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

was broken Back again they wormed
through twisted trucks, under splntered
beams-in and around and overlooked
with heat, blinded by steam, shouting as
they CROPPED, listening for word or cry or
gasp.
Soon we heard Dads voice in a different
cry-one that meant everything; and the
wreckers, turning like beavers through 2
dozen blind trails, gathered all close to the
big fireman. He was under a great piece
of the cab where none could fellow, and he
was crying for a bar. They passed him
bar; other men, careless of life and limb,
tried to crawl under and in to him, but he
warned them back Who but man baked
twenty years in an engine cab could stand
the steam that poured him where he
lay?
Neighbor. just outside. flashing a light
heard the labored strain of his breathing,
sew him getting half up, bend to the bar,
| and saw the iron give like lead in his hands
as he pred nightly.
Neighbor heard, and told me long after
ward. how the old man flung the bar away
with an imprecation and cried for t.
help him; for minute meant life now
the boy lying pinned under the shattered
! cab was roasting in jet Of live steam.
The master mechanic crept in.
By signs Dad told him what to do, and
| then. getting on his knees, crawled straight
| into the dash Of the white jet-crawed into
| 1t, and got the cab on his shoulders.
CrouChing an instant, the giant muscles
| of his back set in tremendous effort. The
wreckage snapped and grcaned the knotted
| legs slowly and painfully Strengthened, the
cab for passing instant rose In the air.
and in that instant Neghbor dragged Geor-
| gle McNeal from out the wise of death, and
passed him, like p!nch-bar. to the men
waiting next behind. Then Neighbor pulled
Dad back, blind now and senseless. When
| they got the old fireman out he made
pitiful struggle to pull himself together. He
tried to stand up, but the sweat broke over
him and he sank in heap at Neighbours
feet.
That was the saving of George McNeal,
and out there they will still tell you about
| that lift of Dad Hamilton's.
We put him on the cot at the hospital
next to his engineer. George, dreadfully
bruised and scalded, came fast in spite
| of his hurts: But the doctors said Dad
| had wrenched a tendon in that frightful
effort, and he lay there a very sick and
| very old man long after the young engineer
was up and around telling of his expe-
rience.
When we cleared the chutes I saw white
| signals thought" he said to me at Dads
| bedside. Il knew we had the right of way
| over everything. It was hustle. anyway,
an awful hustle with our load. 1 never
| choked her notch to run the yards; didn't
| mean to do it with the junction grade to
| climb just ahead Of US. But l looked ont
again, and, by hockey! 1 thought ia gone
crazy, got color blind-red signals OF
| course, 1 thought l must have been wrong
| the first time looked. 1 choked her,
| threw the air, dumped the gravel. Heav-
ems! she never felt it! 1 couldn't figure
| how we were wrong, but there was the red
| light. 1 yelled, Jump Dad! and he yelled,
Jump, son. Didn't you. Dad?
He jumped but 1 wasn't ever going to
jump, and my engine going full against a
| red lamp Not much.
II kind of lodged down behind the head;
when she struck 1t was a biff, and she
jumped about twenty feet up straight She
| didn't? Well, it seemed like 1t. Then it
was biff, biff, biff, one after another. With
| that train behind her she'd have gone
| through Beverly HILL Did you ever buck
| snow with rotary. Mr. Reed? Well, that
ing. Dad. want to lie down? Lee me get
another pillow behind you. Isn't that bet
! ter? Poor MusgraveT he added speaking
| Of the engineer Of 55, who was instantly
killed. He and the fireman both. Hard
lines; but I'd rather have 1t that way 1
| guess, If 1 was wrong. Eth, Dad?"
| Even after George went to work Dad
| lay in the hospital We knew he would
| never shovel coal again. 1t cost him his
good back to lift George loose, so the sur
geon told us; and could believe it, for
! when they got the jacks under the cab
| next morning and Neighbor told the wreck
| ing gang that Hamilton alone had lifted it
| six inches the night before on his back the
wrecking boss fairly snorted at the state
| ment but Hamilton did. Just the same
| Son" muttered Dad one night to Geor-
| gle sitting with him, II want you to write
! a letter for me-"
'Tve been sending money to my boy ba ok
east" explained Dad feebly. IT told you
| he's In. school,
1T know, Dad"
/ I've been by, but I'm going to send some
| when I get my relief. Not so much as I
used to, send. want you to kind Of ex-
| plain why"
what's his first name, Dad. and where