The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-18

be ~ in great luck If he got out of the
Jscrape without a run Of fever. There
after Mrs. Bailey referred all visitors to
me- talked with the doctor and the
nurse, and we all agreed that 1t would stop
most inquisitiye people to simply say that
the patient had suffered an amputation.
That evening, when went home, there
We're two anxious women to receive me
and the younger OF them looked SUSPECT
ously as If she had been CRYING told
them something of the accident, how 1t all
happened and about Miles injuries. Both
OF them wanted to go right down and help
do something but told them Of the
Doctors order and Of his fears. "a, ..
BY this time the reporters came, and !
called them into the parlor and then let
them. pump me. I detailed the accident
in full, but declined to tell anything about
Miles or his history. 1.-The fact is, said
l. that you people won't give an en-
gineer his just dues. Now. If Miles Dis
| ton had been fireman and had climbed
down a ladder with child. you would
4 have his picture in the paper and call
| him a hero and all&that sort of thing; but
| here is a, man crushed and bleeding, with
broken bones and a crippled engine, who
stands on one foot, lashed to his reverse
lever for forty miles and making the fast
est time ever made over the road because
he knew others were suffering for the
relief he brought"
! That's nerve,'' said one Of the young
men. +. ~ ."%Ei
i ''Nerve!" said +; nerve! Why that
| lion; and think of the sand of the man! J!
! This afternoon he sat up and watched the
i doctor perform that an1putation without
a CULVER; he wouldn't take choloform; he
wouldn't even lie down. .''>:'7s} '5E@>' q
! WAS the amputation above or below
l the knee?" asked the reporter. -. T.
4 Below Il didn't state how far. ~ ~
Which foot?" .t
| A'Ieft" t%s -. ..s -. -
HE is in no great danger?" |'*
i Eyes; the doctor says he will be very
sick man for some time-if he RECEIVERS 1T
! ALL Boys added. '"there's one thing
you might mention; and think you ought
to--and that is that it is such heroes as
this that give road its reputation; people
feel as though they were safe behind such
| men" s -. ~. - r
If Miles Dston had read the papers the
next morning he would have died Of fiat
terry; the reporters did themselves proud,
and they made a whole column of the
Iron will and nerves of steel'' shown in
that "amputation> without ether =
=, Marie Venot was full of sympathy for
Miles; she wanted to see him, but Mrs,
! Bailey referred her to me. and she finally
\ went home. still inquiring every day about
4 him. don't think she. had much other
feeling for him than pity, She was down
| again a week later ana l talkeu lTeely ol
! going to pick out a wooden foot for Miles,
/ who was improving right along.
Meanwhile. the papers far and near
copied the articles about The Hero OF
the Throttle and the item about the
! roads interest in heroes attracted the at
! tention of our general passenger agent
he liked the free advertising and wanted
more of it; so he called me in one day,
1 and asked if 1 knew of a choice run they
4 could give Miles as a reward. of merit,
| Il told him, If he, wanted to make a
! show of gratitude from the road, and get
big free advertisementcina the papers, to
have Miles appointed superintendent of
4 the Spring Greek Branch, where a, prac
I tical man was needed, and then give it
out "cold'' that Miles had been rewarded
u by being made superintendent of the road.
This was afterward done, with a great
7 hurrah Gin the papers). ga -. ->. - -
! 1.-The second Sunday after Miles was hurt
Marie was down, and thought I'd have, q
4 little fun with her and see how she re.
T garded Miles. :. Ea@52 2s- .,jE" 81!
There's quite a romance connected
with :Distons affair." siad at the dinner
4 table rather carelessly. ''There IS &
young lady visiting here In towr--r heal
she is very wealthy-wt1o saw Miles wher
we took him off his engine. She sends
flowers every day! ca lls him her hero, ant
is just crazy for him to: get we'll iso She
II can see him. ....' --Etn -'
Who is she, did you say?" asked m!
wife, g. ~ 1~' -7z - - - ~ -. 't|
II forgot her name'' said T, ''but an
here to- tell you that she will get Miles7i
there is any chance in the world. He
father is an army officer but she say
that Miles Diston is greater hero thai
the army ever produced. '...:
"Shes llussy,,'' said Marie. -
Il I don't know whether you would cal
that a bull or a bear movement on ~
Diston stock, but it went up-I could se
that. - sz.... e., ~. r., .., ....-
III A week later Miles was able to com
down to our house for dinner and my wifi
p asked Marie to come ALSO. met her a
: the depot, and after she was safe in tn
buggy I told her that Miles was up a
the house. She nearly jumped out; but
: quieted her, and told her she mustn't no
: tice or say word about Miles game leg
as he was extremely sensitive about it.
r MY wife was in Yhe kitchen. and wen
e to the barn to put out the horse. Mari
0 went to the sitting room to avoid the par
t lor and Miles,but he was there,I guess AN
z Marie found her hero, for when they cam
out to dinner he had his arm around hel
d They were married month later, an
went to Washington, stopping to see u
n on the way back. IS" r. .
It AS I came home that night with m,
: patent dinner pail; and with two rows o
e wrinkles and a load of responsibility OF
my brow. Marie shook her fist in my fac
r and called me IAN old story teller
n ~'Story teller" said I. What story?"
: .'Oh. what story? That leg story o
g course, you old cheat" er: r..
8 What leg story?" >T>"'.~ '.'-'' -, 49,. 49,. 4.
u "Old innocence; that amputation be1oy
e the knee-you know - y -.
Want it below the knee?"
g "Yes, but it was the little toe
john said Miles, .'she cried when sh
o looked for that wooden foot and on
o found a slightly flat wheel s." ~ =
d That's just like EN-, said I7ps'Her
d Marie only expected a part OF a :hert
d and we give her a whole man. and sh
e kicks-thats gratitude for you.''
e II got my hero all right though sal
= Marie; you told me "a big fib just tn
same, but l could kiss you for it." +.
4 s:Don't youad adQs that t,ns said but if tn
It Lord should sert1 many BLESSINGS, an
p any OF EN- are boys,Sy ght Isslne on
tr after me- rs 81 .s;3: &
e She said she'd do 'it--and she did