The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-11-21

enough TO grip the wheels. Ana mere
he was alone ON Il runaway gathering
! speed every minute in its progress
toward Il six coach special loaded to
the doors with people. 1t was not the
most enjoyable of situations.
| 1t is impossible to describe his emo
tons. because he himself said when l
asked him that he had none. The bal
loon simile quite exhausted his supply
OF Imagination.
II saw" said he simply, that there
was going to be the deuce to pay if
something wasn't done COMPOUNDED
quick. and | saw, too, that whatever
was done I'd have to do myself; that
was all there was to it. The special
! was nearly due at Morton. and | fig
ured that I'd be there pfs'tty promptly
too. | estimated that at the speed |
was making and was likely to make
Id collide with the special on the big
dump about mile and quarter be
yond the station, a regularly nasty
place, owing to the long slide over the
rocks. And | said to myself: Con
ductor, it's your life against the life of
800. Can you spare it, No. said my
self to me, L cant. and even il | could
what of it, Only this said l to my
self. there's just one thing TO do. and
that's to throw your crazy cabooSe and
your idiot fiat cars into the ditch. Yes
said myself TO me, but if l do that I'll
have to 20 with 'em, and | don't want
to- might be injured Well said l
to myself kind of disgustedly. If that's
the broadcast view you can take of it,
all right; but | should think you'd he
ashamed of yourself There's mighty
little comfort ahead for you in this life
If you let these fool cars smash into
that special. Besides, are you going to
stay on and smash with 'em, or are
you going to drop off and break your
blooming ncck?'
THAT was Il clincher. l saw then
that L was i'll for trouble anyway. The
question was decided and | went
straight to work doing the thing that
promised to leave me the clearcst con-
science in case didn't have to be gath
cred up in Il basket and shipped home
to Molly and the kids in pine box la
belcd 'Pcrishablc. Rush | climbed
on to the first car of ties and rolled
one down to see how it would go. 1t
went like leaf in Il gale. Then l be-
gan Systematically to drop 'em i'll be-
tween the car and the caboose. | did
this for Il long time. and nothing came
of it. The car was bouncing up ard
Al nm ..l
and | WIS pretty near discouraged. |
was tired. too heavens. | was tired to
the marrow of my bones, Ties are
heavy. maybe you know. Section men
never try tn handle 'em single handed.
They 20 at en- by twos and thrces and
grunt and sweat. But | kept at it,
hoping that Id be able to get one foul
of the trucks before I'd unloaded the
car, and | did. 1t happened right in
the yard ut Morton. There WAS a ire
mcnd0ES bump and crash. | think |
flew up to Il height of several miles.
Perhaps | didn't. but I'll swear that
the air up there was too rare to breathe.
Anyway | didn't breathe. l struck Il
sand pile when l came down. l never
knew before how hard sand is.
thought it was soft"
AS matter of fact. Tom was not III
jurcd in the least. He was somewhat
daZcd when they dug him out of the
sand but not Il bone was broken. lie
lay there, blinking in Il comfortable,
satisfied sort of way at the wrecked
cabo0sc and fat cars. He waved his
hand Imply ut the special when it
went by, the passengers and trainmen
casting curious chances at the wreck.
After that he looked up into the face
of the station agent. who was lowering
over him like IL mother hen. and spoke.
where's the front end of my train"
he asked.
AT Wilson. waiting for the special
to pass. They're coming back as soon
as they get the right of way"
"IIm-m-m. All right. Where's my
pipe: | sort of missed it. and-and |
thought I'd come back and get it."