The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-08-22
THEIR CHANCE.


boys g Their father was an enginee.
on one Of The great western roads, ant
they had been brought up in a com
Portable little cottage by the very sidi
of the track, 81 that they could not re
member q time when rushing trains
screaming whistles, changing bells, ant
| the acrid smell of coal-smoke had no
been familiar things to them.
Smart little railroaders they were, Al
ages when boys hardly know a throttle
from a reversing lever. for they haG
been unconsciously picking up knowl
edge every day of their lives during the
hours spent at the station, or in the re
pair-shops, or while the yard-mastei
favored them with q trip on the queer
little shifting-engine which pulled UP
and down the interlacing side-tracks
from morning til night.
As they grew older their father occa.
sionally took one of them with him on
the great express locomotive 209, where
they learned to stop and start the mag
nificent machine, and even to run it on
safe Sketches OF road. Often Ben re.
lieved the big, good natured fireman at
the shovel, while Roger attended to the
bell and whistle and learned to man
age the air-brake.
Of course all this was against the
rules of the road, but rules have their
exceptions, and the pair of young en-
gineers were such exceptions. Even
the stern potentatc, tho division super
intendent, uttered never q word of OBJ
lection when he saw the two youthful
faces in the cab, black with smoke
and beaming with pleasure, while the
train-hands and s%tation-lnen snilingly
waved their caps to Ben or Roger
leaning out of the window and watch
ing for signals and switches as if the
whole train depended upon his vigil
lance. a. .= ~ --, .s i.
They can run an easy piece as we'll
as | can" Mr.. Moore once proundly
said. a.
"An' the'd do prutty will in a toight
place, too" added the fireman. But
MI. Moore shook his head at this.
Perhaps so, Mike, but it isn't know
ing the machine that pulls a man
through tight places. It's pluck, and
grit, and a cool head, and thinking Of
your train first and yourself last-that's
what it is"
Sure. But if liver TIL b'ys have to
show wha'tin'em yez won't find 'em
lackin'. Olive soizcd en- oop, au' OF
till yez they're tn rolght soort. Wait
till they've the chance an ven see"
Only short time afterward they
actually did have the chance, and I
will leave it to you whether or not
Mike Murphy was mistaken.
Whats the matter with that carp
It's moving off Of itselfp'' exclaimed
while he and his brother were
standing at the station awaiting their
fathers train. Down the track ut the
end Of the yard a fat-car loaded with
ties was slowly gliding along without
any visible means Of propulsion.
Brakes loosened,' replied Ben.
She'll be stopped in a minu4e. Yes,
there goes somebody now
A man$climbed on board and made
his way to the brakes. He turned the
wheel vigorously, bnt without effect.
Another joined him, and both, throw
ing their weight on the brakes, could
be seen heavily leaning outward and
swinging half around as they strained
to stop the ponderous a j.
No use, Brakes must be out ofor-
DER said Roger, after a minutes OBJ
seryation.
Yes, that's it, assented Ben, care
But, wen while yet speaking,
he gave a sudden start Of excitement
Roger, there's going to be trouble.
See how it gathers speed. 1t must be
just getting on the down grade outside
the yard ss:
'sAnd that goes clear to the Gravelly
Run bridge, replied Roger, also be-
coming excited. THE flat will be
running ike lightning BY the time it
gots there
Yes, it'll pitch off the bridge, be-
sides,n continued Ben. ..But I don't
see what san be done about it. The
men have given up. See! They're.
jumping of--andsit' s time they did,
We'll the company will lose some
money, said Roger. ''but that's all the
harm, for THERE'S q clear track and no
train coming mp for two hours.
But Ben all at5once grasped his broth.
en- BY the wrist.
20 Roger, don't you rememberp
There's y gang repairing the bridge at
the brook! They're clear down In the
gully where they cart see or hsarthe
car, and it'll fall right overupon them!
They'll all % killed! they'll all be
killed!!'' $s
Roger could not say d word. He
stood staring after the. disappearing
fJaie faced and brnathinr hard.