The Red Cloud chief., 1901-08-09

Wv hankertng TO see II an
nore-at least not where II marks tn
end of Uncle sam's land.
yet there was a time when the ri
Grande was the prcttiest stream I eve
saw. And Che place whore | saw Il las
and welcomed It an I never before did
river. was the place where les at II
worst. where us dust-dry ten months !,
the year. and flooding the country tn
other two.
1T was while I was running an rngin,
on the Mexican Central. That's not
had job now. and u was better then
You get your pay In gold. ind you pa,
your living In silver. and II ever a maj
can save money that is his chance. rhat'i
what took me there. and the same thins
tempted the rest or the boys. for, with
the exception OF the brakemen. all tn,
train crews were American born. The
Mexican Is good In many ways. but he
isn't up to running an engine or punch
ing tickets.
ut was n good job. all right, but Il
had Its drawbacks. One of these was the
trick the Mexican government has OF
locking up the American part OF
tho train crew whenever there Is
an accident. II they locked them
up when thny are to blame. II
wouldn't be so bad: but down there they
lock you up and then forget about you.
In the course OF q year or two they may
remember you. II when they have sat
lsded themselves that the accident was
IN accident. I'M not a place OF cold
blooded deviitry on your part. they let
you 60 But they don't apologize, and
WIN 6nnA aAt MAJ 10. l..s l... a. -.
engineers Job isn't pure Joy down In
DIax-iand.
II didn't know about these IRA wback
nlien ! took the Job. But orce I had 1t, I
wasn't going to back out. and besides, |
figured on not having any accidents. For
a year II was all right. Then 1t had To-
ccme. was running on the north d.
vision OF the road. from Montexuma to
Pnso del Norte--it's Jusrez now. Charley
ltobinson was my conductor " Bin
Eikins WAS nrlng. We had made the run
to Ojo Caiisnte and were Just pulling out,
when Robinsoc Jerked the air.brake like
mad. l know No mething was up, but 4
could..t see nom my side Of the cab.
! wasnt waiting To look. though, and
the o I hsndisd the old machine To
bring her to a stop was shameful. Just
ss l succeeded, Eikins called out from
the f~ootboard. where ne had swung him.
s,lf:
Too late. Dick. We've done It,
II knsw what that meant. My frat idea
was to Jump and run. But where could I
run TO? We were II hundred miles from
tho border. n 1 knew there was no
There wasn't time To think
twice. la half a lily q swarm Of police
aud sciiicrs. who are always about the
we're In the cab and all over the
Thsy had Flkins ana mo on the
In a minute and looked n,
though th"y were going To yhoot' us M
once Then another company or two OF
cane up with I;obinyon. lie told
nc now Il was. A Mexican fun OF teauila
had made o run for the train az we pulled
out. He tried to jump On the step, but
hts isas ttngled up. and lie went under
the wheels before Robinson could get TO
hin.
we expected tn be iugged of to isil
bn' tatng saved us for the time.
Ihere Wasn't n man In Ojo Culicnte who
coulu tadc the train down. SO the can
AIN commanding the soldiers didn't know
what 10 do. Finally. at l,oblnson's sue.
sestlon. ne telegraphed for authority to
let US hnlsh our run under a guard OF
men. rhat seemed tn. oniy way ont OF n
ana after the wires were kept busy for
hair an hour. the order came for us IN
Y" nhead' Six aoidiers climbed Into the
c2o' ana sat. some on The tender ana
H"me on Eialn's seat. with their runs
Ihpieasantly az us AZ We pulled
'ut' a Dig batch were scattered through
'he tram {" keep watch Of Robluson.
i dont think the fellows In the cab en-.
'oyeu their ride much. but | know k:lkina
ma l enjJysd u stili less. Instead OF go.
'ns nom al The end OF the run, we were
going to jhi,: and from what I knew OF
Jai's there would be no Joke sbou,
Il. especially when It might be years be-.
fore we got a trial.
II was a forty -m.nute run 20 s,,n lose
lhe next station. and In ,hos, forty min.
lies Eikin' ana did soIe tail thinking.
"its pretty tough to take the machine
DO close to the river and not be able
10 GET across yelled Bill, as he took a
est from shoveling coal. "A make a
rl'. for 4 II therc ives a chance. pu. ,herc
"a no snow. with these cussas wutcu!Ey
like they are
knew tatrc was no show: once we
had stopped In Paso del Norte. But. some
now. Bits words put an idea lnto my
head. When we got To San Jose | climbed
down and made a blum At looking over the
engine. The station agent was an Ame,i.
can, az tney were. then. all alonx the
tine. hiie | was pretending /, isk al
the wheels AMI to test things generally.
l signaicd o him and Robinson TO come
up. when they came. you would have
thought they were leading u review Of the
Mexican army. there were 80 many
isggy-hreechcd soldiers tagging along.
was n good thing for us about
those soldiers. though. aud that was that
they didn't savex English. Still, | wasn't
taking any chances. ami l KEEP. on with
my blum Of looking over tae engine, until
ind the ageat wondered what 1
wanted.
Something wrong with the old cir, to.
! said dnsiiy. i.ointirg m at the
- lie agent bent down to look, bat Rob.
inson understood that something Was up.
what are YOU driving ate he asked.
why. ths,s's something wrong l said
again. 'Shs don't WORK The way she usual
~ does. l had a hard time making her
slow down for the station. Seems to me
a. ~ aha uvants "a /. a.,a,. Dr.