The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-15
Mike, The Gngineer's Pet
By ROSS B. FRANKLIN.

and at the same place Mike few IN the cab
window whenever that particular engine
passed on its eastbound trips. 1t mattered
not whether the train was on time or late,
funny little Mike knew In some way. He
never made mistake in engines and never
boarded any other
You must know that trainmen are very
suspicious lot; nearly as much SO as the
men of the sea; so 1t came about that lie
enginedriver friend of the bird looked upon
him as a mascot. He brought little seeds
and cracker crumbs on each trip, and
strange as 1t may seem, the little fellow
soon 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
half hour or more every few days In the cab
of great, throbbing, roaring, screeching
locomotive; for neither the shril blast of
the whistle nor the clank of the great bell
nor the popping of the safety valve caused
him to evince the slightest fear.
The season grew late; frost had come and
autumn had put her last tints on vine and
tree and shrub. No longer were heard along
the streams the mournfuI 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 COM
ing was eagerly watched for.
Would he come again? Had he forgotten
his grime-stained friends of the engine cab?
Could little bird not much larger than
mans thumb think long enough at a time
to find his way back to 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 Mike?
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 a
peep peep lnt AlLlit SpdtiOW INV III luC
window of the big, painting machine, with
as much confidence as If he had never missed
trip, he found his repast all ready.
A cold, sobbing rain was soaking the
brown fields of autumn. The streams were
swollen, and the railroad track was soft.
At the tank Mike appeared as usual and
perched upon the throttle of the engine;
minutes passed into a half-hour, an hour,
an hour and half, yet the bird showed no
signs of leaving, as he had always done be-
fore, and the enginedriyer grew uneasy.
Mike makes me nervous at last he said
to the fireman; he never stayed 80 long.
This means something"
The fireman shook his head ominously.
The train approached portion of the road
where the track wound for several miles
along a narrow bed on the side of canyon,
where there were numerous trestles and
small bridges. The enginedriyer on the
right and the fireman on the left side OF the
cab leaned far out of the windows peerlng
ahead as the dizzy height was being passed
over. Suddenly Mike flew TO the engine
drivers hand. which rested on the throttle,
chlrped fast and loud for several seconds
and darted from the engine. The occur
renee go startled the enginedriyer that he
nervously lhut off the steam and applied
the brakes. AS he did SO the fireman gave
a CRY of alarm and in another instant
oreat mass of rocks and dirt and trees
Crashed down the mountain side and on t
the track. carrying with 1t a bridge. With
n deafening roar the mass rolled on into
the chasm below, missing the engine by
ardg
etn11ned where it was the landslide mus
have swept it into the awful depths.
Mike was never seen afterwards. Whai
became of him, Of course, nobody knows.
You may call 1t instinct, chance, or whai
YOU wish but the fact remains that the lit
lie sparrow saved the train with Its burden
Of human freight from destruction.