Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-12-20
chippy runnerT" The brakeman shook

Al iast, AFTER much firing. the fire
man succeeded I'm getting the engine
'and the engineer) hot and away we
went three engines and 10 loads for
the foothills
In the valley the 'Leven-four did
tairly well. but the moment we hit the
heavy grade-21T feet to the mile
she began To cut up. The pointer ON
the steam gauge began To 90 back and
back. ! shu, OH the injector TO allow
her 10 pick up" and when the water
was as low as | could afford to let II
40 | tried to put Oh the pump again.
hut n rcl:red io work
We tri",ffhe lrft hand lift II would
start oil ai right. singing like locust.
anu then break and shoot the water
into ft' d-t'h. In the meantime | cot
the right hand iujcctors going again.
but when I tried the water the blue
steam Missed from the gauge cocks hot
ahd dry a. crOupy cough. | began
TO ease up 10 save her crOwnshcet. and
the old runners. who were helping me
up the hill. began To whistle me ahead.
An that is gall to young runner
At last we had her hot once more
and now she began to do my share OF
the work | hammered her unmerciful-
". but the harder hit her the hotter
she grew. Noah would shoot re-
proachful glance at me every time she
lost her feet though he knew that she
was doing it-that she was only re-
scnting the abuse that was heaping
upon her.
IN my anxiety To get out on time
had forgotten my engine cap and was
which is awkward and out OF place On
an engine.
While dodgin- in and out OF the cab
wrestling with the sand lever and the
injector. | struck the point of my der
10y against the cab window and IL shot
down the mountain. leaving me bare
headed. I signed to Noah: he Shoot,
his head-hc had no extra clD. went
into the clothes Book and found n little
jaunty brown cap that had seen Mos
ley wear and that nobody hut Moslcy
would think OF wearing ~ put IL
ON Noah raised his hand with look
Of horror
Presently the 'Leven-four began to
die on us. Noah worked rranticalIy.
but 90 10 purpose. lie would cock D4s
gates miss the furnace door and scat
ter coal all over his dcck
Finally : siSnaird him up into the
cab 10 work thc sand lever and went
at the fire myself But il was of no
use. The coal lay black and dead i'm
the fireboX. not "a spark camc from the
STACK. and Mclvor declared afterward
that he could not hear her exhaust.
and he was coupled TO my pilot bar
just over the furnace door he had a
bevel edged mirror fastened
suddenly / straiyhtened mp. glanced
into the mirror and saw MoSley as
plain as | had ever seen him. wearing
the Ittlc brown cap that he had worn
On his last trip.
Well. il gave me start. though l
am not nj al SUperStitiouS. In a mo-
mcnt remembered that was wear
ing the cap that had been worn 10y the
dead driver and remarked FOR the first
time that we had looked alike. had the
same hair. the same small. brown mus
ache and nearly the same eyes. The
furnace heat had given me for the
moment the same ruddy glow that had
been his. In short. we were Identical,
save that he had been handsome and
was not
was uncomfortable Climbing up
TO my place again. ! said TO Noah that
the cap was too small for me and cx-
changed with him without asking his
consent
watched Noah. The first time he
caught sight of himself in the mirror
he put up his hands again. took OF the
cap folded il carefully, put 1t into hts
clothes box and tied a big red and
white handkerchief about his head
BY this time my two helpers had
hauled me TO the top of the hill. where
! held the 'Leven-fOur wide open for
ten minutes 10 save her crownsheet,
for there was scarcely enough water
in the lower gauge TO wet a postage
stamp.
In little while we were going down
the mountain slowly. the heavy ears
creaking on the twisting. curving trail.
and that and the low breathing of the
mir pump was all We could hear Pres
entity the big black engine began to
rise and fall. Al first il seemed that
she would climb the rail and then fall
back into the groove again. Now she
WAS hcaving great. deep signs. Noah
noticed il ana glanced over ut me. The
whole huge hulk of machinery would
lift and fall. sobbing like troubled
sea.
whats the matter with her now?"
| asked. Did you ever see her do that
befOre?"
Not exactly that" said Noah I've
seen her cut good many capers. but
nothing like this"
Well" lie added after pause. ''if
she'll tote me In this time | promise
never to bother her again." and saw
the fireman cross himself
They don't have no mercy on n To-
comotive." Noah went on. staring
through the narrow window in front of
him. Engine amt had time to
grieVc."
Well. now that he had mentioned IL.
! could see that the great engine was
sobbinS silently through the night.
heaVing and falling like troubled
breast, though. as | remarked before, |
was never the least bit supcrstitious.