The Washington times., 1905-07-02
TERED ROSE
THE RAIL IN THE '8OS
BY mB.DE COURCY

be on the engine. Bill.'' kicking a
youth snoring in a corner. hit the
high spots for the roundhouse. Tell
them to hurry s15 out. The special
viii hit here on time; warn her
eagle eye to take a good look up
through the yard before coming out,
for IL he sees anything like a tornado
anywhere this side Of Short Cut he had
better stay in,''
AS the special skins along a long sid
ing John takes, for the first time, peep
at his watch 1t was 5:3s. and nearly
eight minutes to Black river He an
swered the look in the fireman's sooty
face by only hooking his right arm more
securely over the arm rest. Very low
and straight lines the black smoke now.
X "
Back in the caboose, Howe said to
his covering fagman, as the bounding
car dashed from side to side. sYester-
day I met a conductor who asked me
what kind of an engineer thought
Gray would make, and. Billy, this was
my answer: He win make good. safe
man, but he has too much of the slow
and easy Southern blood IN him to ever
make swift runner, and say, young
man. know how Ananias felt-sIow?'
The brakeman looked a, siclkiy reproach-
At last comes again the rattle OF the
straining bar. John. with an impatient
movement thrust IN the throttle. the
fireman, gyrating on his heel. opened the
blower, then crawled upon his pitching
seat As the engine struck a sharp
curve the oil cans swiried on the rack,
then fell. spout first, on the deck The
boy looked upon the wasting oil indif-
ferentIy In the near distance appeared
the huddled outlines of the swlftly-ap-
preaching terminal He glanced anxious
/ Iy at the great hand resting quietly upon
the brake valve The yard board flashes
past-the station crowded black, despite
the early hour. and the waiting engine
standing upon the line-are IN plain
view. The strain is too much for dis
cip1ine.
..what are you going to do? Knock
the town DOWN." rings into Johns ear.
as without a change fiickering over the
grave impassivity of his face. he gently
moves the valve into application. pull
ing the sand lever wide open with the
other hand. then to sit, braced against
the boiler head, both hands upon the
reverse lever as the undulating car
walk roar against his ear. Down on
the platform he sees black forms wave
wildly outthrown arms, the engineer
| leisureIy mounting the right side of SIS
turns the white spot above the dark
| blue toward him, then drops the can
and, springing upon the engine, proceeds
| To fill the air with condensed water IN
| a frantic effort to obey the shrieks OF.
Get out of the way-"Looh out for
yourself" ETC. AS the fireman, a grieved
look upon his face, walks silently across
the coal-filled deck and drops easily
down into the lowest STEP John casts
! a look to the ground, then says laugh
| ine1y. Better wait until we stop. We
will be here all day. and The Palace
| is open until midnight" The clearance
| post floats up easily, TO stop exactly OPP
| postte the pilot beam Johns watch
shows the minute hand notching against
$40, like the segment of a cog "A good
run he says a moment later. as they
come to a stop upon an ash track
yes" responded the fireman, the
! SOS looks like it, too." pointing to the
gray smoke pouring fazlly from the
| back drivers, and both forward motion
! eccentrics.
| John thought Of Mr.. Jasper.s quickly
| forgotten advice. It's all right from
| his standpoint-but well. Then a mo-
! ment later he said to the grimy In
dividual overlooking his report. Pack
| both driving boxes, top and bottom,
/ sponge others and engine tracks and
tank boxes. Both eccentrics and both
/ main pins running hot we left late
| and / hate to lay her out. Packing u
| not looked after close enough on these
extra engines
Learn to kick their first trip" growi-
| ed the foreman, as he turned to his as
| sistant-
! Lets go down to the cabocse and
| wash up." said John. On reaching the
car the sudden silence following their
entrance was very significant
We'll Howe" laughed John. how
about the cornfieid?'
Look here, John,'' responded that
! worthy, as he indicated his brakenen.
| from the way you have started In you
will do me a great favor If you win
never refer to my having any part IN
making you a railroad man-it's danger
Gus in country given to necktie par
| ties
Yes he added. seriously, your idea
of engine running is new to me and this
country. but has one consofation-the
teacher won't live long enough to make
many converts"
"A message for you fellows said .
messenger boy from the door Howe read
aloud: &c & z. Engine S0e-Aliow me to
congratulate you on the finest run ever
made in the Rocky mountains J. g."
/ Signed by old man Sampson person
ally gasped Howe. and 1 expected he
would give us six months twice year.
Well. It surely looks as If things had
been changed since I've been buried In
the Huron branch" 'I remember fellow
who. two years ago. said something
about fast running, as If 1t was the
proper thing" commented John, dryly.
Howe's attitude was good illustration
of silent disgust.
(To be Continued Next Sunday.e
OUTCLASSED.