The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1907-04-19
grnmbled Dad after !,

think more of than I do of this whole
road, and propose to go to the pest
Office and get 1t without asking any
,body's permission"
They'll pound you again."
George looked out into the storm
~Well, why shouldn't theya I've got nc
friends"
'Got girl back in Pennsylvania?
Eyes. I've got girl there" replied
the boy as the rain tore at the cab win
dow. 1--WE had a girl there good
while. She's gray headed and sixty
years old-that's my girl-and IL she
can write letters to me can get them
out Of the postoffice without a guard
fan"
There she comes" said Dad as the
headlight of the Pullman special shone
faint ahead through the mist.
ann mighty glad Of it, said Geor-
gie looking at his watch. "Give me
steam now, Dad, and Til get you home
in time for n nap before breakfast
A minute later the special shot over
the switch, and the young runner,
crowding the pistons bit, started off
the siding. When Dad, looking back
for the hind end brakeman to lock the
switch and swing on, called all clear.
George pulled her out another notch,
and the long train slowly gathered
Roadway up the slippfry track.
AS the speed increased the young
man and the old relapsed into their
usual silence. The 244 was always a
free steamer, but George put her
through her PAGES without any apollo
gy, and it took lots of coal to square
the account
In few minutes they were pound
ing along up through the Narrows. The
track there follows the high bench be-
tween the bluffs, which sheer up on
one side, and the river bed, thirty feet
below the grade, on the other.
1t is not an inviting stretch at any
time with a big string of gondolas be-
hind. But on wet night it is the last
place on the division where an engi-
neer would want q side rod to 60
wrong, and just there and then Geor-
gies rod went very wrong indeed.
Halfway between centers the big
steel bar on his side, dipping then so
fast you couldn't have seen it even in
daylight, snapped like a stick Of leo
rice. The hind end ripped up into the
cab like the nose of swordfish, tear
ing and smashing with appalling force
and fury.
George McNeal's seat burst under
him as if stick of giant powder had
exploded. He was damned against the
cab roof like link pin and fell sprawl.
ing while the monster steel fail
thrashed and tore through the cab with
every lightning revolution Of the great
driver from which it swung.
1t was frightful moment Any
thing thought or done must be thought
and done at once 1t was either to
stop that train, and quickly, or to
pound along until the pa jumped the
track and lit in the river, with thirty
cars Of coal to cover 1t.
Nnstantly-so Dad Hamilton after
ward told me-instantly the boy,
scrambiing to his feet, reached for his
throttle-reached for it through a rain
Of iron blows, and staggered back with
his right arm hanging like broken
wing from his shoulder. And back
again after it-after the throttle with
his left; slipping and creeping care
fully this time up the throttle lever I'M
til, straining and twisting and dodg-
ing, he caught the latch and pushed it
tightly home, Dad whistling vigorous
~ the while for brakes. T..
Relieved of the tremendous head on
the cylinder, the old engine Gained
down enough to let the two men col
lect themselves. Rapidly as the brakes
could do 1t, the long train was brought
up standing, and George, helped by
his fireman, dropped out Of the cab,
and they set about disconnecting-the
engineer with his one arm-the for
midable ends of the broken rod.
It was a slow, difficult piece Of work
to do. In spite Of their most active
efforts the rain chilled them to the
marrow. The train crew gave them
as, much help as willing hands could,
which wasn't much, but by every man
doing something they got things fixed,
called in their fagmen Just before day
break and started home. When the
sun rose George, grim and silent, the
throttle in his left hand, was urging
the old engine along on dogtrot
across the Blackwood fats, and SO,
limping in on one side. the kid brought
his train into the GAINESVILLE yards,
with Dad Hamilton unable to make
himself helpful enough, unable to show
his appreciation of the skill and the
grit that the night had disclosed In the
kid engineer.
The hostler waiting in the yard
sprang into the cab with amazement
on his face and was just in time to
lift limp boy out Of the old freman's
arms and help Dad get him to the
ground, for George had tainted.
When the 244 reached the shops a
few minutes later they photographed
that cab. 1t twas the worst case OF
rod smashing we had ever seen, and
yfYo.% Ex,f7 show, har,s n,,pR,% sow