The San Francisco call., 1904-06-26

rNE stood one Sunday morning
Ah in & group watching for her
" 70 speed around the Narrows-
Many locomotives as / have
seen and ridden, a new one is always
q wonder 10 me: chokes me UP, even,
IL means much. I hear men rave
over horses and marvel at il when
think Of the iron horse. 1 hear them
chatter Of distance, and my mind turns
10 the annihilator. I hear them brag
II ships. and 1 think Of the ship that
plows the mountains and rivers and
plains. And when they talk Of speed
what can l think OF but her?
As the new engine rolled into the
wards. ny heart beat quicker Her
lines were TOO imposing TO call strong
they were massive, yet so simple you
could draw them. like the needle snout
Of a collie. 10 a very point
Every bearing looked precise, every
ioint looked supple. as she swept mag
Di7cenrlv up and checked herself, pant
ing. in front OF us
East on a lay-of, and so happsned 10
bring in the new monster Wild from
The river shops
She was built in Pennsylvania. but
The fellows on the Missouri end OF our
line thought nothing could ever safely
De put into our hands until they had
stopped il en- route and looked il over.
How does she run, Foley?" asked
Nelghbor gloating silently over the
cool as an ice-box." said Foley.
swinging down. shes a regular sum
rrer resort. Little stiff on the hills
yet.''
Wen take that out OF her" unused
Neighbor. climbing into the cab 10 look
her over. Boys. this is up in bal
loon" he added. pushing his big head
through the cab window and peerlng
down al the ninety-inch drivers under
him
L grew dizzy once or twice looking
for the ponies" declared Foley, biting
OF a piece Of tobacco as he hitched al
his overaIls she looms like sky
scraper. Say, Neighbor, I'm 10 get her
myself. Amt I?'' asked Foley, with his
usual nerve.
when McNesl gets through with
her. yes" returned Neighbor grufily.
giving her a thimble OF steam and try
ing the air.
What" cried Foley. affecting sur
prise. You going 70 give her TO the
kid q"
Il am" returned the master me-
chsnic unfeelingIy. and he kept his
word.
George NcNeal, just reporting for
work after the session in his cab with
The loose end Of connecting rod, was
Invited TO take out the skyscraper-
ass. class Has she was listed, and
Dad Hamilton, Of course, took the
scoop 10 fire her.
They get everything good that's
going" grumbled Foley.
They are good people" retorted
Neighbor. he also assigned a helper
tc the old fireman. Il was a new thing
with US then, a fellow with q slicebar
10 tickle the CRATE. and Dad. Of course.
kicked He always kicked. If they
had raised his salary he would have
kicked. Neighbor wasted no words.
He simply sent the helper back TO
enough
Very likely you know that a new
engine must be regularly broken. as a
horse is broken. before II is ready for
steady. hard work. And as George
NcNeal was not very strong yet. he
was appointed TO do the breaking.
For two months 1t was q picnic.
Light runs and easy lay-overS. After
the smash Al the Narrows, Hamilton
had sort Of taken the kid engineer un-
der his wing. and t was pretty gener-
ally understood that any one who
elbowed George NcNeal must reckon
with his doughty old fireman. So the
two used TO march up and down the
street together, as much like chums
as a very young engineer and very
old fireman possibly could be. They
talked together. walked together and
ate together. Foley was as jealous as
"A cat Of Hamilton, because he had
brought George out West and felt a
sort OF guardian interest in that quar-
ter himself Really. anybody could
love George McNeal; old Dad Hamil-
ton was proof enough OF that.
One evening. just after pay day.
saw the pair in the postoffice lobby
getting their checks cashed. Present
ly the two stepped over 10 the money
order window; a moment later each
came back with a money order.
rs that where you leave your
wealth. Georgie2 ?" I asked, as he came
up 10 speak 10 me.
Part Of il goes there every month,
Air. Reed" he smiled. Checks are
running light, too. now-eh, Dad2'
a young fellow like you ought to be
putting money away in the bank"
said l.
Well. you see, I have a bank back
in Pennsylvania bank that is now
sixty years old. and getting gray
headed ] haven't sent her much since