The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-07-28
smell. n I'm not dead set against the
stuff myself, but I lot her &c.

we SVt stuItsV Nkulu II WUtNeN
away up the hill fro'" the tank as easy
as While "ryan makes a nice, long
speech, n | noticed an improvement
In the steam gauge right away, n
commenced to let or out at once tC
make up for lost time. 1t vas purity
good. even goin then for about 20 mile
then up an incline of about 3 mile n
down the mountainside II mile. When
we struck the top Of that II mile hill
l kept her wide open for about a hall
mile to give us a good start down the
hill n then shut her Off n let 'em
buzz.
"rhe old COZ was a stem winder, with
a boiler runnin right through the cab
to the back. dlvidin the fireman and
engineers side. The airbrake valve
was placed right on top the boiler, to,
ward the back end Of the cab. SOS you
could reach 1t nice n handy while sit,
tin in the seat. I'd no more n shut her
off when a shadder fell over my shout.
der, n | turned quick, n Conroy sprung
on me.
"'You dirty blackguard! he scream
ed. IN teach yer to chuck my booze
overheard. Report me, Is 1t? You
dirty rag! Shure n youll never live to
see the super ag'in.'
"As he leapt on me 1t took me back
so that before | could do anything he
grabbed me by the shoulder, n ! fell
backward alongside the boiler, my
head on the front doorsill Of the cab,
my back on the floor n Conroy OF top
Of me. Although was partly stunned
by the fan, | had mind enough left to
get my arms around him n hug him
close to me.
"All this time the train had been
gainin Roadway down that hill, n we
were fairly sizzlln, the old mogawl
swayin to n fro as we swung around
turns. The space between the boiler
n the side Of the cab vas 80 narrer |
couldn't turn Conroy off me, n
didn't dare let loose Of him for fear
that he'd get hold Of my throat. He
was so crazed by the liquor that he'd
drunk n his cravin for more that there
was no reasonln with him. He "a so
big n heavy that | couldn't do much
the way we lay, my back fiat Oh the
floor, hemmed In by the side Of the
cab On u side y the boiler on the
other n | huggin him like a long lost
brother, the carr behind us meanwhile
doin the ragtime down that hill,
Things were gettin rather excitin, as
there was likely to be somethln ahead
Of us, n at the foot Of the hill was m.
other water plug. 1t was a branch sta.
ton there, n the engines were switchin
there at all times. If we ever hit any.
thing at that rate Of speed, ! don't
think Joe Hoffman or any OF Us would
ever get In a church but once again, n
that would be ahead Of the mourners.
l couldn't depend on the train crew to
do anything. as you know a crew or
these fast freights draw their money
for sleepin n playin %penuchle In the
caboose durln trips.
I'VE flashed by a station half way
down the hill. goin 50 fast that
as how that dispatcher In Jer.
sey City would giggle with delight II
he saw what good time that perishable
was maxim toward Chicago. !
my brain to think what to do.
As the light Of that station flashed
the cab I spied the engineers
valve Of the alrbrake. | figured as
how | could reach 1t with my right
foot, using my toe as a hook. n jerk
the valve around to the Emergency
notch n stop that train with a bang
would make Joe Hoffman n his
crew In the caboose think we'd run
Into a stone wall. l wriggled n got
my leg loose from under Conroy, n
with a mighty effort give him a raise
n kicked out at that valve. As luck
would have 1t, my foot just caught the
valve In the rebound n jerked 1t
around In the Emergency, n, say, you
would have thought we had been las.
seed. The jar broke both our hollis, !
n Conroy staggered to his feet. fell
through the back cab door
n rolled of the tank. N that end.
ID his railroad career then n there
without any special assistance from
me.
Hoffman came runnln up from tho
'aboose when we had stopped n
We'll. dash yer. Whatever
here for? Can't you keep steam
luf TO drag EN- down hill|
"'Oh.' | said, 'Conroy, my fireman, g
got a sick sister Twin back up here In
The woods, n | guess he's gone to see
how she Is.
I'VE went back n picked Conroy up.
Ills skull had been fractured by strik.
n Il mIlepost, n they put his body In
he caboose, n | got another fireman at
he water plug, n we went In on time"
Just then the messenger boy came In
md yelled, stafford. they want you
Fer train 81" and, taking q farewell
chew Of tobacco, he left.-New York
Sun.
Skylark's Glorious SOng.
Need ! say a word about the skylark
rLN "