The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-07
The Nerve of Foley, Story Of
a Daring Railroad Engineer

for all the gold in Alaska. I've got a chunk
OF a boy in Reading as much like him as
alone in that buggy? Whose kid do you
suppose it is? What's your name, sonny?"
At his question looked at the child again
him before; and, had / not his fathers
features were too we'll stamped on the
childish Eisil face +. for me to be mistaken
eron's boy-little Andy!'
He tossed the baby the higher; he looked
the .e1y happier; he shouted ted, the louder
glad of it," And 1 certainly was glad.
In fact, mighty glad, as Foley expressed
IT, when we pulled up at the depot, and saw
Andy Cameron with a wicked look pushing
TO the front through the threatening crowd.
With an ugly growl he made for Foley.
I've got business with you-you-''
I've got little with you, son." retorted
cab. II struck a buggy back here at the
first cut. and 1 hear 1t was yours" Cam
erons eyes began to bulge. 81 guess the
outfits damaged some-all but the boy.
Here, kid he added, turning to me to hand
him the child here's your dad
The instant the youngster caught sight of
ing, passed him into his astonished fathers
arms before the latter could say a word.
Just then boy. running and squeezing
through the crowd cried to Cameron that
his horse had run away from the house
with the baby in the buggy, and that Mrs.
Cameron was having fit
Cameron stood like one daft-and the boy
catching sight of the baby that instant,
painted and stared in idiOtic state
Andy, said L, getting down and laying
hand on his shoulder, IF these fellows want
to Kill this man, let them do it alone-you'd
better keep out. Only this minute he has
saved your boys life
The sweat stood on the big engineers
forehead like dew. told the story. Cam
eron tried to speak but he tried again and
again before he could find his voice.
Mate he stammered' you've been
1t means, don't you? But if you've got
baby" he gripped the boy tighter to his
shoulder,
81 have, partner; three of EN-"
Then you know what it means" said
Andy, huskily, putting out his hand to
Foley. He gripped the little mans fist
the crowd
Somehow it put a damper on the boys.
Bat Nicholson was about the only man left
who looked as if he wanted TO eat some
body and Foley, singing his blouse over
his shoulder walked up to Bat and tapped
him on the shoulder.
Stranger" he said, gently, could you
oblige me with a chew of tobacco?"
Bat glared at him an instant; but Foley's
nerve won.
Flushing bit Bat stuck his hand into his
pocket; took ii out; felt hurriedly in the
other pocket, and, with some confusion, ac-
knowledged he was short. Felix Kennedy
interviewed with a slab, and the three men
fell at once to talking about the accident.
A long time afterwards some of the strik-
ing engineers were taken back but none of
those who had been guilty of actual vio-
Ience. This barred Andy Cameron. who.
though not worse than many others, had
been less prudent; and while we all felt
sorry for him after the other boys had gone
to work. Lancaster repeatedly and posi-
lively refused to reinstate him.
Several times, though. l saw Foley and
Cameron in confab, and one day up came
Foley to the superintendent office. leading
little Andy, in his overallS, by the hand.
They went into Lancasters office together,
and the door was shut a long time.
When they came out little Andy had a
piece of paper in his hand.
Hang on to il, son. cautioned Foley:
''but you can show it to Mr.. Reed if you
want to-
The youngster handed me the paper 1t
was an order directing Andrew Cameron to
report to the master mechanic for service
in the morning
L happened over at the roundhouse one
Cay nearly year later, when Foley was
showing Cameron a new engine, just in
from the East. The two men had become
great cronies; that day they fell to talking
over the strike.
There was never but one thing 1 really
laid up against this man." said Cameron to
me.
whats that?" asked Foley.
why. the way you showed that pistol
into my face the first night you took out
No. l."
II never showed any pistol into your
face" So saying. he stuck his hand into
his pocket with the identical motion he used
the night of the strike and leveled at
Andy, just as he had dOne-a plug of to-
bacco. That's all l ever pulled on you,
son; l never carried a pistol in my life"
Cameron looked ut him, then he turned to
me. with a tired expression:
I've seen good many men. with n good
many kinds of nerve, but I'll be splintered
if ever saw any one man with all kinds of
nerve till l struck Foley"
Copyright. 1904 Sampson Hodges Co. Chi