Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-27

rows Many locomotives as l have seen
and ridden, a new one is always "ohuei
to me; chokes me up, even, IL means so
much l hear men rave over horses ana
marvel at II when / think of the iron morse.
hear them chatter of distance, and my
mind turns to the annihiator. l near tnehi
brag of ships and l think of the snip thaI
plows the mountains and rivers ana plains.
And when they talk of speed-what can
think of but her?
AS the new engine rolled into the yards
my heart beat quicker. Her lines were TOO
imposing to call strong; they were massive,
yet so simple you could draw them, ike
the needle snout of collie, to very point.
Every bearing looked precise, every joint
looked supple, as she swept magnlhcenty
up and checked herself, painting, in front
of u.s.
Foley was In the cab. He had been east
on a lay-off and so happened to bring In
the new monster, wild, from the river
shops.
She was built in Pennsylvania but the
fellows on the Missouri end of our line
thought nothing could ever safely be put
into our hands until they had stopped 1t en-
route and looked it over.
How does she run, Foley?' asked Neigh
Dor gloating silently over the toy.
Cool as an ice box" said Foley. swing
Ing down. shes a regular summer resort.
Little stiff on the hills yet.
Well take that out of her, mused
Neighbor. climbing into the cab to look her
over Boys, this is up In balloon. ne
added, pushing his big head through the
cab window and peering down at the nine
ty-inch drivers under him.
II grew dizzy once or twice looking for
the ponies" declared Foley, biting of
piece of tobacco as he hitched at his over
alls "She looms like a Sky-Scraper. say
Neighbor, I'm to get her myself, amt II
asked Foley, with his usual nerve.
when McNeal gets through with her,
yes" returned Neighbor, gruft1y, giving her
a thimbIe of steam and trying the air.
What cried Foley, affecting surprise
"You are going to give her to the Kid
Il am" returned the master mechanic,
unfeelingly. and he kept his word.
George McNeal, just reporting for work
after the session in his cab with the loose
end of connecting rod, was invited to take
out the Sky Scraper-4SS, class Has she
was listed, and Dad Hamilton, Of course,
took the scoop to fire her.
.'They get everything good that's going
erumbled Foley.
'They are good people" retorted Neigh,
Dor He also assigned helper to the old
fireman. 1t was new thing with US then'
a fellow with a slice-bar to tickle the CRATE
and Dad. of course kicked. He always
kicked. If they had raised his salary he
would have kicked Neighbor wasted no
words He simply sent the helper back TO
wiping until the old fireman should cry
enough.
Very likely you know that new engine
must be regularly broken as a horse Is
broken before it is ready for steady, haru
work And as George McNeal was not
very strong yet he was appolhteu " oo 'iA'
breaking.
For two months 1t was a picnic. Light
runs and easy lay-overs. After the Smash
ct the Narrows Hamilton had sort OF taken
the kid engineer under his wing, and it was
nretty generally understood that any one
who elbowed George McNeal must reckon
with his doughty old fireman. so the Two
used to march up and down street 10
rether, as much like chums as a very young
engineer and a very old fireman possibly
could be- They talked together, walked To-
gether and ate together. Foley was as
Jealous as cat of Hamilton, because ne
had brought George out west, and felt
sort of guardian interest IN that quarter
himself Really, anybody would love
George McNeal; old Dad Hamilton was
proof enough OF that
one evening just after pay day, l saw the
pair In the post office lobby getting their
checks cashed Presently the two stepped
over to the money-order window; mo-
ment later each came away with money
as that where you leave your wealth
Georgie?' 1 asked, as he came up to speak
to me. A..
Reed" he smiled. Cheeks are running
light too, now-eh, Dad?'
"A young fellow like you ought to be put
ting money away in the bank, said 1.
We'll, you see, l have bank back IN
Pennsylvania bank that IS now siAty
wears old getting gray-headed. l haven
sent her much since I've been on the re-
lief SO I'm trying to make up little now
for my old marnmie
Where does yours go, Dad?" l asked.
'Me?" answered the old man, eVaslVeiy'
eve got a boy back east; getting to be a
big one, too. He's in school. When are
you going to give us passenger run VIII u
the Sky-Scraper, Neighbor! asked f1amli-
ton turning to the master mechanic.
.'Soon as we get this wheat, up on the
high line. out of the way replied Neigh
nor I'VE haven't half engines enough TO
move 1t, and l get wire about every SIX
hours to move it faster. Every siding
blocked clear TO Belgrade. How many OF
those co oOO-pound cars can you take over
Beverly Hill with your Sky-scraper!
He was asking both men. The engineer
looked at his chum.
IT reckon maybe thirty-fve or forty
said McNeal. Eth, dad?
.Naybe. SON" growled Hamilton; land
break my back doing itf
II gave YOU a helper once and you kicked
ed him of the tender" retorted Neighbor
"Don't want anybody raking ashes for
me-not while I'm drawing full time Dad
frowned.
-Scraper at hauling wheat, and within
week she was doing the work Of double
header.
1t was MAY, and thousand miles east OF
us IN Chicago, there was trouble in the
wheat Dit on the board of trade. You
would hardly suspect what queer things
that wheat scramble gave rise to, affecting
George McNeal and Old Man Hamilton anc
a lot of other fellows away out on a rail-
ro,d division on the western plains; bu
this was the way OF II:
A man sitting In little office on l.;
Sale street wrote a few words on yer!
ordinary-Io looking sheet of paper and touchet
a hutton That brought coiored BOY, an'
he took the paper out to young man Wh'
sat at the eastern end of a private wire.
The next thing we knew. orders began Il
come In hot from the presidents ofnce-th
president of the road. II you please-to ge
that wheat on the high line to Chicago
and to get II there quickly.
Trainmen, elevator men, superintendent
Of motive power, were spurred with specia
orders and special bulletins. Farmers
startled by the great prices offering, hauled
night and day. Every old tub We had II
the shops and on the scrap was overhaule(
and hustled into the service. The division
danced with excitement. Every buShel o
wheat on it must be in Chicago by tn,
morning,of May 81.
For two weeks we worked everything (,
the limit; the Sky-Scraper led any two en-
gires on the line. Even Dad Hamilto,
was glad to cry enough, and take helper
We doubled them 0ay and the VIA,