The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-21
SLUM Der.

- III > = IL
! Number twenty-eight, the New York
| Chicago merchandise train, was sliding
/ swiftly toward The metropolis OF the mid
| die West. The last 200 miles between the
/ two great commercial certers was being
covered. Number twenty-eight was the
/ pet train of the line. Her schedule was
| fast. her stops were few, and engine and
tTainmen fought for the privilege OF tax
/ ing her over the road for il meant an
easy run. The engine and caboose were
coupled on, an order was signed and
away she went.
As was their custom on the home
stretch Of the division. the TWO rear
! brakemen and the conductor were seated
in the caboose Iaboring hard with we'll
muscled pipes. Being near the end OF the
run the conductor had finished the work
o. making out his report, and had draw.
his chair near the sQuatty stove 10 listen
t. the latest stories OF his brakemen.
We'll. 1 suppose we git the hog train
back Thursday mornin,' said the sand
wich man. as the tall brakeman was call
| ed because Of his never satisfied appetite
for the indigestible staple Of the luncheon
counter. Things are comm purity easy.
The merchandise West and the live stock
| back I think I'll take in the dance in
Huntington tomorrow night, If l kin git
I that hatchet-faced woman and egg slinger
join me. She threw me cold the last
time 1 asked her 10 go out IN society. but
l have given her three weeks chance
to cool OF, and maybe she'll be ready
to go now"
.Dancel Ketch me goin' TO no dance
after nearly thirty-six hours on the road,
drowsily interjected ~Slumber." the
brakeman. whom his acquaintance
averred had not been entirely awake
since he was born. You ken call things
comm easy if you want to, but I've got
another name for it. l call it raw-hidin'
Thirty-six hours on the road. What if
you did git twelve hours sleep in the
thirty-six and two fast trains TO end up
with. Twelve hours in thirty-six amt
enough for me Dance: You'll find me
nicely laid out In one Of Mother McInery' :
soft beds this time tomorrow night If
anybody should be lookin' for me-"
The only way you'll ever git 'nough
sleep. 'Slumber, viii be TO die, said the
conductor. half conlemptuously.
"Slumber' was too d-owsy 10 notice
the remark. The hot stove and the swing
ing motion of the caboose had thrown
him into his usual state Of semi-con-
seriousness. Though when ii this conoI-
ton he appeared more dead than alive,
he could always hear a whistle, see a
light or catch the lowest word Of com
nand from the conductor.
The short, shrill brake whistle Of
twenty-eight's engine was heard. The
conductor and the Sandwich man were
on their feet in an instant. "Slumber'
had heard the whistle, but had opened
his eyes. and apparently he was waiting
for the conductor to say something before
he made move for the top OF the cars.
He did not want TO take any chances of
losing a little sleep by climbing out unless
l. was absolutely necessary.
We'll why don't you sit out on top
and sit at them brakes7 yelled the con-
ductor at ''Siumber'' There's somethin'
wrong. Were five miles from an order
board. and what is Hank goin to do with
five cars of air with thirty loads?"
The last words of the conductor did not
reach ''Slumber" for the latter, though
slow to move when he was master of his
movements. was quick TO obey a com
nand. He was soon on top setting brakes
two at a time. The conductor, suspect
ing trouble. went to the rear of the ca
boose and took 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.
a roar, and the earth under the train ap-
peared to open and close at the same
time. The conductor did not have time 20
jump. The sudden stop threw him twenty
feet from his car. The merchandise was
wrecked She had gone into the hind end
OF No. So. A brakeman had been sent out
t. flag the merchandise, but he had fallen
asleep.
As soon as the conductor could gather
himself together he went ahead The ca
bose and three cars ahead of II were
still on the track, but the engine and
the other twenty-seven loads were-piled
up like old iron IN a scrap heap. He made
his way toward the engine. Half the
length of the train he met the Sandwich
man. who had seen the tail light on SIS
caboose in time to jump and save him
self. The two then struggled through the
srow and over the broken cars TO where
tho engine lay mangled and snorting ike
q dying bull. The fireman had jumped.
but the engineer had stayed too long with
his machine and had been caught under
the cab.
Are you alive. Hank?" called the con-
dUctor TO the engineer.
Yes, I'm all right, so far as I know,
bat for Gods sake git me out Of here.
The steam smotherin' me"
1t was the work Of but 4 few minutes
to chop an opening through which the en-
gineer crawled
Every man was then safe on deck but
-Slumber
4 guess 'slumber' has got it all right
SAID the conductor. lie ETaWle0 OUT on
top just before We struck and must have
got about the middle Of the train. Bring
your lamps and the ak and crowbar and
let's sit back along the train and look
for him."
As the four men labored through the
wreckage back along the train, the FIRE
man and the Sandwich man swung
their lamps into every place a ray Of light
would penetrate while the engineer wig
orousIy Welded the ak wherever he
thought .'Slumber might have been
ca ught. At intervals each Of them would
call "SlumbeT At the top Of his voice
when they reached the last four cars
on the track they came 10 the con
ciusion that "Slumber' Fad gone 70 mis-
last sleep some place under the mass OF
iron and lumber. The conductor ordered
the Sandwich man" to telegraph for the
wreck train. while he went into the ca
bcose and made out 4 wreck report. He
dug up one OF the long reports from tho
bottom Of tho other blanks IN hts little
desk. and went TO work. When he came
to the notation. Dead. injured and miss
ing. he wrote:
Missing: William BacSsus known as
..Slumber'' rear brakeman Last seen on
top of train setting brakes Supposed to
be under the wreck.
He had scarcely finished the last word
when he was startled by a sound 4 heavy
breathing Ii came from enc n the hunks