The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-27

Z, and strode swiftly across the fields to Rus.

under his shaggy eyebrows The ex-conductor's
had long been common gossip, besides, Joe had said
some unpleasant things about Burrel.
sneakng back eh?' querier the trainmaster.
mo, I'm not sneakin' back said Chrome hotly.
TIN just mindin' my business"
Burrel grunted contemptuously in his beard and
walked onward Chrome went into the station, but
seeing the agents face suddenly twch and wrinkle at
the ticket window, he turned angriy and strobe out
Half down the platform he met Sweeney, a
passenger conductor.
"Helo!" cried Sweeney, putting his hand, re
turning to your love, are you?"
Chrome looked him with red-brown eyes. mo.
I'm not. spose cross the platform without
soaring any track, cant I?'
It doubt it, laughed Sweeney, and hurried
Better keep digging potatoes it's safer he called
he went into the train dispatcher's office
Chrome turned and walked side street. The
breath of his old humiliation hot upon him. He
fonded his he would keep it. Then again he cast
it from him; dying mothers call would abide silly
whm. He revolved the chances of getting of the
region without patronizing the State Line
Forty miles east of Ruggles railroad crossed the
hated road, bearing southeastward to ST. Louis and
thence toward Ohio for Chrome three states
toward the sunset counting from the Western Reserve
If he could the P. S. crossihg-could he drive
forty miles? 1t would not do. He went down to the
tracks and stood in the darkness back of the water
tank Presently long train rolled in thru the yards
thirteen coaches of excursionists from the state fair
at the apita Chrome had not counted on. this The
station platform suddenly people,
laughing and pushing about. Two engines backed
down and hooked in the great train to doublehead
her thru CANVASS Hills. Chrome Meeker
swing up the step of the head engine. Sweeney
out of the dispatchers office and roared AL ahl
The engines hooted sharply to each other
and the train creaked. Chrome joe seized with sud-
den resolve stepped out of the gloom and swung him
self in the brakeb beam of the truck Of the
COACH It was not his of doing business but
no one should know he could not delay.
AS they battered the switches at the east end
of the yards Chrome took frmer grip on the truck
rods. began into his eyes, the
swept down long grade fine gravel like bullets, be-
gan to sting his hands and face. He twisted himself
took the smarting fusillade sdewise. All about
him gray glmmer of streaming, whiring things,
grinding burr of wheels spinning, demon tattoo
beating from the joints Of the racing rails Above
him people lounged and laughed jested under their
feet he chung for life among the Earring rods like
something thrown amid the roaring elemental ma
chinery at the bottom of the world 81
Over twelve hundred excursonists had boarded
the train. Many of the seats contained three persons
the aisles and platforms were crowded. There was
singing and calling and much good natured fun Here
there lovers pressed close in the seats
and were foolishly busy with cooling; and
there tired mother soothing frefu1 child, here
and there an old nodded and snored but the
larger laughing, eating peanuts and jok-
ing, and the train swept onward toward undreamed
disaster.
BY times Sweeney head brakeman pushed
thru the damned aises looking after things ahead
the two engines rushed into the night, a drumming
in sseethng fre-boxes. Dan Meeker hung out
of the cab window and looked abroad. They were
flying thru hi1y prairie country. Above him hung
wide cloudless hollow of sky, aligh with pale stars
= fields hills rearward, touched with DIM
radiance. The world looked massive and weird
So Tack Daley, the fireman, swung his GRIM SWEET
streaked toward Meeker 3D. yeh think
Taylor and Dugan keep thin wild stocks out o our
way Dan 2" he shouted.
: Taylor they didn't to let their
lights the Mississippi. I think Wen
overhaul e. Maybe Taylor do the trick with the
3oO Pap Dugan can't do it with the old 49, She
can't drop her rods fast enough to beat Paps pull
ing the wild, you know said Meeker
How the start O. us had they out O. Rug
gles?"
about thirty minutes
changed the furnace-door open. We'll nail
Dugan at Shirley, and take in Taylor at LAYTON
blared, began furously 'ladling in the lamp
= black"
Meeker looked back. loot McGraw, hanging out
the cab second engine, waved his hand
Behind him the great train curved and Strengthened
laplit sides like sort of prodigious monster
they swept by small, dark depots by freight
trains drawn in sdings between looming hills and
long, level stretches. Down among the grinding
wheels the end Chrome clutched hard cramped
legs arms, and black with dirt The pelt and
of smoke under the tail of the long train
frghtfu Spurs of wind seemed to burst up from
the center him; all the currents