Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-09-04

apart seven cara down. leaving thirty
three detached. Before The mUgul
could gather herself Ia back up and
catch the hrpakaway the fugitive sec
tion was moving on very slowly down
the head end of the Long Misery.
Back up, Irish! Back up and catch
'em!" screamed Bltters.
you can't do it," yelled breathless
brakeman who came up from the rear,
because the gears just completely out
o. the head o. that section and there
wouldn't be nothln' to make couplin'
to If you caught 'em. which 1t amt
likely you'll do anyway"
Bitters was thinking of Hennessy
and No. s. If No. 8 were on time she
was just leaving Lyshon. Chances
were she was late. He knew Hennes-
sy. 1t was for him to reach Oldtown
in time to stop No 8 at Lyshon. Bit
rerS sickened at the thought OF the
Saturday night rush of women and
children which had given Hennessy's
train the name of the nursery ex-
press"
They worked quickly then. In thirty
seconds Bitters was in the cab and
was giving the mogul steam enough
and some to carry. Bltters~ figured II
was four miles to the good. and the
way they paced 1t off made 1t impos-
sible for him to say he was disappoint-
ed when he Jumped of at OIdtown.
mo. 8, hold her at Lyshon. My
freights busted, an thirty.three of
'em are on the grade, goin' to beat
thundcrw
mo. ST. The dispatcher's face was
pie crust. ''She left Lyshon six min
utes ago. late" He went back to his
instrument and sent Seventeen" the
clear out signal, to warn the road
south of him. but as he did so he knew
that No. 8 was coming up the Long
the teeth of the worst runaway the A.
and b. had known.
Henpessy was Tuning at Lyshon, for
he couldn't afford another second. yet
Oldtown had seen nothing of the wild
freight.
Better wait for another report from
Oldtown." said the operator. But
Hennessy was six minutes late then
He signuled his engineer and jumped
on the rear The brakeman was there
and grnDcd when the conductor
cursed his luck.
Hennessy. halfway through the door.
wheeled. There, away back by the
station platform. only fading bit of
dismal detail in the familiar view, was
old Tympan standing in the middle of
the track and waving crossed arms.
Left and signaling us to come back
for him." said the rear brakeman.
Hcnnessy spoke eloquently. looking
at his watch. The time frightened
him. ''I'll not go back for him." he
cried. ~ can't be-
There was that IN the rear brake
mans eyes which stopped Henncssy.
Suppose he should leave Tympah at
Lyshon over Sunday, with no trains
either way, and suppose the old man
pull with r. II. p. were still working.
and suppose the young husband of her
who was Nell Tympan. he who worked
in the G. +. AS office. should
And there was old TympaD himself
standing In the middle of the track and
signaling. Back Up. back up. back up "
Could he afford TO ignore the old fell
low? Though 1t hurt him to do It, he
said:
mo; believe I'll go back Tor the
old guy, Bill"
The rear brakeman pulled the cord.
and Hennessy went In 10 reckon just
how much over thirty minutes late he
would be into Oldtown.
There was no denying that old lynn.
pan was exceedingly drunk Hennessy
smothered his wrath with difficulty as
No. 8 backed into Lyshon. for he hadn't
relished what he had heard going
through the day coaches. He leaned
out toward the dirty figure rceling
across the platform and heard T!m-
pans idiotic laugh as he boasted Of
having called back the biggest train on
the road. II JUS went out there-ri'
yer backed up. didn't yer? tell yer
gents. there Amt er man o. the rod
darst ter dis-disobey my orders"
There was scramble on the plat
form behind them. and the dispatcher
came shrieking like plow train at
blind crossing.
Back up. Hennessy, for all you're
WORTH" he shouted. "Runa way freight
thirty something cars off the wild
train coming down the grade-be here
in less than minute. Oldtown wired.
Oh, Hennessy. look up the line"
1t was a cloud Of sand and dust at
the first curve In the Long Misery.
three miles away.
Hennessy's knees wavered The dis
patcher struck him with his fist be.
tween the shoulders crying: Quick.
man! Run her back into the siding and
let the freight go by"
The passengers knew only enough Ia
complain that they were horribly shnk
en- up that afternoon near I.yshon. 1t
was Hennessy himself who switched
No. 8 into the siding and who thanked
heaven with all sincerity that 1t was
just long enough to take his train and
leave the main line open. AS he drew
the switch his head went dizzy with
the whirl Of the freight. When the
threatening thirty.three banged past
Hpnnnglv L,,k