The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-24
MERRY CHRISTMAS ON THE RAIL
nv HERBERT *. BAMBLIS.
,o,v,,o,. 1899. ov Ber,,r, Z. Hamonn.

on the boiler butt and listened in comfort to tho
borltng blast without. As sat and pulled on
nv fragrant old brierwood. my gaze became
yiyst,cd on the only thing visible the steam gauge
like a spectral face suspended In the centre Of the
uniform blnckness. The soothing hum OF the
blower, the warmth and sense Of cosiness, com
hind with the hypnotic effect Of my fixed gaze.
Set mr. TO dreaming
Tomorrow would be Christmas and mother
was with us II was her Hra visit since my mar
vi,p, Katie her poor little heart a.nutter at
Oh. prospect of visit from that dreaded inspector
general her mother inlnw. had shaved herself
nearly to death. Three year old Bob had nearly
wrecked his mothers wonderful patience by his
p,r.istent efforts 10 render her labor futile. and
had "nggered" on the runs for a month. TO make
sure Of being home on this tho greatest Christ
INNS that ever was For a wonder. ] had not
figured in vain. Everything had come out ex'
nctlv M I had hoped Il would. would get homo
snriy enough for Christmas dinner, and late enough
20 pr,cludo the probability OF being sent out again
before the next day.
A curling wreath Of blue smoke floating across
<,,, face Of tho gauge arrested the selfish
OF my thoughts and directed them to the boy
on the other side Of the cob. Harry acryin had
been on the road only couple Of months, most OF
which time he had been firing for me- He was
bright pleasant and willing. IL now occurred
10 me- that rather liked him. but that knew
absolutely nothing abou, him. II wasn't so very
many years ago that1 was a strange boy on this
vAme road myself; and this was Christmas Eve
] made a pretence of getting light for my pipe
al the gauge lamp and leaned across the boiler.
"wher are you going to spend Christmas
Hsrry7" shouted above the noise OF tho gale
and the Stating Of the curtain.
The FIRE glowed brightly in the bowl of his pipe
orce twice before he answered. Heleencd against
the boiler on his side that could barely discern
his features in the dim light. and replied cheer.
lessy:
-Oh, In the boardn' house, I guess. Where
else They're a goin' 10 have roast turkey an
cranberry sauce an plum puddin', hear"
soon knew his story-a stcpmothcr three
months after his own mothers death. and. men
tally added. red-headed stepson. He had
picked ZIP a general idea n nrng while BEATING
his way on here from wisconsin and. happening
20 arrive at our roundhouso Just as man was
urgently needed. he caught on.
They're calm u.s. he concluded and, giving
the bsllropc a jerk. he stepped down 10 hook up
his fire.
When ] got coupled up and he stepped mp in
the cab again. I satd: "Wo expect to have a
little time up 10 our house tomorrow. Harry.
and should like TO have you come up and take
dinner with u.s."
THANK on Alec. he replied. Il will
rh~,c v.a an inch M snow on the rails when
= 90, my ord.,a 70 -un Al An extra. keepinp
out Of the way Of all regular trains" But Davis,
,hc CONDUCTOR said h, had n nice light running
train cn.s ali loaded with whisk brooms and straw
h.,s was gI,d .nouph To hear Il. for there
,.,. ~, miles NJ iron slippcry with the falling
snow. between old ISIS pilot and home II l
averaged tho maximum Of freight train speed
(twenty miles per hour would arrive home by
O o,c,ock in, The morning. hut II was bad
n,obt I would never be able 10 keen them
,o,re Al thai g,it so promised myself mt 70
ficL u 90. home by noon; /. liberal allowance.
II WAS a hard null out Of Tabor's junction
Uh,n an. v,rdmest.r b,ppcned u he feeling
Gus, rph, he would let one Of the switch engines
ret In behind a train and give her a shove for
half or three-ouartrrs NJ a mile But Dnvt,
MA. no cyony Of his so we didn't petit
II WAS a fearful night The gale howied. and
The snow drove horizontally like a sand blast
The wind was on the freman's side, which made
q possfbls for me IN look out But all co,,Id
.eo wa, An Uncomfortable white screen mnde vts,-
bile in ono small SPOT by the headlight. Ihad been
= nsinp IN, throttle when abe slipped-for would
need all the sand had before got home-until
she nearly stalled That wouldn't doso I gave
her A bare taste and leaned out 10 hear the graft
fyine crunch Of Il under the wheels
Harry eripped my shoulder and shouted:
.Nferry Christmasr'
I wished him tho same and many NJ EN- and
nothpod that Il was lust II by the engine clock
She hadn't slipped Anco I eayo her the sand
but WAS putting along with suspicious freedom.
for uo were not UP tho grade yet told the brake
man 70 go back on top Of the train and see II tho
cabooeo was coming He went off growing
but he went. which was the main thing From
tho back Of the tender he gave me what / expect,d
and drended-a signal that the train had broken
In two whistled the far back 20 protect IN.
rear and kept on
took the cars had to the next siding four
miles away. Ihad two more cars than the siding
would hold backed them all in hard again st
the stop block Then cut tho two head cars
of pulled them out Of the switch and backed
down tho main track with them, until the engine
was behind the two head cars in the siding. |
had the brakeman cut these two of, and stocked
them out on the main track ahead OF the engine
] ran ahead until the two cars behind the engine
were over the switch. I backed them In on the
siding. leaving the other two ont ON tho main
,,,, TIL -, 80, ,., A.,
"o'A. i"oh 'o'n" ou' WIN ho engine anu
hASk Hay hA MI