The Washington times., 1903-03-15
NIKE. THE ENGINEERS PET.
By ROSS B. FRANKLIN.

I It drew UP for water at the same tank.
and the driver was astonisbed TO re-
ceive another visit from the little bird
Then they named him Mike. snd at the
same place Mike flew in the cab window
whenever that particular engine passed
on its eastbound trips It mattered not
whether the train was on time or late,
funny little Mike knew in some way.
He never made a mistake in engines aud
never boarded any other.
You must know that trainmen arc n
very suspicious lot; nearly as much 50
as the men OF the sea. so it came about
that the enginedriver friend OF the bird
looked upon him as a mascot He
brought little seeds and cracker crumbs
on each trip. and strange as II may
seem, the little fellow became so tame
that he would perch upon the mans
hand and eat the dainties. Here was
a sparrow, Wild and free to go where
he wished, yet tame and happy for a
half hour or more every few days in
the cab OF a great. throbbing. roaring.
screeching locomotive; for neither the
shrill blast OF the whistle nor the ciank
OF the great bell nor the popping OF the
safety valve caused him TO evince the
slightest fear.
The season grew late; frost had como
and autumn had put her last tints on
vine and tree and shrub. No longer
were heard along the streams the
mournfvl cries OF the knee deep" The
woods had grown still. and one day the
enginedriver carried the seed and the
crumbs in his vest pocket past the tank
and on TO the end Of the run. for no Mike
came to receive his dinner He was
greatly missed. but the enginemen
knew that their friend must have taken
flight TO the sunny Southland for the
winter. and he was not forgotten
through all the dreary trips that were
made across the bleak country. With
the breaking up OF cold weather Mikes
coming was eagerly watched for.
Would he come again? Had he for
gotten his grime-stained friends OF the
engine cab2 Could little bird not much
larger than mans thumb think long
enough at a time to find his way back
10 the vicinity OF the water Tank
The grass came again the trees took
on their summer garb. here and there
could be seen an occasional bird.
And Mike7
He came one day. For some time the
enginedriver had carried food for his
friend In his pocket TO make sure that
there would be no disappointment So
when. with peep. peep. the little spar
row few in the window Of the big pant
ing machine. with as much confidence a.
II he had never missed a trip, he found
his repast all ready.
A cold. sobbinE rain was soaking the
brown helds OF autumn. The streams
were swollen. and the railroad track was
soft. At the tank Nike appeared as usual
and perched upon the throttle OF the en-
gine; minutes passed into a half-hOur
en hour. an hour and a half, yet the bird
showed no signs OF leaving. as he had al
ways done before. and the enginedriver
grew uneasy.
Mike makes me nervobs.' at last he
said TO the fireman; ''he never stayed so
long. This means something"
The fireman shook his head ominously.
The train approached a portion OF the
road where the track wound for several
miles along a narrow bed on the side OF
a canyon. where there were numerous
trestles and small bridges The engine
driver on the right and the fireman on
the left side OF the cab leaned far out OF
the windows peering ahead as the dizzy
height was being passed over. Suddenly
Mike few TO the erginedriver's hand.
which rested on the throttle. chirpeG
fast and loud for several seconds. and
darted from the engine. The occurrence
so startled the enginedriver that he ner-
vously shut of the steam and applied the
brakes As ne did so the fireman gave a
cry of alarm. and in another instant a
great mass Of rocks and dirt and trees
crashed down the mountain side and on
TO the track carrying with st a bridge
With a deafening roar the mass rolled
on into the chasm below. missing the
engine by only a few yards Ha1 the
train not been stopped where 1t was the
landslide must have swept X into the
awful depths.
Mike was never seen afterward.
What became Of him, OF course. nobody
knows
You may call i instinct. chance. or
1,rrFr "a rr f-r fhar
the little sparrow saved the train with
its burden OF human freight from de-
Struct.On-