West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-06-07

OoWh AhlS spur Nlu NNWn ihNt ana Ule
other. Ike stones from catapult. and
the tough connected. smut faced. blcar
eyed yard engine Coughcd and suortcd
ana spit shower of sparks and SCOT
ana Cindcrs up into the Christmas air.
She dartCd and dodgcd aud Jcrked and
backed M and down and across tho
lead and never for a fraction oe a sec
ond took her eye or Shocklcy's lamp
shlverlng and changing and bucklng
with steam and bell and air. but Ill
ways with one smoky eye ON Shocklcy's
lamp, until % was wrecked clean TO tho
caboosc, and the switch engine shot
down the main line with the battered
way ear In her claws like hawk with
prairie dog.
Then there was only the westbound
freight, -, to make up with the Fort
Rnwlins stun and the Cherry Creek
steel. which was rush." and few
cars OF ties flung on behind ON general
principles. II was quick work now
sorting ana moving the bridge steel
half nm hour for an hours work, with
the north wind waking at the clatter
and sweeping bank Of cloud and sand
across the valley. Shockley aud Chris
and the goat crew put at IL like black
ants. There was releasing and setting
and kicking ana splitting. and once In
awhile dying switch dead against the
rubrics, and M last the whole train of
steel wns In line, clean os the links of
n sprockct and ready TO run In on the
house track for the coboosc.
For that run Chris set the east house
truck switch crossed the track and
swung great circle with his lamp for
the back. TO get over To the switch
again he started to recross the track.
In the dark his ankle turned on lump
OF coal He recovered lightly, but the
misstep sent his other foot wide. and
with bit OF II jolt Rubedo's new shoe
slipped into the frog
Up the track he heard roll OF
stormy coughs from the engine gather
ing push TO shove the string OF fats
down They were coming toward him,
over the spot where he stood. on his
signal, and he quietly tried To loosen
his heel
The engines drivers let go. and she
roarcd steaming oath, and Chris
could hear Il, but he was glad. for his
heel would not work quietly out OF the
frog; II stuck. Then the engineer. un-
ruilicd, pulled ut his sand lever, and
his engine snorted again, and her driv-
er tires bit, and slowly she sent tho
long train of steel down on Chris
switch. lie heard the frosty nanges
grinding on the face OF the rails ms ho
tried 60 loosen his foot
| Enntly frat Tito q, .,up,.,.t ...... a.. .
| quicksand, soon with alarm running
into fright; but there was time enough
The head eur was four or five lengths
above tho switch and coming very,
very slowly, hcavylllse and squeaklng
sti1ly under It's load yet coming and
he wrcnched harder but his foot stuck.
Then he yelled for Shocklcy. Shock
Icy had gone over to open the cabOose
switch. Shockley couldn't hear, and he
knew IT, and he yelled again.
The sweat broke over him us lac turn
cd and twisted. The grip of the frog
seemed to stifie him. Half the time
was gone. The near truck wheels
screeche1 two car lengths away, and
the switchman played his last card.
| Time and time again Shocllcy had told
him what TO do If that moment came I'm
the nght-had told him to throw his
lamp in the air like rocket But Chris
had forgotten all that till the nat drop
| ped heavily on the tongue In front OF
him. Then he threw his lamp like a
! rocket high into the night
No help came lie raised his arms
| frantically above his head, and his
cries cut the wind. Desperate at last,
he threw himself 1at, to lie outside the
rail TO save all but foot, but the frog
held him ana crying horribly he strug-
gled bnck TO his feet, only TO sink again
| half crazy TO the ground. As his senses
left him he was hardly aware OF
stinging pain IN his foot, OF n wrench
at his leg. an instant arm around his
neck and his yardmaster's voice In his
ear
Jump screamed Shockley.
Chris scrambled frantlcally on the
deadly rails. unable 20 jump. felt him
self picked from the ground, heard a
choke In the throat at his ear, and he
was flung Ike n drawbar through the
dark. Shockley had passed knife
blode from vamp to sole. slit the Rus
| slams clumsy shoe. jcrked his foot
from II and thrown him bodily into the
| clear
Chris staggered painting 20 his feet
! Already the steel was moving slowly
| over the switch He heard the sulon
/ pounding Of the trucks on the contact.
/ A lantern. burning yet. lny on its side
near the stand. 10 was ShOckley's
lamp. Chris looked wildly around for
HIS yardmaster. called out. called
Shockley's nnme. listened. No scream.
no groan, no cry. no answer. no sound.
but just the steady pounding Of The
| wheels over the contact. The little
switchman screamed again in Il frenzy
and. turning raccd stumbling up tho
/ track 10 the cab He swung into II and
| by signs made the engineer shut or
| Hc tried 90 talk aud only stammered "a
/ lingo OF switch pidRiu aud the name Of
| ShOcklcy They couldn't understand Il
| all. but they shut or with faces pinch.
/ ed and snll0w throw open the furnace
door and grabbing their lanterns. ran
/ bnck Tho fireman. on his knees. held
| his lamp ont under the Hat that span
| ned the contact Ho drew. shrinking.
back and rising. started on the nun
for The depot to rouse Callahan
10 was callahan who pulled tho pin
| moment lator Chris shlverlng Ike a
/ rabbit at hIs side n was Callahan
| who gnvo ihc slow pull ahend order
! Ont cot tho train ln two at the frog
| and Callahan who stepped wavering.
! from thc gap Chat opened behind the
| feccd'ng not back from something be-
twccu th" rails hack 60 put his hands
! bliudly ont for tho target rod and un-
The officials Of the Cleveland Ice
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