The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-02-28

"Yes, i've got girl There" replied
the boy as the rain tore at the cab win
dow. "t've had girl there good
while. She's gray headed and sixty
years old-thats my girl-and II she
can write letters to me | can get them
out of the postoffice without guard
fan"
"There she comes" said Dad as the
headlight Of the Pullman special shone
faint ahead through the mist
"I'm mighty glad of It," said Geor-
gle, looking at his watch. GIVE me
steam now, Dad. and I'll get you home
In time for a nap before breakfast"
A minute later the special shot over
the switch. and the young runner,
| erowding the pistoDs n bit. started Off
the siding. When Dad, looking back
for the hind end brakeman to lock the
switch and swing on, called all clear,
George pulled her out another notch,
aud the long train slowly gathered
headway up the slippery track.
AS the speed Increased the young
man and the old relapsed into their
usual silence. The 244 was always q
free steamer, but Georgle put her
I through her PAGES without any apollo
gy, and 1t took lots of coal to square
the account.
In few minutes they were pound
ing along up through the Narrows. The
track there follows the high bench be-
| tween the bluffs, which sheer up on
one side, and the river bed, thirty feet
below the grade, on the other.
| 1t Is not an inviting stretch at any
time with big string of gondolas be-
hind. But on wet night 1t is the last
place on the division where an engl-
neer would want side rod to go
wrong and just there and then Geor-
gie's rod went very wrong indeed.
Halfway between centers the big
steel bar on his side, dipping then so
fast you couldn't have seen it even in
daylight, snapped like a stick of lico-
pice. The hind end ripped up into the
cab like the nose Of a swopd6sh, tear
ing and smashing with appalling force
and fury,
GeorsIe MoNeal's seat burst under
him as if stick Of giant powder had
exploded. He was jammed against the
cab roof like link pin and fell sprawl
Ing, while the monster steel fail
thrashed and tore through the cab with
every lightning revolution of the great
driver from which it swung.
1t was frightful moment Any
thing thought or done must be thought
aGd done at once. 1t was either to
stop that train. and quickly, or to
pound along until the pa Jumped the
Track and lit In the FiyeF with thirty
cars OF coal to cover 1t.
Instantly-so Dad Hamilton after,
ward told me-lnstantly the boy,
scrambllng to his feet, reached for his
throttle-reached for 1t through rain
of iron blows, and staggered back with
bis right arm hanging like broken
wing from his shoulder And back
again after lt-after the throttle with
bis left slippiRg and creeping care
fully this time PIP the throttle lever pp-
Ill, stralning and twisting ana dqdg-
Ing, h9 caught the latch and pushed it
tightly home, Dad Whistling vigorous
iy the while for brakes.
Relieved OF the tremendous head on
the cylinder, the old engine Gamed
down enough to lot the two men col
lect themselves. Rapidly as the brakes
could do it. the long train was brought
ND standing, and George, helped by
his firemaR, dropped out af the cab,
and they set about discpnneGtng-
engineer with bis one arm=the for
midabe ends Of the broken rod,
II was slow, difficult piece of work
to do. In spite Of their most active
efforts the rain chilled them to the
marrow The train crew gave them
as much help as willing hands could,
which wasn't much. but by every man
doing something they got things fixed,
called in their tiagmen just before day
break and started home. When the
spn rose George. grim and silent, the
throttle ia his left hand, was urging
the old engine along on dogtr9t
across the BlaGkwood fats, and so,
llmping IN on ons side, the kid brought
his train into the GAINESVILLE yards.
with Dad Hamilton unable to make
himself helpful enough, unable to show
his appreciation of the skill and the
grit that the night had disclosed In the
kid engineer.
The hostler waiting In the yard
sprang into the cab with amazement
on his face and was just In time to
lift limp boy out of the old fremans
arms and help Dad get him to the
QPOund for GeOrQle had faintad
When the e44 reached the shops a
few minutes later they photographed
that cab. 1t was the worst case of
rod smashing we had ever seen. and
the West End shops have caught some
pretty tough looking cabs in their day.
The boy who stopped the cyclone and
saved his train and crew lay stretched
on the lounge In my Office waiting for
the company surgeon. And old Dad
Hamilton-crabbed, irasclble old Dad
Hamilton-hew around that boy ex-
actly like an excited old rooster. first
bringing ice and then water and then
hot coffee and then tanning him with
q time table, IT was worth small
smashup TO see II.
The one sweep OF the rod which |
caught Georgls's arm had broken 1t In
two places, and he was on duty three
months. But 1t was a novelty to see
that boy walk down to the p0stOtice
and hear the strikers step up and ask |
how his arm was. and TO see old Dad
Hamilton tag around GAINESVILLE after |
him WAS rafrpahInU Tha kld anOinaax |