Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-07-06
"TAKING TIE SIDING"

"TAKING TIE SIDING"
After an absence OF four years from
Radnor, James Casey had returned as su-
perintendent ofthe eastern division OF the
railroad and had married Libbie Nelson.
The wedding was only yesterday, and
now that il was over and they had started
for the east, the villagers had time to re-
vert to the story. The Nelson's were so
proud OF their new son-in-law that they
could not restrain themselves from telling,
despite the protestationS of Libbie and
Jim.
Shortly after the night OF the church
concert when Casey heard Libbie Nelson
sing that song which had something in it
about "angels in charge" he commenced
to think things about angels, and one day
his imagination evolved an angel, or
something as near like one as he could
picture. When Casey's mental sionbe-
held it he broke into a satisfied grin. If
brought forth to visual observation it
would have appeared Strikingly like Lib
bic Nelson.
Things went along quietly for two
months and then something happened.
While Casey was on his way to the
yards at Buffalo to board 300 for the re-
turntrip anambulance went galloping past
him. Ambulances pass people frequent
ly in big city, and there was nothing
about this one in particular to apprlse
Casey that Nat Taylor, fireman for Bill
Whaen, who was running SO9, was in
side. 1t was nasty night, and Taylor
had slipped on the icy tracks and broken
aleg.
When Casey, with few extra minutes
on hand, sauntered into the train dis
patcher's office he found that institution
in vouble ferment. Of course everybody
was sorry for Taylor, but fireman with
broken leg was of small concern in
comparison with the awkward situation
in which he had left them.
A special, carrying the president OF the
road from New York to Chicago on busl-
ness OF vital import, was at that moment
only ten miles from the station and COM
ing at the rate OF mile minute.
Bill Whalen, one OF the best engineers
on the road, and 800, the pick and pride
of the roundhouses, were out in the depot
yards waiting to relieve the incoming and
already overheated locomotive. Whalen
and 800 were ready to couple on at amo-
ment's notice, but no substitute had yet
been found for Taylor, and there were
precious few minutes to spare.
Casey was not given long to ponder on
the excitement of the office. He had no
more than crossed the threshold when
Thompson, the train dispatcher, literally
leaped across the room and graSped him
by the arm.
"Get out to 800 as quick as you can!"
he shouted. "Hurry! For Gods sake
hurryl Don't stop for anything Run! !
Whalen II tell you'll"
Casey peeled off his coat as he was
climbing into the cab, and he had scarcely
grabbed shovel and commenced to
throw coal when the special, Strainlng
and wheeling, crunched on the track
alongside.
Switching and coupling were matters OF
seconds only, and, although the night
was intensely cold, two men stood on
the platform of the single coach anxiously
watching proceedings. One was a large
stern visaged person. He was restless.
He chewed at his short white muStache,
buttoned and unbuttoned his fur coat and
never took his eyes off the engine until
they were getting under headway.
"Do your best, boys!' he shouted
across the tender to the men in the engine
as they Shunted on the main track and
set off. The determined mods he receiv-
ed in reply were assuring.
Wakeful farmers and belated villagers
were puzzled by the unusual traveller as
SO9 with her single consort momentarily
flashed on their view like monster one
eyed demon wrath, sliding, cleaning,
screeching across the country.
The special had left murky Cleveland
and had climbed the long west grade to
the bluff land bordering the lake. The
snow had turned to sleet, and everything
indicated that it had been Sleeting for
some time in thatlocality. The landscape
glistened, telegraph poles and fences
shone like crystal specters, wires were
thick with incrustations, and after dis
tance they were sagging, and then some
were broken and dragging on the ground.
There's no use talking" growled
Whalen, '1've got to slow down some or
we'll be blown into the middle OF no
where. Getaway from this devilish lake,
then we can make up"
He eased 800 bit. Yet she pulled
and pulled and stuck nobly to her task.
"If orders to clear the tracks didn't
get through before those wires went
down we may be all in," observed Ca
sey.
"You're about right" replied Whalen
glumly, "but the only thing can do is
to watch for signals" ;"
"And in drizzling Sleet like this there
might just about as well be no signals,
continued Casey.
TLa,, had naesad DamnSeY and in an