Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-03-12

be caught Dy Foley. who was chasing
him out of pur. caprice.
saw the boy holding the throttle at
half and lingering the air anxiously
as we Jumped through the frogs. but
| the toughest riding on track so for
beats the ties as a cushion that when
the 100 suddenly stuck her paws
through an open switch we bounced
against the roof Of the cab like foot
balls. grabbed brace with one
hand and with the other reached in
stinctively across to Bartholomew's
side to seize the throttle he held, but
as I tried to shut him or he jerked It
wide open In spite Of me and turned
with lightning in his eye.
"Now he cried, and his voice rang
hard. The 100 took the tremendous
shove at her back and leaped like n
frightened horse. Away we went
across the yard. through the cinders
and over the ties. My teeth have neV.
er been the same since. | don't be-
long on an engine anyway, and since
then l have kept of. At the moment
was convinced that the strain had
been too much. that Bartholomew was
stark crazy. He sat bouncing clear to
the roof and clinging to his levers like
lobster.
But his strategy was dawning OIL
me. In fact. he was pounding 1t into
me. Even the shock and scare Of leav.
ing the track and tearing up tie yard
had not driven from Bartholomew
noddle the most important feature Of
our situation, which was, above every
thing. to keep out of the way Of the
silk train.
felt every moment more mortified
ut my attempt to shut him off. had
done the trick Of the woman who grabs
the reins. 1t was even better to tear
up the yard than to stop for Foley
to smash Into and scatter the silk over
the coal chutes. Bartholomew's deci.
sion was one of the traits which make
the runner-instant perception coupled
to instant resolve. The ordinary dub
thinks what he should have done to
avoid disaster after 1t Is all over. Bar
tholomew thought before.
On we bumped, across frogs. through
switches, over splits and into target
rods, when-and this is the miracle o!
| It all-the 100 got her fore feet on 1t
split switch. made contact. and. after
slew or two like begged hlrss. she
swung up sweet on the rails a.:ain.
tender and all. Bartholomew shut Oh
with an under cut that brought us III
double and nailed her feet. with the
/ afr, right where she stood.
We had left the track. plowed II hun.
dred feet across the yards and junned
on to another track 1t is thr Only
time | ever heard Of its happening
anywhere, but was OH the engine
with Bartholomew Mullen when 1t
was done.
Foley choked his train the instant
he saw our hind lights bobbing. We
climbed down and ran back. He had
stopped just where we should have
stood II l had shut of. Bartholomew
ran to the switch to examine it. The
contact light. green. still burned like Il
false beacon, and lucky II did. for II
showed the switch had baeI tan.cred
with and exonerated Barthoi ;new
Mullen completely The attempt OF
the strikers 10 spill the silk right in
the yards hid only made the reputn
ton of Il new ell ;ineer.. Thirty min
utes later the million dollar train was
turned over to the eastern division to
wrestle with, and we breathed. all OF
/ US, good bit easier.
Bartholomew Mullen, now II pass;'n'
ger runner, who ranks with Kennedy
and Jac,:: Moore and Foley and George