Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-15

engineers, hostlers and wipers saw to IT
that they were kept posted
Joe made up all the time he could, and
Dave wouldn't be beaten. The train came
TO be known as The Flyer" and freight
men quit specializing as to how muca of
hef time they could safely steal. All hands
TOOK sides. The young runners limited sage
y at new blood, while the fossils said
they seen ''smarties'' before, and predict
ed a dull and sickening thud.
Neither had any advantage Scientific
running, the ability to get more work out
OF an engine than she was built to do was
Ihe only thlnS that counted in this contest
Green flags and slowboards received scant
courtesy, and both men were had nm on
the carpet and cautioned against reckless
running. But competition was Sham tna
train was making a name for itself and
nothing had happened-yet; so the super
~lnked the other eye, and the race went
merrily on.
On the Fourth of July Joe made IN sew
enteen minutes on the west-bound trim
beating the record. Next day Dave left
twenty minutes late, and -n1de up six
teen' according to the train sheet He had
row over it in the office cIairnin. se,--
enteen, but had to accept the Official Cg
ures- He said he would have made up the
whole twenty only for old Flannican mold
ing tbs semaphore against him at Newtown,
causing him to shut off. lose his way and
crawl all the way up the mile and a hair
grade TO the station.
Joe laughed when he heard that, and said
ne guessed the old man was losing his
nerve. ~
Losin' my nerve, be ~" Dave roared.
Wnen this was repeated to him. SAY if
l don't make that kid lose his nerve fore
ne ioliered me round the division another
thirty days, I'll take a hog on extra
freight Losin' my neryeI Well blast him.
ana ne diVed under her with an armful of
wrenches. swearing to himself and splut-
terlng tobacco juice in all directions
When he left that trip-eighteen minutes
late-he told his fireman he could pick him
self out of hog when he got back. If ne
Lalled 10 Keep hundred and forty on her
every minute.
Git EN- there, Dave"' the station mas
ter called after him as he pulled out
II register % II at Franklin today, or
TINS mill will go to the shop on a fiat car
'pmorrow, Dave shouted back
When through the tunnel and clear of
the lTeisht yard he dropped his hat in the
seat box and tied red bandanna around
ms mead. He was out for business Then
was seen bit of slick running The old
engineer brought into play ali the fine
points he had learned in twenty wears at
the throttle. He cut her back or dropDed
her Gown notch. as she approached says
ana khol4s 50 slight as to be imperceptisle
except to his finely trained sense of feeling.
lie led the cold water to her with the prs-
cision of physician guiding a patient
through a crisis, and babied and coaxed her
like a spoiled child. And nobiy she re-
sponded. She seemed to lay her ears hack
take the bit in her teeth and fly.
1he hreman-mindfui of his chiefs adj
monition, and that modicum of the credit
of success. as well as all the odiufn of fail
ure. would be his-toiled like a galley slave
Between them she carried the white feather
at her safety valve mile after mile and
the steamboat train was wheeled as II
never had been wheeled before.
1t was an ideal day. An early morning
shower had laid the dust and freshened
the dark, midsummer green of trees and
grass until they sparkled gaily in the bright
sunShlne- Even grabbed old Dave felt the
soothing influence OF the perfect day as he
tore along counting mile posts and noting
time. He congratulated himself on the
squareness with which she chopped it off,
and the lively manner in which she picked
up her heels, until he remembered that
the kid had had the valves reset then he
resumed the mental stunt known to en-
gineers as "iggerin ahead
In places he could make up fractions of
minute, in others he would be thankful to
hold his own. He must have enough water
in her so he could shut off his injector and
lace the life out of her going into Newtown
If old Flanagan should hold the semaphore
on him today he would feel like numbering
him. And the old fellow unused as he
rode along, getting better natured every
minute, as he saw he was '.gittin' 'em
there"
The approach to Newtown was ''pokey."
There was mile and a half Of stiff grade
riSht up to the station-that was where he
would need TO have them going. Half way
up this grade the road was SPAWNED by an
overhead railroad bridge of solid masonry
Fifty yards this side of the bridge there
was freight yard switch the track
branching OFF on Dawes side The yard
was concealed from approaching trains by
an immense coal shed, which, at that time
OF day. threw a dense black shadow on