The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-01-24

ping fireman up standing, and. looking
ahead, he saw in the blaze of their
own headlight the string Of coalers
standing still ahead of them-so 1t
seemed to him-their own speed was
so great, and the runaways were al
most equaling it, They were making
forty miles an hour when they dashed
past the paralyzed freight crew.
Without waiting for orders-what Or
ders did such man need ?-without a
word Burns crawlcd out of his window
with a pin and ran forward on the
footboard, clinglng the best he could as
| the engine dipped and lurched. climbed
down on the cowcatchcr and lifted the
| pilot bar to couple. 1t was a crazy
thing TO attempt. He was much like
Her to get under the pilot than to sue
ceed, yet he tried it.
Then it was that the fine hand Of
Dad Sinclair came into play, To tenn
per the speed enough, and just enough,
| to push her nose just enough and far
enough for Burns to make the draw
bar of the runaway-that was the
| throttle and on the air. the very magic
of touch which on slender bar of
steel could push hundred tons of fly
ing metal up and hold it steady in
play of six inches on the teeth of the
gale that tore down behind him.
Again and again Burns tried to
couple and failed. Sinclair, straining
anxiously ahead, caught sight Of the
headlight of No rounding O'Fallon's
bluffs
He cried to Burns, and incredible
though it seems, the fireman heard.
Above all tie internal din, the tearing
of the flanges and the roaring of the
wind Burns heard the cry. 1t nerved
him to a supreme effort. He slipped the
eye once more into the draw and man.
aged to drop his pin. Up went his
hand in signal.
Choking the steam, Sinclair threw
the brake shoes flaming against the
big drivers. The sand poured on the
rails, and with Burns up on the coalers
setting brakes the three great run
aways were brought TO with jerk
that world have astounded the most
reckless soapegpaces In the world.
While the plucky fireman crept along
the top of the freight cars to keep
from being blown bodily through the
air, Sinclair, with every resource that
brain and nerve and power could eN-
ert. was struggling to overcome the
terrible headway of pursuer and pur-
sued. driving now frightfully into the
beaming head of No. l.
With the Johnson bar over and the
drivers dancing a gallop backward;
with the sand striking fire and the rails
burning under it; with the old sky
scraper shivering again in terrific
struggle and Burns twisting the heads
off the brake rods; with every trick of
old Sinclair's cunning and his boy du-
plcating every one of them in the
cab of No. 1-still they came together.
1t was too fearful momentum TO
overcome, when minutes mean miles
and tons are reckoned by thousands.
They came together, but instead of
an appalling wreck, destruction and
death 1t was only bump. No. hld
the speed when they met, and it was
a car OF coal dumped bit sudden and
nose on Georges engine like a full
backs after center rush. The pilot
doubled back into the ponies, and the
headlight was secured with nut, pea
and slack. but the stack was hardly
bruised.
The minute they struck George Sin
clair, making fast and leaping from
his cab, ran forward in the dark, pant
ing with rage and excitement Burns,
torch in hand, was himself just jump
ing down to get forward. His face
wore its usual grin, even when Geor-
gle assailed him with a torrent of
abuse.
What do you mean, you red headed
lubber?" he shouted, with much the
lungs OF his father. "What are you
doing switching coal here on the main
lineY
In fact, George called the astonished
fireman everything he could think OF
until his father, who was laundering
forward on his side OF tile engine, hear
ing the voice. turned and ran around
behind the tender to take a hand him
self
'Mean?" he roared above the blow
Of his safety. "Mean?" he beloved In
the teeth of the wind. 'Alean2 Why,
you lmpudent, empty headed migrate
fui Fapscallion, what do you mean com
Ing around here 10 abuse a man that's |
saved you and your train from the
scrap"
And big Dick Burns. standing by |
with his torch, burst into an irish |
laugh, fairly doubled up before the
boy and listened with great |
relish TO the excited father and ex-
cited son. 1t was not hard to under
stand Georgie's amazement and anger
at finding Soda Water Sal behind three |
cars OF coal halfway between stations |
on the main line and on his tlme-and |
that the fastest time on the division. |
But what amused Burns most was 10
see the lmperturbable old Dad pitching
into his hoy with as much spirit as the
young man himself showed.
1t was because both men were scared
out OF their wits; scared over their
narrow escape from q frightfuI wreck;
from having each killed the other.
1laybe-the sou the father, ard the ia
ther the son
For brave men do get scared. Don't
believe anything else Bot between
the fright Of a coward and the fright
Of brave man there Is this difference
the cowasd's scare Is apparent before
the danger. that OF the brave man after