River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-02-02

well, go back into it, then, until j
need more coal. I'll call you when it is
time"
Bertie-that was his name-jumped
back into his cool hiding place; but be
fore closing the top he threw a bucket
of water over the PROSTATE fireman and
another over Mike.
That's good" Mike said, shivering
with pleasure, as the water temporarily
cooled his parched, aching brows.
But the run was not by any means
over yet, nor had they reached the
worst part of the fire. The heat became
more intense as they proceeded, until
it seemed as if no human being could
live in such a superheated atmosphere
BERTHE soused the engineer again and
again with the water from the tank. but
even the water inside was getting warm
and it failed to bring the same refresh
ing relief.
They entered a dense patch of fiji
trees, where the smoke rolled up ir
pitchy-black clouds. Great flying ban.
ners of flame fioated down upon the en-
CINE and cars from the trees on either
side The cars were ablaze in dozen
places, and the tracks were warped and
twisted
Mike began to grow faint and dizzy
A sensation of falling seemed TO come
over him. and he unconsciously called
to his boy companion for help.
Bert opened the top of the tank to see
if the engineer needed more water. As
he did so he saw that the engineer ha6
been overpowered with the heat ano
smoke, and, though sitting up with his
hand on the lever, he was unconscious
In his fall backward the engineer had
accidentally shut off the steam, and the
pounding train was rapidly slackenine
its pace To stop an instant in such
desert of fire meant death to all on the
train
The boy realized this, and it took him
but minute to climb into the cab an6
open wide the throttle.
He did not know much about a steam
engine, but in this terrible run through
the fiery woods he had watched the en-
gineer mechanically, and he soon found
that he could stop or start the huge
monster at will. 1t was a simple thing
to do; but the boy felt elated at his dis
covery.
In a few minutes the engine was go
ing as fast as ever. They were rushing
along 20 miles an hour.
Hidden in his water tank he had not
experienced the full intensity of the
heat, but now he began to realize what
an ordeal the fireman and engineer had
passed through. With only slight pro
lection from the binding, burning
smoke and flames, the engineers posi-
ton seemed almost unbearable.
BERTHE prayed for strength. He knew
that his own life, that of his mother,
and of hundreds of others depended
upon him. He knew that they must
soon be at Stony Brook; he had heard
Big Mike say that. If he could hold out
little longer.
But the heat and fever grew upon
him. His head seemed ready to burst.
Every half minute he plunged his head
into a bucket of water; but that was so
hot now that half its effect was neutral
| lied.
How much longer? How much
longer?" he gasped.
Nothing but the roar of the fire an
swered him. He looked steadily ahead,
but there was no relief in sight.
81 can't stand it any longer" he NUT
tered. ooh, my God, help me and
mother"
He closed his teeth and renewed his
energy for an instant. Then his
strength tagged and waned again. His
spirits were dropping to the point of
yielding, when suddenly the clouds
around him seemed to tighten up.
He glanced ahead of him eagerly, and
in ecstasy of JOY he shouted:
I'm nearly through; I'm nearly
| through"
The volumes of smoke were less dense,
and ahead of the engine he could see a
clear space. He caught glimpse of The
track half a mile beyond. Even the in
ter Sc heat and suffocation of the air
lessened.
In a few moments more the relief
train rushed out of the fire area and en-
tered a new world, where binding
smoke and flames no longer made life a
torture. AS the boy cleared his eyes of
the smoke, and glanced far ahead, his
little heart seemed to throb clear up
into his throat.
A cleared space in the woods revealed
the small village of Stony Brook, and
on the platform of the station were
gathered 500 anxious, frightened, but
thankful people. AS this scene sud
denly came into view, BERTHE shut off
steam, and tried to bring the heavy
train to a standstill. Then, jumping
TO the side of the cab nearest the plat
form, he shouted, as he saw loved face
in the crowd:
Mother! Mother! I'm here!"
He staggered and reeled like drunk
en- man, and just as assistance came he
tainted.
The next morning the daily papers of
the whole country were full of an ac-
count of how a boy of 16 had carried the
relief train through the Wisconsin for
est fires and saved the lives of 500 peo-
ple.-N. Y. Ledger.