The sun., 1902-03-02

called out in a tone that was nearly meant
TO be insolent: rE-
Hello, Prince, old mani
There was a little laugh In the crowd
at this, and others, taking their cues from
the head blackguard, followed with other
remarks addressed TO the Prince which
were utterly in discord with the genuinely
cordial attitude Of the great mass Of the
crowd, How far this demonstration Of
boorishness might have gone had there
been "A longer wait can only be guessed.
There was nothing to II save an outbreak
of inherent bad manners on the part OF
those who took part in it.
1t is hardly probable that the Prince
even noticed II. He certainly gave no
evidence Of having done SO. Nune the less.
there was a little feeling of relief when
the train moved away and the great vol
ume OF hearty cheers from the crowd
drowned out all these notes of discord.
II Is not unlikely that hereafter the stay
at the stations where the Prince is 10 appear
will be 40 timed as to eliminate all these
intervals of awkward waiting and thus
avoid any chance of other demonstrations
OF like sort.
THE PRINCE ON A LOCOMOTIVE.
At Altoona splendid compound engine,
No. 1918, was attached to the train, manned
by Engineer Gilchrist and Fireman Palmer
two OF the expert men In their respective
capacities In the employ Of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad. On his first trip from New
York to Washington Prince Henry ex-
pressed desire to ride on locomotive for
q short distance. 1t was theD decided that
this ride should be on Saturday morning
through the Alleghany Mountains.
To this end Engine 1875 was pre-
pared To receive him. Red plush cushions
with an arm rest also of red plush upon
the window At about Q o'clock in the
morning the train was brought to a stand
still at Lilly''s station, and Prince Henry,
accompanied by Railroad Director Boyd
and Capt Won Egidy. boarded the engine,
where the fireman and engineer were pre-
sented TO him. He shook the hands of
both cordially. Prince Henry mounted
the fireman's seat with Col. Boyd by his
side, and the train soon swung into some
what swifter pace than II had been going
heretofore.
Things went along smoothly for Just
about ten minutes. Then Eng ineer Gill
christ sighted signal turned agai INST him
whereupon he came to dead halt at the
little village of Portage. IL was not known
generally throughout the train at first.
but the fact was there had been a slight
smash-up on the track about two miles
ahead. and all the through expresses, as
well az the Princes special, were held up
smashed into train Of empty cars, making
a bad mess, which completely covered
the west-bound track.
A gang Of men were working like beavers
on il, but with their utmost efforts the way
was not cleared for nearly two hours-to
be exact, one hour and fifty minutes. Prince
Henry had only just begun to fairly enjoy
his swift rush on the engine when, for the
time being, it came to al end.
There are not very many people in the
village of Portage, but apparently they
were all out and at the railroad when the
train arrived. II was about a quarter OF
a mile beyond the station that the halt
was made and the crowd, very largely
composed of small boys, came running
after it.
At first they stopped by the Princes
private car Columbia, but they soon found
that their quarry was on the engine and
they made a rush for that END OF the train.
II happened that of all the thousands OF
people who packed the railroad station
and lined the tracks throughout the entire
day, none had so good an opportunity OF
seeing exactly what manner of man. in
outward appearance, at least, Prince Henry
of Prussia is.
When the Prince went forward 10 the
engine he donned a short light-colored
overcoat which was distinctly British in
cut, and this, with the light-colored golf
cap that he wore, gave him still more the
appearance of an Englishman.
ASKED QUESTIONS or THE ENGINEER.
When the train came to a standstill, he
climbed down to the ground with Engineer
Gilchrist, who took that occasion TO do a
little oiling up. Prince Henry followed
him all around the engine. opening up
his rapid-fre battery of questions with
much energy, and ii may be said with much
precision Of aim. al the locomotives vitals.
The Princes education has involved
good deal of study of mechanics, and his
questions about the engine the size Of her
driving wheels, her coal consumption and
steaming qualities convinced Gllchrlst at
the start that he had 20 do with somebody
who knew what he was talking about.
After the engine inspection there began
the tedium Of the long wait. II was, how
ever, 50 lovely a IN rning with so much
warm, bright sunshine and spring balminess
in the air, that II was delight to be out Of
doors after the miserable weather advent
ures of the day before. No attempt was
made to keep the people back who had
gathered abo VI the train.
They crowded close up around the group
about the Prince and s;ared at him with
a steady, unwinking pert inacity that could
not have been otherwise than rather trying
TO the person at whom IL was directed.
The Prince, however, paid not the slight
est attention to 1t, standing nonchalantly
with one foot on GROSS tie and the other
on the heavy steel rail Of the track with
his hands thrust into the pockets of the
light overcoat on the left sleeve OF which
there was a broad mourning band for the
late Queen Victoria. his grandmother
At last out of the group Of villagers
there came a curious-looking specimen Of
crate attire and vague. wandering eyes.
He pressed forward close to Prince Henry
and reaching out before he could be stopped,
twitched his coat sleeve. The Prince turned
his head slowly and looked over hisshoulder
at the man as the Secret Service men showed
him TO the rear.
II was only the village ninny. a poor
harmless deaf and dumb fellow. whose
ideas Of what II all meant were Of the dream
lest. Even after he had been showed be-
yond reach Of the Prince, he continued To
exist, a nebulous mass revolving in an
erratic orbit about the central luninsry
and his attendant group.
At last il happened that the Portage
small boy actually got his sIrfeit Of gaping.
He had all the Prince he wanted and then
he took the rest Of the party in turn and
minutely inspected each ones every par
ticular OF feature and apparel. At last
he got enough of that, Of the wonder OF the
train and Of the engine. His general atti-
tude toward the show was one of disap-
pointment. There was n lack of epaulettes
and gold buttons in the outfit which OBJ
viously was unsatisfactory TO him.
The marble season was on with the ad-
vent Of March and il ever there was n day
a !, -. q,