The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-10-11

talk many years afterwards with Stanley,
who went all through Africa, and he told
me that the only thing the natives of that
continent feared was darkness. They would
die cheerfully in the daylight, but to 90 ten
feet into the darkness was more than could
be expected of them.
[ suppose that | like to live as we'll as
any man, but I tell you that in those mo-
ments when [ expected to go to death all
the time was worked up into situation
that has never been described.
| am not brave man at all. | think
am as timid as any, but I made up my
mind that | might as well see the end of
all things then as any time, and the only
thought | had was of the girl in the East.
Some fellow or other Of whom | have read
said when he went into battle: ''West-
minister or il peerage.' Thinks |, it is
me for good job or coroner inquest.
And because could think of nothing else
| let her go like the evil one, and that |
am here to day is no thanks to the evil one
at all.
BY this time was almost mad. OF
course you will say ought to have stopped
and backed up or, at least, held up at some
station side track and reused an operator
didn't for several reasons. In the first
place, there was Il chance to make Benton
Junction on this foreign road and meet
those Chicago men if kept on giving the
old teapot her maximum of speed. OF
course, we might get ditched, but figured
out that if gave away the situation to any
body my career as railroad man was
ended, and possibly that of a criminal in
fine striped clothes was just opening.
Moreover, the longer [ thought Of it the
surer it seemed to me that the onl ly chance
was to bluff it out wasn't sleepy by
this time, you can gamble, but was near
to being maniac, so concluded to let
her go Gallagher for election and take my
chances. As for the millionaires behind
me didn' care a rap. | wanted to save
my own bacon.
So the fireman kept piling in the coal,
and we made fair speed, but the road was
steep and crooked, and had to use a lot
of steam keeping the whistle sounding most
of the time, and this brought on rather
unexpected complication.
The conductor had been asleep in the
express car, as he had also been forty eight
hours on duty, and expected to wake up
back at the junction we had missed SO curl
ously. When he heard the whistle going
he came to in hurry, and it wasn't long
before he looked out and took in the situa-
ton. Then he gave me the bell to stop,
but surmised what he was up to and kept
right on. He did this five or six times and
then I guess he thought the engine was
running away or / was crazy, so he comes
forward climbing over the back of the ten
der, the maddest man in Ohio except my
self
Our line of conversation was interesting
and brief: We cussed each other as long
as we had any breath. Then the con-
ductor demanded to know what was doing
on foreign road I told him to 60 chase
himself. He evidently thought was in
sane, and was convinced when told him
| had my orders, which he demanded to
see | told him that if he hadn't been
asleep at the junction he would have his
duplicate. This bluff staggered him for
minute, but he came at me, and | saw he
was going to make trouble. OF course, |
hated to do it, but picked up wrench
and laid it on where it would do the most
good. That conductor curled up on the
coal "and the subsequent proceedings in
terested him no more Actually, he was
only stunned and was all right in few
hours. And the fireman kept on shoveling
without word. | had read about those
men whose hair grew gray in a single night,
and | felt sure if | got through with any
hair at all mine would look like great
grandmother | now felt worse than
ever. didn't know but what I was a
murderer as well as piratical explorer,
but, thinks I, there is nothing to do but
keep her going, and this was getting worse
all the time, especially as l nearly ran down
a mixed milk and passenger accommodation,
which was fortunately near switch, and
they got out of my way in hurry while
| didn't stop to answer any questions.
My situation was this. | should have
been at cur Mason junction at five O clock
| could just make Benton junction by six,
which would be about the time the East
bound train would arrive there
can't dwell on the last twenty minutes.
| had to keep the whistle screeching to
sound warning, and the fireman nearly
died shoveling, but few minutes to six