The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-09-20

y Would Not Behave &
- and Was at Last De- &
graded to Gravel 8
Train.
Eleven hundred and four was o
ereight locomotive, a little bigger, but
no better. than Other engines OF Eer
class. Mosley, who managed her, was
like her. He was just fair. average
engineer, and that was all. And yet
when another man went out on the
,Leyen-four she would lay down on
him eight times out Of ten.
And 30 it fell out that, while she did
her work Willingly and well with Mos
ley aboard, she gained a bad name.
mhe conductor, coming out with the
orders, always glanced up into the cab.
and IL Mosley were there he would
smile, otherwise he would frown. And
af Mosgey came out with another en-
zine the conductor would be just as
unhappy. Mosley and the 'Eeven-four
vent together, or they didn't so.
One night an extra nan went out.
or rather. started out, With the 'Leven-
four. At the very last ditch leaving
The yards she broke the switch bride,
climbed the rail-, turned over on her
back, iamlned her whistle into the
sand and sobbetl her life away.
Twenty-four hours later, when she
stood upon her feet again. they pushed
her into the back shops to be over
hauled AMI painted, and in that way
Mosley got another ten days waiting
for her.
Locomotive engineers are notorious
~ superstitious. To be sure, there are
exceptions. I was one Of them.
The fireman Of o pusher notices that
when the head engines slip the pushcr
viii almost Invariably fly up. Tie
head engines slip because they have
found 81 sharp curve, but that would
not cause the pusher, lying back on a
tangent, to slip. But she will slip, and
you will see the driver open the sand
valves the moment he hears the head
engine going or sees the IRE shooting
up in solid stream or feels the weight
OF the train suddenly up against his
pilot bar.
Many good and plausible reasons for
this responsive or answering slip
might be put forward, but to the mind
OF the average engineer it is SYM
patty strike pure and simplc-one en-
sinc feeling for another. Why, have
r-nown men who would argue that q
locomotive would not only sympathizc
with sister engine, but would actual
" grieye for a dead engineer, Hear
ing and seeing these things for years,
the newly promoted engine driver car
ries with him. consciously or uncon-
sciously, certain amount Of super
stition.
One day when was hostler thc
master mechanic sent for me. went
into the Office and came out an engi-
neer. To be sure. had expected pro-
motion some day. but not that day,
though knew that somebody would
be promoted to take Mosley's place, for
Mosley was dead. The master me-
chanic had run me around others, but
no one complained
Olf runners had SHE'D at the 'Leven.
four when Mosley was alive. Who
would want her now? She was count
ed "unlueky" then-She would be extra
hazardous NOW.
or course it did not follow necessari-
~ that she would fan to ,ne, but size
did, and the first night out /. seemed to
feel the arm rest stin warm where
the late lucklcss engineer had leaned
watching the gIistenfng rail beneath
his pilot.
Noah. the old fireman, had refused
at first to go ont with me. but there
was no one to take his place. and he
was forced to go.. To this day see
that frcnian's sad, bany face.
He seemed at drst to resent my
presence ON tue right hand sftfe, and i
began to resent bis resentment. The
head brakeman asked him. fn the fan
,suagc OF the caboosR, tsWhat WAS eatin
him." Noa?, said nothing and sighed
again.
As l went about oillhg the engine I
heard the fireman telling the brake
man how she had behaved when Mos
ley laid on and an extra Ean had
gone ous on the 'Lcyen-fOur.
@If she'd do TINT then, wllat'll she
DO to 'em now; 4what,u she 90 to this
ahippy runner" The brakeman shook
His head.
At last, after much firing. the IRE
nan sncceefied In getting the engine
rAnd the engineerj hot. and away We
went-three engines. ami Is loads for
nc. foothills
In the valley the I.even-fohr did
..airly we'll, but the moment we Lit the
..,eavy gradc2177 feet to the ,uile-
she began to.cut up. The pointer on
The steam gauge began to go back and
sack. shut oil. the injector to alloy
.ier to ''pick np." and when the water
Was as. low ax~I could. afford to let 1T