In
to the express car, and the conductor
shouted, "All aboard go ahead p ac.
companying the shout with wave o.
his lantern. At the same instant the
fat gong over the head Of the engi-
neer clinked sharply, the fireman loos,
ened the bell cord, drawing it back and
forth so that the peal was clear and
regular, the engineer twitched the
lever, and No. II sent out puff Sc
vigorous that thousand sparks shot
upward through the top OF the smoke
stack, falling like hail on the roofs oI
the cars and the snow at the sides Of
the track.
No. II while at rest had been spit
ting out steam from the safety valve
at intervals, as if impatient at the de-
lay. These now ceased, for the vapor
had plenty Of employment in keeping
the ponderous machinery at work.
The fierce pufs grew faster and faster
the sparks still steaming upward in
the clear wintry air, while the bright
headlight threw a dazzle over the
white carpet and the long cleaning
rails, winding far ahead until they
vanished in the darkness of the night.
jim gave another almost impercepti-
bic twitch at the lever and the iron
steed bounded forward, as if under the
prick of the spur. Her speed was in
creasing fast, and when the puhs be-
gan running into each other, jim drew
the reversing rod up nearer the per-
pendicular and heldit in place. No. II
had caught her grip. There was no
need of the steam in the cylinder fol-
lowing the full length speed was the
point to be gained, and this could be
secured only by shutting off the steam
when it had acted but part of the
distance in each direction. In other
words, the engineer had "linked her
up"
All this time Jim was standing on
the right side of the cab with his left
hand closely grasping the lever, part
ly leaning over with his right hand on
the side of the window slide, as if to
help maintain the poise of his body,
which, of necessity, was somewhat in
clned, so as to permit him to look
through the glass in front, alongside
of the engine, out upon the shining
rails and into the world of blackness
through which the superb steed was
plunging faster and faster with perfect
confidence in the veteran who held the
reins, as he had held them for many a
year.
A starlike point suddenly burst into
sight from somewhere in the night
ahead. 1t shone with white, steady
glow, instead of the feared red tint.
Jim was on the watch, and when he
saw the light there, said, "All right, "
and gave another almost impercepti-
BILE jerk on the lever. The pufs had
now so run into each other that they
could hardly be distinguished only a
few sparks were spit out of the smoke
stack; the polished connecting rod
darted back and forth with bewilder-
ing swiftness, and the huge driving
wheels went spinning round at tre-
mendous rate. No IT was travelling at a
high speed and steadily rising.
The fireman had long since ceased
to ring the bell, and slipping from his
seat of glazed leather, yanked open the
furnace door. The whole interior was
a mass of roaring flames, through
which at the further end could be
dimly seen the round holes of the tu-