The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-04-07
BENTON, LOUISIANA, THURSDAY, April. Z, 1901
night when Bill Manners was taking the
Special" through with the president

ABOARD.
'They had the road; but just before
they got 10 Big river, a red light fared
UP on the track just ahead of them. and
Bill pulled the brakes down hard and
stopped her. There was nobody there,
no light at all, for it faded out to moth
ing as the wheels quit grinding. Bill
climbed back in the cab, but Jim
Hughes, his fireman, suggested that they
had better see if the bridge was all
right-thinking of Baynes and Grant
Crossing. Sure enough, Big river had
carried away the middle span of the
bridge. After that, the boys spoke of
Mad Murphy in whispers, and they be-
gan to call him "Old Man Special Provi-
dence."
Braxton flicked the ashes from the end
of his cigar: How about your own ex-
perience with him."
The superintendent looked at his
watch. Its about time they were get
ting here with the wrecking crew. Yes.
l don't mind telling tim not asking
you to believe it. You see, Braxton,
wasn't any presidents son. no gold
spoon railroad man. came up from
the ranks, literally, and about the first
station that they gave me was not a
dozen miles from here, right around
the curve at Barry's. l had not been
married but few months, and my wife
had gone east to her mother to stay
some time, and l felt pretty blue and
lonely when was ordered out here on
the mountain. It wasn't more than two
weeks after came, when had or'lers
from head" to hold clear track for
the Special that was going through
to Denver that night, with some di-
rectors, and the president of the road.
The weather was mean, just before
Christmas, two or three days; sleet, ice
and drifting snow was making the travel
slow and uncertain. ALI the regular
trains had gone through, and it was
past II o'clock. The Special was not
due until few minutes after II. was
sitting there, thinking about Minnie,
and wondering what was the matter, as
she had not written for over month.
Her mother had written that she was
not well, but would be all right again in
few days, since that time, nearly four
weeks had gone by without line from
Minnie. The sounder clicked, and l
turned to the instrument: Hold Spe-
cial''-no signature glanced at the
clock, 1880. Then did thing that
was calculated to make me lose my po-
sition. called up head to know
why. Back over the line came the re-
ply: mo such order issued. Wake
up" Ten minutes passed, then again:
Hold Special signature. For a
full minute l sat there paralyzed; then
grabbed the key and called UP head"
for the second time. There was no mis-
take about the order that came back:
you are drunk or crazy. New man will
be sent out tomorrow. Turn over the
books and get time"
dropped down in huddled heap.
Alone on that mountain side, those con-
fiicting orders before me, and the ''Spe-
cial" coming at the rate of 80 miles an
hour. She was due in IL minutes. l
must do my thinking in hurry. Click
went the sounder. Before I could get
10 it: Hold Special for Gods sake.
Murphy" The order was signed at
last.
Man, l don't know to this day how
l pulled myself together; but the rails
were beginning to quiver when swung
the lantern across them: and maybe
you don't think those men were mad
when they piled off that train and be-
gan asking questions. Drunk.
D-d fool was about the last they
said. The engineer, Jack Wilson shook
his fist in my face; but one of the di-
rectors, a nervous, snappy little man,
got to us about that time: Here you,
stop that!' he ordered. Got such a
thing as a hand car around here?' he
asked me. led the way to the tool
house, and we had her out and on the
track in two minutes, Jack Wilson
swearing like pirate up in the cab, aud
every man of the crew mad as thunder
To make a long story short, right
! around the curve, where the road broad
ems a little and the switch begins, a jacl
had been placed in such way that the
engine would have been turned COM
pletely upside down, making about the
worst wreck that was ever planned.
felt like fool when those men began
to swarm out of that private car, and
the president was shaking my hand
l never did know what was said to me
for right in the middle of it, a womar
came walking up the platform with q
bundle in her arms. right through the
crowd of directors, and the president
himself made way for her as Minnie
placed my Christmas gift in my arms
then fell to crying about my neck"
How did she come to be on the 'Spe
cial?'"
I, "She missed the regular train, anG
| was waiting in the depot, when ore OF
the directors passed through Minnie
had known him when she was a child
her father had been his partner ou,
east: and she spoke to him. When he
found out who she was, he brought he,
| through on the private car That's eli
Tie boy is at Yale now, and am here;
thanks to old Man Special There's
the wrecking car now" as long whis.
tie sounded. and the division suPerin.
49,