The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1902-12-19

UAAC liam VIC lhlSdG 1uh OfSA hAAA
But | didn't think there wus . am
chance of KILN him, for in my mint
that man had been dead before w
started to look for him.
Let her come along Slow / KEEP
sayin' to Abe, the engineer al
right; you watch the track and never
mind me- Abe kept sayin' back
The head brakeman and the fireman
were down on the footboards on each
side of the engin' with lamps lookin
alongside the tracks, thinkin' maybe
he had fell outside the rails.
" / wonder what In the devil ne
wanted to try to get over an ice train
to see me about said Abe. and
not five miles from the end Of
the run. But he had a reason
for coming ahead, I'll bet. Ed
never did anything without a rea-
son. He wus mighty fine fellow,
and he's got mighty fine wife
Yes. and nice little girl said
the head brakeman.
It'll be tough news for both of
them, said the fireman.
well, | believe we're gittin past
the place where he fell, | said. I had
no sooner said that when about so
feet ahead of the engin' wus somebody
right in the middle of the track
swingin' US down
"'lt's a wonder you guys wouldn't
be tendin' to business instead of play
in horse around here with that en-
gin and your train on a sidin' with
out ORDERS said the fgger with
the lamp as we came to stop. Who
wus it but Ed, with a grin clear across
his face. Well, if you ever saw para
lyzed gang it wus the push on that en-
gin, fer there wusn't man on it that
wouldn't have taken an affidavit that
Ed wus at that minute either fghtin'
fire or wearin' wings.
"|Much obliged to you fellers for
your sympathy roared Ed, who had
heard all we had said about him for
the last hundred feet of our trip.
Then he got on the engin' and we
went back after our train. When he
fell off he lit square on his back on
five foot deep snow bank without a
scratch"
The conductor grinned. "Slum-
Der" smiled, without opening his
eyes.
Before the "Sandwich man" could
get his listeners in condition for an
other yarn the short, shrill brake
whistle of twenty-eight'S engine was
heard. The conductor and the
Sandwich man" were ca their feet in
an instant. "Slumber" had heard
the whistle, but had opened his eyes,
and apparently was waiting for the
conductor to say something before he
made a move for the top of the cars.
He did not want to take any chances
of losing little sleep by climbing
out unless it was absolutely necessary.
"Well, why don't you git out on
top and git at them brakes?"
yelled the conductor at "Slumber."
"There's somethin' wrong. We're
five miles from an order board, and
what is Hank goin' to do with five
cars of air with 80 loads?"
The last words OF the conductor
did not reach "Slumber," for the
latter, though slow to move when
he was master of his move
ments, was quick to obey a COM
mand. He was soon on top
setting brakes two at a time.
The conductor, suspecting trouble,
went to the rear of the caboose and
took a position on the lower steps
ready to jump. His suspicious were
quickly realized. He had scarcely
got his foot on the lowest step when
Bang, roar, and the earth under the
train appeared to open and close at
he same time. The conductor did
not have time to jump. The sudden
stop threw him 20 feet from his car.
The merchandise was wrecked. She
mad gone into the hind end of No. SO.
A brakeman had been sent out to flag
The merchandise, but he had fallen
lsleep.
As soon as the conductor could
gather himself together he went
head. The caboose and three cars
head of it were still on the track,
tut the engine and the other 81 loads
we're piled up like old iron in a scrap
leap. He made his way toward the j
ngine. Half the length of the train
e met the Sandwich man, who had {
cen the tail light on 83's caboose in {
me to lump and save himself Tho