The Washington herald., 1908-06-21
TOMS FATAL LOVE FOR BETSY"

Ed Haskins and Tom Plebold were old
cronies. Hasklrs. a small pale-faced.
sharp-featured man, about fifty years of
City banks. while Plebold. a large. good
natured. ruddy-cheeked. heavy-featured
fellow. who had Just turned seventy, was
a railroad engineer. and, though he was
still vigorous and looked 10 be good for
twenty years more Of service. he had re-
ceived notice several months before that
he would be retired when he became
seventy years Of age. He had bFooded
over that notice. because he did not like
the idea of being forced to retire at all.
He questioned the wisdom OF the rule
which said, Ninety days before an en-
ploye has reached his SEVENTEEN birth
day ne will be asked TO resign for The
good Of the service. on, or before, said
birthday" says John Anschutz in the
Railroad Trainman.
He deemed II unwiSe 10 retire a man
simply because he has been on earth "a
certain number Of years. and held that
some men were older at forty than others
were at seventy years OF age. and claimed
that no man should be retired simply be-
cause he was old, but that age should be
taken into consideration only when eff
cheney waned. And once when Haskins
and he had discussed his predicament at
length he ended the discussion by saying.
when Betsy (meaning his engine) and
part. we'll go together.
At o'clock p. m. the passenger train
drawn by Plebold's engine pulled out Of
Santon City. arriving at Louistown at 5
O'Clock the next morning. At : O'Clock
the following evening Plebold took the
same train out of Louistown. arriving at
Santon City at 8 o'clock a. m. the next
day.
Just previous 10 what would have been
Plebold's last round trip-had he made II
before retiring, Haskins, as usual met
him at the roundhouse, where they were
wont to meet and chat until it was time
to pull the train into the depot-and when
the engineer pulled the throttle to run the
engine off the turn table. HaSkinS sat in
his accustomed place in the cab thinking
he would remain until his friends engine
was hooked on to and drew his train
round into the depot. The fireman, after
getting up steam, had gone 10 the depot
intending TO get aboard there. Neither
Haskins nor any Of the men employed
near or in the roundhouse had noticed
that the track upon the turn table con-
nected with another track than the one
Pleblod usually ran his engine upon, In
order that It might be switched and
hooked 70 his train.
Plebold pulled the throttle open gradu-
ally, and the engine left the turn table
her pop" screaming with impatience
Haskins was engaged in relating a funny
story. and not until he felt the easy
swaying motion peculiar to heavy engines
with "A rather high center Of gravity diC
he realize THAI they were travelling at eX
press speed and turn his head Che wa'
facing Plebold) to look out Il the cal
window.
What are you running so fast for
Why, you are on the wrong track, Wher
are you going, Plebold?" ne said.
GOING" answered Plebold. Going L
hell Betsy and must part. Ed, old boy
and we're going together. thought be
cause we three-you and Betsy and L
had been friends Tor nigh on twenty year
I'd take you along.
"Oh, come off! Stop your nonsense an
go back and get your train" said Has
kins. And then he tried TO get hold O
the throttle, but Plebold pushed him ava