Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1902-05-08
The Unseen Hand
at the Throttle.
By Homer NJ. Price.


kElNEOLA was the dinner station
Nl train No. S, and we were strictly
on time that day. Mark Winston was
clerk in charge in the mail car, and 1
was his 'helper." He was one of the
old veterans of the service, and the
best man I ever knew. He was slight
~ lame, caused by a Yankee bullet
some 80 years before-rather robust,
hair sprinkled with gray. He had
never married, never had home of
his own, but was an optimist at all
times and under all circumstances.
On the present occasion finished
eating before he did, and went up to
the engine to get light for my pipe.
Old Ray Ellis was the engineer and
had just finished oiling the machine
when pulled myself up into the cab.
AS did so, an old man. stout and Dig
nified looking, came up the side of
the train, rather in advance of kind
faced, gray-haired woman. When
nearing the engine, however, he
dropped behind her, and she came
forward and asked Ellis rather tim
idly If he was the engineer.
eyes, madame" he answered, with
his greasy cap in hand, "what can I
do for yep"
The old lady hesitated a moment,
and then with a tremble in her voice:
3.You can do everything for us, if
you will. You see, it's our boy. He
is desperately wounded, and the
young doctor up at NARROW in the In
dian territory wired us to come and
bring the best surgeon in the coun-
try or our boy would not live till
shutdown tomorrow. The conductor
says that our train does not connect
with the Rock Island road at Fort
Worth this evening, and that we must
lay over there all night
She. hesitated moment, and old
Raywas ;busily wiping his hands with
the waste. He looked up with:
Yes, nam, we mis- 'em 80 minutes.
How can help yep
The old mother looked up at him
yearningly.
"By running fast enough to get
there before the Rock Island train
leaves. I know you can do it, and we
will give you everything we shall ever
have if you will"
She hesitated a moment, and then
in q very low voice as If no one was
to hear but the old engineer:
81 will pray for you SO long as
shall live. Each morning and night
will take your name before the
Throne and ask for you his blessing;
who forgot not his mother in the
agony Of the cross" y
Ray Ellis, dusty with the dirt OF
the road and greasy with the oil of
the engine, looked up rather awk-
wardly:
Madame, Tn not much on this
prayer business myself, but I believe
in it. My little girl prayed for me
safely over burning bridge one
night, and she wasn't even there. She
just walked up at home as the clock
was striking two-that was five min.
utes before we were due at Cold.
water bridgeand, feeling was in
great danger, got down on her knees
and stayed there until she said the
lord told her I was safe. The bridge
fell just as the sleeper cleared it
Now, just don't see how we car
make up this time, but have some
I how got the idea that il you've go,
your heart chuck full Of love fol
Z somebody, and there amt bit o.
selfshness in II, that He'll FIX tn,
things,np for yoa He's got ways Of
doiA' things w don't know
about. We viii do our best you jus,
pray all the time, and, If I get /:
chance to run, just confne yourself
to ASKING Him to let us keep thu
track, and me and old '46' will do tn.
rest" M