The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-13
oRV|LlE Mls0rsFisTE EXPRESS
The Moral cf This story IL TO BE Careful
About Letting . Roy Under IL Run an
Engine without a Permit signed
by All the Directors Of the
Road.
Copyright 1900 bv Charles BatieH Loom,s

49, ~" W. 's'' - 49,
old enough to run express engine, on Impor-
tant Ines. or course IL you know the engineer
on a branch line and he is friendly enough
he will often let YOU run his engine when h"
is indisposed to run IL himself, but youll find
that all over the country the engineers on tho
big lines are very jealous Of Interference bv
the Young fellows who twenty years from
now may he Governors Of States. and there's
small chance of their allowing a youngster to
step into their cabs and drive the iron horse.
But that's what Orville Mason did. He ran
engine ssS1, on the n. Y, y, \. 4 Il. Railroad.
and all because his father couldn't refuse him
anything. and happened To he an influential
man on the road and one of the directors.
trville and his parents were on their way TO
their home in Meriden, Conn, from New York.
and they were in the parlor car.
Orville is a lively kind Of boy, and il was
no fun to be cooped up in the car. and be-
fore he had been on the train an hour he was
wishing something exciting would happen,
IF We could only run of the track for a few
miles lust to see how much we'd bump I'd like
it," said he TO his mother, but she was very
much shocked as well she might he. for no cars
are built TO run easily when of the rails.
"Oh. papa. ! must do that" he yelled as a
long freight train went by.
DO WHAT" said his father. who was reading
the newspaper and was not a little vexed at
the many inter- uptions Of his son.
Why. get mp on the roof and run along like
the brakeman on the frei9hts Can't T."
What do YOU think. mammal" asked Mr..
Mason.
oh. ! don't know " said Mrs. Mason. who
was rather a nervous woman. I'd be afraid
he'd fall on"
Why, mother. how absurd II I can walk
down the aisle without falling Why should !
fall when I'm on the roof? ! never get dizzy. 4"
"Oh. well, I suppose If YOU must YOU must. E"
said she. opening the book which she had been
reading when Inc spoke up and looking for her
place which She had lost.
Yes, YOU may GO. said MIR. Mason over the
top Of his naper, but do be careful.
Orville war not a reckless boy. and he prom
ised his parents 10 keep right in the middle
Of the roof and not jump from car to car except
when the train was slackoning NJ N stations.
He made his way to the platform and climbed
up IN some boy fashion, and for half an hour
he had great fun running the entire length Of
the train, for I'm afraid he forgot his promise
and got tired Of waiting for the train 10 slacken
up Al stations il being an express.
OF course, the other boys on tho train heard
his footsteps, but none Of them had a very
indulgen' father. and so although nearly
every live boy on the train begged 10 be allowed
TO join him not one received Permission. and
Oryllle soon got tired Of running back and
forth alone. 50 he made a flying leap and landed
in the coal in the tender.
Halo. engineer. said he, %crinnine in an
engaging way. Cant | take the throttle for n
little Hhile' You must b" tired
But although tho engineer was tired he wouldn't
admit t. and he said NO, my son, I'm going
Al too high speed to turn the engine over 10
YOU. Did ION ever run oio'"
Il ran a little dollar one that Aunt jasimra
gave me- a Christmas. said he. but that was
a toy. j. his n steam engine
YES, its a steam engine all right. Wahaven't
come Town 10 electricity yet
will think We fallen of, but wish YOU would
ley me run her for a few miles
The engineer mi lied, but shook hs head good
humoredly and said to fhe fireman. Funny
how soon boys want to be men When they re
men they'll wish they were boys again
Orvil' made his way with some difficulty and
many ErlinN stroakS on hiN clothes back 10 the
'"I For ''i I'd t y ,a k '"' W '1'H'''t did You get all
that Dirt said his mother who wns a very
neat woman and who supposed that a boy
oould creep around IN coal and sill keep clean.
o IN ne t"ndrr say papa, can't | run
oh, wish You wouldn't" said his mother.
You'll h" sure 10 get oily and greasy"
BUt can !, pADn' persisted OTNilIr.
What does the engineer say suppose
you've been 10 sec him from the c~oaliness
Of your clothes. said Mr.. Mason. keeping
his finger ON an editorial he was reading.
He saw can I because We are gong too
fast. But | want to do II because il would
be such u bully thing to feel that | was making
This long train 10.
oh, ! don't know, What do You say, wife?
The road is very clearly marked by the tracks
and trains only run one way on each track.
4 know, said Mr.: Mason. but he might
ptt. ~ An tho tFlrl nr nra.y "a ta,. - - q, 81
] don't Ike the idea. Ia be perfectly frank with
But, mamma, " said Orville. IT IS so tire
some on The train with nothing to do, can't
| conduct
No, no." said Mrs. Mason. decidedly. Il
wont have you interfering with the receipts"
Well. then. let ne run the train. Tell the
engineer you're a director.
"Oh, ! suppose we'd better let the boy do
II. Martha, said Mr.. Mason. Withdrawing his
finger from the editorial aud beginning 10 read
once more.
"Wha,l I tell him, papa" asked Orv.rle,
swaylng from side 10 Slde N dellsht.
Tell hin Director william Mason wants
YOU 10 run II and invite him 10 come in here
aud lee me want 10 talk business with
hAul'
Back 10 the roof went Orvill. and was soon
making the tying leap into the tender.
"Oh. Mr.. Engineer, my papa j. William Ma
son. one Of III" directors. and he wants 10 see
YOU on business and he saws ! can run the engine
In your absence because the track is so plainly
marked that I'm not likely 10 leave IT, Aud
! m sure tho fireman Will tell me when 10 stop
at stations.
Orville had n fetching little smile that gener-
ally got HIM what he wanted and he en-
pluyed i with good effect upon IN" engineer.
who said We'll. II your father wants TO talk
business I've nothing 10 say. Come up here.
son, and III tell you a few things that vo,I ought
to know before ! leave Won in charge
Then he told him how TO run The locomotive.
and after looking AZ his watch and saying he'd
be back in half an hour he Went over the cars
10 the MasOns, and Orville was alone with the
engine and the fireman.
dare say that II the people in the cars had
known that n hoy Of twelve was running the
train they would have worried some, il j. just
rs well they didn't know, 4 worry that YOU
fair
OF course Orville. being n boy. was not al all
pleased NJ the speed which the train was max
INK. believe they were going at something
like torty-fve miles an hour.
VIII she stand sixty" said he 10 Dan. the
fireman.
She'll stand il all right il W don't gun into
anything " said Dan, pauslng IN his ockIpation
Of hpaving coal into the furnace.
We'll, YOU can tell me II we're catching up 10
anything and III let her go"
Il can't shovel GOA and keep a look ont, Young ,
Celler." said Dan, who did not half like being
hossed over by a twelve-ynar-old
Well. | guess I'll see far enough ahead IN
keep her nose or ~ anything in front Here
goes.
In n minute the telegraph poles looked Ike a
'anglr Of fine hair, they were so close together. |
ND lost time. Lucky This Is y fOnr-traCk road.
All would have gone we'll II Orville had kept |
TO tho main rond but when he reached Bridge |
pori he thought 10 would be- fun 10 try q run M |
he Nnugatuok Valley road, which is n single
track affair.