The Mena weekly star., 1907-06-13
TIE RUNAWAY ENGINE By LLEwELLYS LORD

~ was one of those hard-headed
 is.. who take pride in the fact that
 ,bsy never change their minds
 "'Sg @Tben I'm going away. said l, des- perately s yor ,,orad.
 ,sns tone maddened me.
 aYou think it an idle threat, Nell, ,,, unless you decide by this day
 Vus to become my wife, either with
 " without your fathers consent, l will
 oo to the farthest place in the world
 to New Zealand" :"
 uer eyes filled with tears. She ba-
 ohed me to have patience, but I
 refused.
 when the week was up she still was
 ..dnrate and I made all my arrange uonts to go to New Zealand. Her
 ,a,ber was glad to see me go, l be-
 lIeve. !,
 ,.ft Once more I pleaded with her,
 s,,t in vain. She loved me, but she
 eould not believe that any happiness
 mould come to our marriage unless
 she obtained her fathers blessing
 If happened that the train was late.
 we waited at the station with other
 nassepgers, including her mother and
 s.,her think the old man had come
 aown in be sure Nell did not weaken
 or1 go away with me the last minute.
 put began to thlnk that his adorable laughter was as obdurate as her ia ther.
 As we waited on the platform for
 the train that was to bear me away
 from the girl l loved a switch engine
 ,uIled up on one of the farther tracks
 and my wandering eyes noticed that
 tbe engineer and fireman left the To-
 comotiye alone while they went into
 the restaurant for their dinners.
 aoh Will" murmured Nell, in my
 oar. T always have wanted to get in an engine. Do you suppose they would care if we should look at that one
 while the man is away?" Yes, they would be sure to care, sand. gloomily Besides. it is against the rules for passengers to he
 on the tracks"
 Couldn't you get permission for us to look at it?" she asked. Come on, we'll not ask for pernis- sion" said. It occurred to me that the engine cab would give me an op- portunlty for one final and tender good-by
 We went to the locomotive and in spected it's drivers and cylinders. and at last helped Nell into the cab. She looked at the Quivering mon ster with little exclamations of delight and amazement.
 I'm going to make 1t whistle" she cried, daringly as sho climbed upon the engineers seat. ''If they arrest us and send us to jail. then you can't go away
 She seized hold of the lever and gave 1t jerk Instead of whistling the engine coughed
 She laughed like pleased child. Why, it's moving" she cried. So it was. 1 saw the engineer run hing from the restaurant door and wildly waving his arms "0h can't stop it." cried Nell, in she was pulling and pushing at all the levers within reach. Presently she l struck the whistling apparatus, and the engine gave two short, sharp whistles, the starting signal. We ran of the sidetrack to the main Enc and the switch engine was pick ing up speed amazingly. Nell was about to leap out, when I caught her aad held her.
 Tt is too late for that" said. as pressed her in my arms. She clung l to me in fright As I looked back to- ward the station I saw her father was shaking his fist.
 Don't you know how to stop it. WHIP she sObbed.
 No, indeed. But don't be fright
 ened They will telegraph ahead and
 clear the track for us. and it will stop
 When the steam dies down Isn't it dreadfull" she exclaimed
 rather and mother will think we
 are running away They will believe
 did it on purpose" 1 Didn't you?" asked, innocently. 1 You know I didn't she declared, 'thorawing from my arms. l It looks much like you are running sNay with me- 1 said. 'If you are, Il tln't help It, can I?" \ You are ridiculous" she laughed. \ Aiy way, you can't start to New Zea-
 Ian today"
 N unless you go with me-" said I. fy this tune the engine was going o rapidly and the racket was so
 shat that we could not converse.
 msie Nell sit on the engineers seat
 ah to be sure that she did not fall
 Vu. held my arm about her waist I mere was d crowd of people lined st the first station to see us go by
 aOa now had no further fear of col E ~'M The train dispatcher would ~ sure to clear the track. I saw by
 ps gauge that the steam was dying
 Su'' and after we had passed the third
 Sauon the engine ran perceptibly @owef It stopped dead still on the
 'ussirts of cherrydale. N ! helped Nell from the engine and A walked to the station house. "A me telegraph operator met us al
 enu or the platform. He had a
 |ueseending grin on his face.
 us all right" he said, as he thrust ltlQM nnNplnnn in Arolf,u hnnAn