Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-29
A TRAMP WHO KNEW.

me Engineer Found He Was an ExE
pert Fireman. =
From the Chicago Inter-Ocean
we were coming east with the fast ex-
press, said the engineer. land my fire
man got sick. I pitied the poor fellow,
ana tod him to get up on my side and run
the engine. and T. would keep UP the -fffe
we did Eot want to fall behind tfme,=but
the train was heavy one, and the en-
s1ne' which was big ten-wheeler, ap-
peared to be working poorly. SO that no
matter how we tried to keep her hot. she
went back on us. and before we got TO
F. We were fifteen minutes late. After
leaving FL went back to get things ready
TO take water at the next plug, and found
a grizzly-bearded fellow stealing a ride on
the blind baggage car. He looked at me
as II anticipating an order to get off at the
next stopping place, and 1 looked at him,
perhaps savagely, and soon gave him the
expected order.
All right. pard,' he said, in good
nunored way. I am only trying to get to
r, and will leave you, but would be glad
to do something to work my way
What can you dog asked
We'll, sir he answered L can fire that
chance
We needed an extra fireman real badly
just a. eHdt TIME, anu 1 SAID 10 MIN: Get
up, lhen, and let me see what you can do
lie grizzly-bearded man came up and
the Way lie mounted the tank and balanced
himself on the coal and swung down into
the cab gave me some confidence in the
fellow. He took up the scoop at once
opened the furnace door. and examined the
fire critically. Then he began to break UP
coal ana mix 1t with smaller particles after
scattering 1t with professional fling of the
scoop. Then he closed the door with
bang. put the scoop in the proper place.
examined the steam and water gauges
and took seat behind the sick fireman
BEFORE we had gone half a mile he was
down again carefully feeding In coal Be-
fore the next mile had been reeled off the
engine was steaming nicely and although
I was pushing her hard on a slight op-
posing grade. the steam was keeping I'D
around the $50 notch. Our tramp fireman
watched the steam and smoke as 1t left
the stack and kept his eye on the furnace
nre. and we saw at once that we had picked
up professional My fireman offered the
stranger his dinner bucket, which had not
OF the part that contained the coffee, he
shook it little and set 1t Just where
would have put 1t for the same purpose
and then. while he waited for it to get
warm. he carefully looked over his fire and
put in some more coal.
''The old fireman and I were getting in
terested, and l think that the conductor
must have noticed that we had struck a
new gait, but he did not know the cause
j locked at the sick fireman, and he looked
at me. and then we both gazed respectfully
at the stranger who was eating as though
he had endured a long fast. I kept the
throttle almost wide open, with the engine
well hooked. up to the high-speed notch,
and the way we went up that hill and
down the next was a caution to the freight
crews we passed along the way. When we
reached the distant signal at the X tower
l found it right. and just then the new fire.
man. who was also on the alert. cried out
White block. and came down to put In
some more coal. The home signal happened
to be on his side of the curve, and he knew
his duty. ana had the proper words in his
mouth before I could see what kind of.
light we were to get.
well. we made the run for the remainder
of the stretch Of 40 miles dead easy, and
gained seven minutes BESIDES and when
we got to the tower near the depot we were
right en- the dot. It was something un-
usual for our train to get in on time, as 1t
was a very heavy one, and on that particu-
lar night we had an extra car, and did not
know that the superintendent was on board
until the next morning, when he comDli-
mented me on the splendid run had made.
In the meantime / had provided this
stranger with enough cash to pay for his
bed and breakfast, and asked him to come
around and see me before he started for.
p: Sure enough. he did come around,
shave. he looked like different man. /,
questioned him about his previous career.
and he talked like gentleman, and
showed me recommendations. as fireman
ard engineer which had been written by
tho superintendents Of some big roads. He
explained that his last unfortunate move
was voluntary, to get away from some;
swell-headed minor officials who had no,
use Tor decent man unless he was lauding
them eternally to the skies.
conld not fatter such people, he said.
they deserved to be kicked; but gave one
OF them an uppercut under the Jaw, and