The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1902-05-09
The Unseen Hand
at the Throttle.
By Homer NJ. Price.

MINEOLA was the dinner station
wi train No. 5, and we were strictly
on time that day. Mark Winston was
clerk in charge in the mail car, and /
was his helper" He was one of the
old veterans of the service, and the
best man ever knew. He was slight
~ lame. caused by Yankee bullet
some 80 years beforc-rather robust,
hair sprinkled with gray. He had
never married, never had a home OF
his own, but was an optimist at all
times and under all circumstances.
On the present occasion / finished
eating before he did. and went up to
the engine to get a light for my pipe.
Old Ray Ellis was the engineer and
had Just finished oiling the machine
when | pulled myself UP into the cab.
As did so, an old man. stout and dig
nfied looking. came up the side OF
the train, rather in advance OF a kind
faced. gray-baircd woman. When
nearing the engine, however, he
dropped behind her. and she came
forward and asked Ellis rather tim
idly if he was the engineer.
Yes. madame" he answered, with
his greasy cap in hand, what can
do for YEP"
The old lady hcsitatcd moment.
and then with a trcmble in her voice:
"You can do everything for us. IL
You will. You see. it's our boy. He
is desperately wounded. and the
young doctor up at NARROW in the In
dian territory wired Us to come and
bring the best surgeon in the coun-
try or orr boy would not live till
shutdown tomorrow. The conductor
saws that our train does not connect
with the Rock Island road at Fort
Worth this evening, and that we must
Law over there all night"
She hcsitated moment, and old
Ray was busily wiping his hands with
the waste. He looked up With;
Eyes. nam, we mis- EN- 80 minutes
How can help YEP"
The old mother looked up at hin
ycarningly.
by running fast enough to &C.
there before the Rock Island trail
leaves ! know you can do it. and W.
will give you everything we shall evel
have if you will"
She hesitated a moment, and thel
in very low voice as If no one wa
TO hear but the old engineer:
II viii pray for you SO long as
shall live. Each morning and night
will take your name before tn
Throne and ask for you his blessing
who forgot not his mother in tn
agony Of the cross"
Ray Ellis, dusty with the dirt o
The road and greasy with the oil
the engine, looked up rather avn
wardly:
Madame, I'm not much on TIL
prayer business myself, but ! believ
IN Il. My little girl prayed for m
safely over burning bridge on
night, and She wasn't even there. Sh
Just walked up at home as the cloc
was striking two--that was five mil
utes before we were due at Coli
water brdge-and, feeling l was
great danger. got down on her knee
and stayed there until she said th
Lord told her l was safe. The bride
iell just as the sleeper cleared
Now, ! just don't see how we ca
make up this time, but l have som
now got the idea that IL you've q
your heart chuck full of love *
somebody. and there amt n bit !
sclfiShneSS in IL that He'll fix III
'n,ng up for you. Hes rot ways I
uoin' things that we don't kno
snouf We will do our bcst--you ju
pray all the time, and, II get
.nance To run, just confine yourse
- asking Him to let us keep u
rack and me and old '4G' will do Il
Test"