The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-10-18
A DELAY ON THE RAIL

Copyrighted by Daily Story Pub. Col
No. 6 was late. That was an unusual hap
pening or the d. & Fl. R. R., and the divi-
sion superintendent, standing on the little
platform at Hoopeston waiting to take No.
& back to headquarters, was plainly an
noyed. 1t is a serious thing for trainmen
to yeX a division superintendent, and when
they go so far as to cause him to postpone
his dinner hour far beyond its accustomed
moment they may expect to hear some
thing uncomfortable and official through the
medium of the envelopes marked Railroad
Business which are dropped from the ex-
press cars of through trains.
Superintendent Wheeler was not a quick
tempered man, but as he walked up and
down the Hoopeston platform, glancing at
his watch from time to time, anyone with
half an eye could have seen that he was
not in an angelic frame of mind. Inside
the office the telegraph was ticking merrily
with more railroad business" and Al length
Superintendent Wheeler thrust his head in
the door for the tenth time and asked:
Anything new from No. 81"
She's 35 minutes late at Albion, sill" re-
piled Operator Ryan, briskly. They've
made up eight minutes time, sir"
Have you yet heard what's the mat
teri" asked the division superintendent,
brusquely.
Don't know for sure, sir" but I guess
it's a hot box" said Ryan, and the super
intendent continued his nervous walk up
and down the platform.
Twenty-three miles away No. 6 was
whooping over the shining rails like a ves-
tibule limited, although it was only a ''com-
bination freight" lately invested with the
dignity of a badly frayed passenger coach
tagging on behind the heavy box cars for
the few passengers who desired the accom-
mediation of a "way" train. But tonight
No. 6 was not running on freight schedule.
She was more than 40 minutes late, and as
Joe Kelly looked from his perch beside the
lever and saw his companion shoveling coal
into the capacious nav of the engine he
encouraged him to redoubled efforts.
Chats the stuff, jack" he said; 'stoss
her in and We'll make up a bunch of it
anyhow. We're hitting her up for "a miles
an hour right now, and that's pretty good
for old 348, that's been on freight runs for
five years. l bet those jays back there were
surprised when we cut through there like a
mail train" he went on, keeping a sharp
lookout ahead, "but we can't let a hot box
put us in the hole half an hour, or we'll all
be laid off, from the conductor down to the
wiper that forgot to oil the journal"
He had got thus far in his chat and Jack
was grunting assent from his dusty place
among the Jumps of coal when the engi-
neer suddenly stood upright and leaned half
way out of the cab window. Then with
a convulsive movement he threw the lever
clear over and shut off the steam. An in
slant later the sharp bark of the whistle
calling for BRAKES awoke the echoes.
What's the matter?" demanded the fire.
man, springing up to his side of the cab,
half ready to jump.
81 don't know" said Kelly, peering into
the half gloom ahead of the train, 'but if
some one isn't swinging a red light across
the track down there, I'm a goat. See it
off to the left of the track" and he placed
his hand on the throttle, for the heavy train
was still bounding at a fearful rate.
Right you are" said the fireman; chats
a red one all right. Will we make it?"
ooh, yes, we'll stop before we get there"
said Kelly, confidently. Wonder what it
is-rail broken or a hold-up?" and he
laughed a bit nervously. The conductor,
who had been alarmed by the whistle for
brakes and the grinding of the iron shoes
against the heels, came running over the
top of the freight cars and clambered over
the coal into the cab with the two men.
"What is it," he demanded.
Don't know" said Kelly, take a peek
yourself. Red light ahead"
The train had begun to slacken speed by
that time and was fast approaching the
slowly swinging lantern. At last it thun-
dered to a stop and stood painting while the
conductor sprang off and ran ahead. There
stood a youth not more than 20 years old,
doggedly swinging a lantern, while a fright
ened girl Of II chung to his arm and looked
with wide eyes on everything.
whats the matter here?" demanded the
conductor; what are you tagging this train
for?"
1--WE want to get aboard" said the young
man, stoutly.
"What?" shrieked the conductor, edo you
mean to say you've stopped a way freight
that's 40 minutes late just because you can't
wait for the passenger hat comes through
at ten o'clock"
That's just it," said the young man,
with much dignity; eve can't wait for the
passenger. We want to go on this train.
You see, the fact is" he went on, growing
confidential and taking a tighter hold on
the little arm hanging in his, "we're going
to town to get married. We've been going
to get married for a year now, but Mabels
that is, the young lady's-parents object,
and we want to get to Dayton on this train.
If we wait for the late train, it-why, don't
you sect don't get to Dayton until after
midnight"
ooh, ho!" interrupted the conductor, can
elopement, Ell? Well, I'm darned if | don't
like your nerve. Come on, get aboard, then.
Don't delay us any more than you have"
Five minutes later No. 6 was tearing over
the rails toward Hoopeston with a pair of
turtle doves nesting in a double seat in the
passenger coach. Superintendent Wheeler
had his speech all ready when the train
slowed up at Hoopeston. The conductor
swung off and touched his hat.
"Hot box at Penway Junction, sir" he
explained; "we've made up IA minutes"
"What was that other stop for, reported
by the operator at High RIDGE" demand
ed the superintendent. Weren't you late
enough, without stopping for passengers?"
"Elopement, sir" explained the con-
ductor.
"What?" Numbered the superintendent,
but when the conductor took him to the