Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-12

you attempt to return before all your
wheels have passed through It you viii be
knew at once nc AND the nr.s nns
Success bred recklessness. We could
handle her all right! We would get her
going. and pull the reverse lever suddenly
over. That would make her grunt a bit,
slow up and go the other way. She ran
through; a switch out onto the main track.
we would have let her go, it was such
nice, long, straight track, but Joe called
out that train was coming. Pete and l.
who were doing the running just then-re-
versed her., The engineer of the train saw
US. and whistled. She was coming very
fast. 1 became a bit ratified, and gave her
steam. This engine was through the switch,
put the tender was not. The tender shot
back on the, siding, while the engine tried
to go up the main track.
saw something was wrong, and pulled
the throttle wide open. The other fellow
mad his engine reversed, but she seemed to
De coming for US by jumps. Panic-stricken,
pulled the whistle cord as all four of our
drivers dropped off on the ground. We
jumped and ran. yelling for dear life up
the yard. The train stopped within fifty
feet OF our engine, just as father and his
crew, warned by our whistle came tearing
round the corner of a car
They saw at once what the trouble was,
the switch engine was derailed on the main
track, right in front of the steamboat eX
press. We boys were frozen with horror at
the magnitude Of our misdeed. The passen-
gers hooked from the train, commenting on
their miraculous escape. The ladies cast
Sheeps eyes at their heroic engineer, while
some of the men talked loudly of suing the
company for the detention and made dis
paraglng remarks about the management.
Our crew got out wrecking frogs, wheel
crackers and pinchbars. The other engine
cut loose from her train and coupled onto
our engine. Father got up in his cab, and
when the conductor said he was ready both
engines slipped and roared and threw show
ers Of hot cinders on the crowd. They got
w nd hn Irpr,t
bumpety-bump along the ties, halfway to
the train; then her engine truck went off
and she was all on the ground. An engine
came up from the round house, with Mr..
Hlnckley, Mr.. Dale and a crowd of shop
men on her. They brought chains, wire
ropes, and I don't know what all.
The men worked and shouted, and the en-
glnes pulled. slipped and spluttered. The
switch engine was dragged and pushed
back and forth over the ties half dozen
times A great shout went up from the
men, and she was on the track. The switch
was opened behind her, she backed in. and
the express went Oman hour and half
late.
Mr.. Hinckley walked past the right side
of the switch engine and looked up in faith
er S face with a triumphant leer He opened
MS lips TO speak, but father shook his fist
at him. while his eyes blazed as 1 never saw
them before.
Don't You say it, Tom Hnckley; don't
you open your head to me. or by the great
American mogul I'll make dog meat of ye."
roared father The master mechanic was
little. measly looking fellow, and 1 guess
he thought that was first-rate time for
him to keep mum. He walked off with a
1eerlng laugh. The wreckng engine re-
turned to the round house, our crew and
my friends vanished leaving father and me
alone on the engine. / would have liked
to go, too, but didn't dare Father lit his
pipe, took few whffs to steady himself
and. looking me sternly in the face said:
Wen, young fellow, you've done a pretty
slick job today; do you realize what you've
done?'
Yes, sir replied weakly, as l drew en-
gines with my finger in the dust on the
jacket.
You do. hey" he continued bitterly;
well, what is Il? %
Il got the engine off the track" said I.
us that all?"V
mo. SIR &c
We'll. what eIse?"
Il stopped the train
Not only the train, but my pay. too. I'm
discharged-out of job, and it's all your
doin's; what do you think of ft?"
he spoke savagely. as he had never
spoken to me in his life before.
fTo be contnued)