The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-04
The RUNAWAY ENGINE
ay LLEWGLlYN LORD

iess papa consents"
She said this so often hat I began
% fear that she mean II, and her
iather was n Of those ~hard-headed
men who take pride in the fact that
hey never change their minds.
Then I'm going away" said I, des-
perately.
"Where?" she asked. Her incredu-
GUS ton maddened me.
You think it an idle threat, Nell,
but unless you decide by this day
week to become my wife, either with
Dr. without you fathers consent, I will
go to the farthest place IN the world
-to New Zealand"
Her eyes filled with tears. She be-
seeched me to have patience, but |
refused.
When the week was up she still was
obdurate, and I made all my arrange
ments to go to New Zealand. Her
father was glad to see me go, | be-
lieye.
! Nell was at the station the day |
but in vain. She loved me, but she
could not believe that n happiness
would come to our marriage unless
she obtained her fathers blessing.
1t happened that the train was late.
We waited at the station with other
passengers, including her mother and
father. l think the old man had come
down to be sure Nell did not weaken
AMI go away with me the last minute.
But l began to think that his adorable
daughter was as obdurate as her "a
ther.
AS we waited on the platform for
the train that was to bear me away
from the girl / loved a switch engine
pulled up on n of the farther tracks
and my wandering eyes noticed that
the engineer and fireman left the To-
connective alone while they went into
the restaurant for their dinners.
ooh, Will" murmured Nell. in my
ear. q always have wanted to get in
an engine. Do you suppose they would
care IL we should look at that one
while the man is away?"
Yes, they would be sure to care"
l said, gloomily. Besides, it is
against the rules for passengers to be
o the tracks"
Couldn't you get permission for US
to look at it," she asked.
Come on, we'll not ask for permits
sion," l said. 1t occurred to me that
the engine cab would give me an OPP
! p%ortunity for n final and tender
good-by.
We went to the locomotive and in
spected its drivers and cylinders, and
at last l helped Nell into the cab.
She looked 1t the quivering mon,
ster with little EXPLANATIONS of delight
and amazement.
I'm going to MAKE 1t whistle" she
cried, daringly as she 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 it a jerk. Instead Of whistling
the engine coughed.
+, She laughed like a pleased child.
why, it's moving" she cried.
So it was. I saw the engineer run,
ming from the restaurant door and
wildly waving his arms.
"Oh, 1 can't stop it," cried Nell, in
dismay. l looked at her and saw that
she was pulling and pushing at all
the levers within reach. Presently she
struck the whistling apparatus, and
the engine gave two short, sharp
whistles, the starting signal.
We ran off the sidetrack to the main
line and the switch engine was pick
ing up speed amazingly. Nell was
about to leap out, when l caught hel
and held her.
TT rs too late for that" l said, as
pressed her in my arms. She chung
to me in fright As l looked back to
ward the station / saw her father was
shaking his fist.
Don't you know how to stop it
WHIP" she sobbed.
mo, indeed. But don't be fright
ened. They will telegraph ahead and
clear the track for us, and it will stoI
when the steam dies down."
isn't it dreadful" she exclaimed
Father and mother will think We
are running away. They will believe
l ulu IL On purpOSe
Didn't you?" l asked. innocently.
You know l didn't" she declared
withdrawing from my arms.
ut looks much like you are running
away with me-" l said. IF you are
| can't help 1t, can II"
You are Ridiculous" she laughed
ANY way, you can't start to New Zea
land today"
UNLESS you go with me-" said 1.
BY this time the engine was goins
so rapidly and the racket was sc
great that We could not v
made Nell sit on the engineers sea
and to be sure that she did not fal
out | held my arm about her waist.
There was a crowd of people lined
up at the first station to see us go b,
and now I had no further fear of a col