Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-06-06
How the Engineers Cat Saved the Train.

u 4dALNA aLA AANtAN S~A
ing from St. Louis to town in the
western part of the State, and among
the things they carried was a small
yellow kitten in basket.
They had a sixty-mile ride before
they changed cars. The gentleman
pulled out a newspaper and began
reading The little boy amused him
self by looking out ofthe window. At
last, tired of that, he thought Of his
pet kitten, and, taking him out Of the
basket, played with him until he went
off to sleep. The kitten, being left
alone, climbed into the next seat and
went to sleep.
The train arrived at the station
where the man aud little boy were to
change cars. And the man, folding
up his newspaper, took the little boy
and his bundles and the empty basket
and rushed into the other train. The
boy had been awakened SO quickly
that he had not thought of his kitten.
The first train passed on. At night
when it drew up to its final station
the conductor Went through the train
and found the little yellow kitten
asleep on one of the seats. He car
ried it to the fireman, who was fond OF
cats. The fireman fed the kitten and
put him in the baggage car for the
night.
When the train went out the next
day the kitten, which the fireman
called Dick, went with it. Dick rode
in the baggage car for a week or SO,
when his master took him on the en-
CINE with him one day. Dick was
quite frightened at first. but soon got
over it, and always rod. on the en-
CINE after that.
One thing very much frightened
Dick-that was when be heard another
train coming. He would crouch on
the floor Of the cab at his masters feet,
and would remain SO until the other
train passed. His master had tried
in vain to break him Of this.
A year passed and Dick was oil the
same engine with his master, who had
been promoted to be an engineer.
Dick still appeared frightened at hear
ing another train.
One day in winter Dick 8 master was
running in the western part Of Mis-
sour, when a severe snow storm came
up. They reached one station at 4.3O
in the afternoon, and a freight was due
about the same time They waited
fifteen minutes for the freight, and then
the conductor decided to 90 on to the
next station, ten miles beyond. So be
telegr,phed to the next station to keep
the freight until he reached there
and receiving no message back that the
freight had left that station, he thought
it all right, and Dicks train started
They had gone about five miles when
Dick suddenly raised his head, listened
for a moment, and then jumped to the
floor and crouched at his master's feet.
The engineer knew that Dick bad heard
a train. Then it flashed into his mind
that perhaps it was the freight. He
reached his head out of the cab window
and listened, but be could hear nothing
but the wind. He had 50 great conf
dence, nevertheless, in Dick, that he |
signalled for the conductor. The con-
iuctor came and inquired about 1t,
and when the engineer told him how
DICK had acted, be advised the engi- |
neer to back the train to the last sta
ton. The engineer lost no time in
taking the conductors advice, and |
backed the train at full speed.
They had been in the station about
FIVE minutes when in came the tardy |
freight. They were all agreed that it |
had been a narrow escape from a seri-
ous accident. When Dicks train ar
rived at the next station they asked
why they had not telegraphed back
that the freight had already started.
The station agent said that he had re-
3sived no message from the conductor
at all The next day the wires were
found broken, so that the station agent
had not received the dispatch.
Dick received due praise Hi. mas
ter is very proud Of him, and he is a
general favorite on that railroad.