La Junta tribune., 1907-07-20
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had disposed OF their slice bar and
shovel and given the tender final
sprinkle aud the conductor Ind walk
ed leisurely forward. compared time
with the engineer and cried. "All
abO-o-oard-' then as your coach NOV
Ell slowly ahead you might notice un-
der the recelins catalpas the little girl
waving u parasol or 4 handkerchief Mt
the outgoing train-that In. at Con-
ductor ,Sankey, for she Was his daugh.
ter. Neeta Sankey. Her mother was
Spanish and died when Neeta wns
wee bit Neeta md the limited were
Sankey's whole world.
When Georgie Sinclair began pulling
the limited. running west opposite Fo-
ley. he struck mp a great friendship
with Sankey. Sankey. though he was
hard TO start. was full OF early day
stories. George. II seemed. had the
faculty of getting him to talk. perhaps
because when he was pulling Sankey's
train he made extraordinary efforts TO
keep on time-time was hohby with
Sankey. Foley said he was 80 careful
OF ii that when he was OF duty he let
his watch stop just TO save time.
Sankey loved to breast the winds
and the floods and the SHOWS. and II
he could get home pretty near on
schedule. with everybody else late. he
was happy. and in respect OF that. as
Ssnkey used Ia say. George Sinclair
could come nearer gratifying SANKEY'S
ambition than any runner we had.
Even the fremen used to observe
that the young engineer. always neat.
looked stilI neater the days that he
took. out Sankey's train. BY and by
there WAS an Introduction under the
catalpas. After that 1t was noticed
that George began wearing gloves on
the engine-not kid gloves. hut yellow
dogskin-and black silk shirts. He
bought them In Denver.
Then--an odd way engineers have of
paying compliments - when George
pulled into town on No. .. II II WAS
Sankey's truin. the big skyscraper
would give n short. hoarse scream. n
most peculiar note. Just as they drew
past Sankey's house. which stood on
the brow of the hill west of the yards.
Then Neetn would know that No. !.
and her father and naturally Mr.. SIN
sound.
When the railway tralnmen held
their division fair at McCloud. there
was N lantern to be voted to the most
popular conductor-a gold plated Ian.
tern, with a green curtain In the globe
Cal Stewart and Bcn Doton. who were
very swell conductors and great rivals.
were the favOrites and had the town
divided over their chances for win
ming IL.
But during tlie last moments George
Sinclair stepped up to the booth and
east II storm OF votes for old man
Sankcy. Doton's friends and Stewards
laughed at first. but Sankey's votes
kept pouring in amazingly. The IA
voritcs grew frightened. They pooled
their issues by throwing Stewards vote
to Doton. but 1t wouldn't do. George
Sinclair. with crowd Of engineers
Cameron. More. Foley. Bat Mullen
and Burus-cane back ut them with
such II swing that in the final round
up they fairly swamped 'Doton. San
Fey took t4e ld,itern by thousand
vo,cs. but ! Understood it cost George
SaLkey said all the time lie didn't
want the lantern: but, just the same,
lie always carried that particular Ian
tern. with his full name. sylvester San
key, ground Into the glass JUST below
the green mantle. Pretty soon. Neeta
being then eighteen. ii was rumored
that Sinclair was engaged TO Miss San
key-was going TO marry her. Aud
marry her lie did, though that was not
until after the wreck in the Blackwood
gorge. the time of the big snow.
1t goes yet-by just that name on the
West End. for never WAS such Win
ter and such a snow known on the
plains and In the mountains. one train
on the northern division was stalled
six weeks that winter. and one whole
coach was chopped up for kindling
wood.
But the great and desperate effort OF
the company was 10 hold open the
main line, the artery which connected
The two coasts. 1t was Il hard winter
ON uainnen. Week after week the
snow kept falling and blowing. The
trick was not 10 clear the line: II WAS
10 keep it clear. Every day we sent
o,;t trains with the fear we should not
see them again for n week.
Freight we didn't pretend 70 move.
Local passenger business had to be
abandoned. Coal. to Keep our engines
and oar towns supplied. we were o5lis-
ell to carry. and after that all the
brains and the muscle and the motive
power We're centered on keeping Nos.
and =. our through passenger trains.
running.
Our tr:,inmen worked like Americans.
There We're no towards on our rolls.
But after too long strain men be
come Exhausted. benumbed, Indifferent.
reckless even. The nerves give out.