Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-01-09


Tipped suspense, waiting for news of
the crash of two trains he had sent
racing into each other. Wasn't the
memory of that mans oversight and the
agony which followed enough without
these words spoken out Of the mystery
OF the night?
Mechanically he paid his check, leav-
ing his meal untasted, and walked out
into the quiet street to reason with
himself.
For miles he tramped. He must quiet
his nerves, must get himself In control
before he went on duty.
The battle was won at last, and he
reached the Office just before midnight
hot, dusty, foot weary, but with
brain cool and alert.
And while he walked the little moth
er lay in her berth In the sleeper
"Oneta" on No. 1, the telegram folded
in one hand, unable to sleep, and
thinking so busily Of him. OF Baby
Jack, with his cunning ways; of
Schoolboy Jack, with his boyish
pranks; of Jack, the youth who left
home to seek his fortune, and left her
heart almost breaking.
Up Placer Hill, down past the barren
sides of Clasoil, and through Prickly
Pear Canyon, Bill Dalrymple drove the
AT. The sleepers swayed and rocked,
and the berth curtains swung with the
curves they rounded, but it was not
L., I'LL
yard that her weary eyes closed.
Every man on the Rocky Mountain
division knew that Jack Everett's
mother was coming out on No. 1, and
as Jack was the apple of the eye Of
every man on the division, from super
intendent to section boss, there was a
general feeling that No. 1 must take
her over the division In style.
Though ''Black" SwayZey, of the 423,
and Dan McLane, of the 49, had an
intimate acquaintance with every bolt
and bearing Of their big machines, that
acquaintance was personally renewed,
and prolonged visits paid with torch,
wrench, soft hammer and oil can be-
fore they would allow the engines to
be taken out of Helena roundheuse.
They spoke words of wisdom to their
firmen, too. Words of railway wisdom
suffers might expect if they failed to
furnish steam in plenty for the run,
which the engineers suggested would in
all probability keep them busy.
hos II fv1cp du
] for a record-breaker, when, as Jacks
mother fell asleep in the "Oneta," the
engines backed down on the train;
SawhillS silver-plated lamp swung out ;
and with echoing toots they picked up
their load with Jacks orders to run
three hours late from Helena to Mis-
soula-for the Montana division had
made up nothing of the four hours.
Lets see," said Jack to himself as
he received the report of their depart
ure at his office where the Rattlesnake
and He'll Gate join their waters, and,
| tipping back at the open window,
| blinked at the familiar face of the
clock. -Four hours-that will give
Swayzey a chance to pick up ten min
utes on the hill and fifty minutes from
Blossburg to Missoula, and still keep
on the safe side Of that order He
surely can't do better than that even if
I do want to get 'Marmsie' here as
quick as can"
The situation looked good to him,
and he began to give way No. rs time
to freight trains with a lavish hand.
He believed in the maxim that freight
trains pay passenger crews wages.
But BLACK" Swayzey hadn't taken
orders from Jack for two years for
nothing and, knowing the young dis
patcher's habit of helping those who
helped themselves, chuckled as he hook
Ell the 423 up and opened her out to
tear off the miles.
eff you keep the old beast hot" he
yelled across the cab to Shorty" Nc
Cone, his fireman, well have Everett
canceling a lot of those orders he is
passing out to freight trains, and then
he'll give US a show" and Shorty"
grinned, for the escaping steam was
singing over the roar of the exhaust
even then as he steadied himself to
round the curve at Birdseye, and
squinted at the cloud of black smoke
pouring out of the big McQueen's
stack.
Digging along behind In desperate
effort to keep the pace, the hog"
coughed frantically, with Dan McLane
leaning half way out of the cab win
dow keeping watch on a pin that was
a bit tender. 1t made Jacks eyes