The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-03-10

Mr.. Thedford," said l, bob is sick
but can run this machine 10 Junction
City in time to connect with the train
you want; but you will have to fire for
me, as the swo cleaners are drunk. as
you see, and there isn't another man in
this village knows the engine from the
tender hardly"
hope that have been forgiven that
lie, for there were two or three men
that could have fired all right, but il
struck me all of sudden that here
was fine chance 10 get even with
Billy, and let him see whether il took
any knowhow to fire an engine for a
l10-miles run.
1t so happened that we had Just wood
ed up on the home trip AT a little sta
ton three miles from George town. so
we had plenty of fuel aboard to make
the run with
Can you do ftp" says he. "Remem-
Der, 1t is ITO miles, and it is $3.50 now,
so you have only two and half hours
to make the run that generally takes
double that time"
II can do it" says I, "if you will jump
aboard, pull off your coat and do just
as | tel! you"
No sooner said than done, and in ten
minutes we had the old engine on the
turntable, turned her around and
were off.
Ii the road was rough when we ran
at bur usual speed, that night, making
iouble time, il was just awful. AS we
flew around the curves it seemed as If
we should lose the track at every turn
OF the drivers, and the poor old ma
chine rocked and swayed so that, used
as ! was to it, could hardly keep on
my seat by the lever.
IL it was hard on me, what must 1t
have been to poor old BLY,? l could
hardly keep from laughing in his face
as | watched him and heard him
groan IS he handed the heavy sticks
we used for fuel
The heat of the weather, added to
that of the furnace and ;he unusual
work, made him look as If he was in
Turkish bath. The water ran down
his face, his stiff white collar hung
down on his shoulders like wet rag
and his beautiful smooth shirt bosom
looked as if some one had thrown a
pail of dirty water over him.
His hands were torn and cut from
handling the wood, and take it alto
gether he was the most unlike.y-.ook-
ing railway president ever saw.
Once in awhile had to Shout at him to
lay the wood even in the furnace, and
would tell him he would get the knack
of II in time,
Whenever he tried to rest I told him
we were losing steam. and if he wanted
to catch that train he mustn't idle over
the work.
IL | had thought to hitch cat on
when we started we should have run
much smoother; but it was too late to
think of that now, and so on we rushed.
now through woodlands, now past
grain fields, lurching first TO one side
and then to the other, until expected
every minute to land wrong side up
in the ditch.
However, luck was with us that night.
and we pulled up at Junction City at
just IL. Poor old Billy could hardly
climb down from the engine, but he
managed TO gasp out:
Come to my office at two o'clock
next Saturday"
learned afterward that, finding the
Chicago train was behind time, he
hunted up clothing store and rugged
himself out so as to look like civilized
man, which he didn't when he left me.
managed to find fireman who was
wiling to make the run back with me,
and ! finally got home at three o'clock,
and, finding the cleaners a little So
bered up, got to bed as soon as possible,
for | was clean played out.
| told Bob about my trip next day.
and thought he would die laughing to
think Of old Billy playing fireman. But
al he said was:
I'm afraid that'll settle your hash,
Jim, for he will find out that you
worked him more than was needed"
The next Saturday at two o'clock !
reported at the presidents office. won
dering whether was going to be re-
varded for my extra work or get kicked
out for my impudence.
When / entered the office there sat
the old man, spick and span as ever
and showing no signs of his hard work
well, young man says he, "you
helped me out the other night, but
would not go through the same expert
snce again for $4,000. At the same
time think you were trying to get
even with me for not doing what you
asked abouteyour salary, and | have
concluded that this line can dispense
with your services"
At this my henft went down into my
boots, for can tell you II isn't an easy
hing TO get new job when you can't
BRING recommendation from your last
pace. Then he went on to say:
II have letter here from the super
ntendent Of the Chicago & Western,
asking IL can recommend to them an
engineer who has sharp eye and cool
head TO run their new fast night ex-
press. have written in reply that I
AN recommend such man, one James
Martin. who will report for service the
Lst OF September The pay will be 500