Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-11-30

Copyright. 1910. by American Press
N Association II
After an absence OF four years from
Radnor. James Casey had returned as
superintendent of the eastern division
OF the railroad and had married Lib
bic Nelson. The wedding was only
yesterday. and now that it was over
and they had started for the east the
villagers had time 10 revert TO the
story. The Nelson's were so proud OF
their new son-in-lRw that they could
not restrain themselves from telling,
despite the protestations of Liobia and
Jim.
shortly after the night of the church
concert when Casey beard Libbie Mel
son sing that song which tad some
thing in it about angels in charge"
he commenced 10 think things about
angels. and one day his imagination
evolved an angel. or something as near
like one as be could picture. When
Cesey's mental vision beheld ii he
broke into satisfied grin If brought
forth to visual observation it would
have appeared strikingly like Libbie
Nelson.
Things went along quietly for two
months and then something hap
pened.
While Casey was on his way to the
yards at Buffalo to board 800 for
the return trip an ambulance went
galloping past him. Ambulances pass
people frequently in big city. and
there was nothing about this one in
particular 10 apprise Casey that Nat
Taylor fireman for Bill Whalen. who
was running 500, was inside. 1t was
a nasty night. and Taylor had slipped
on the icy tracks and broken leg.
When Casey, with few extra min
uteS on hand. sauntered into the train
dispatcher's office he found that insti-
tuition in volube ferment OF course
everybody was sorry for Taylor, but
a fireman with broken leg was of
small concern in comparison with the
awkward situation IN which he had
left them.
special. carrying the president Of
the road from New York to Chicago
on business of vital import. was at
that moment only ten miles from the
station and coming at the rate Of a
mile Il minute
Bill Nhalen, one of the best en-
gineers on the road, and 500, the
pick and pride of the roundhouses.
were out in the depot yards waiting to
relieve the incoming and already over
heated locomotive Whalen and 500
were ready TO couple on at a moments
notice, but no substitute had yet been
found for Taylor. and there were pre-
cious few minutes 10 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 500 as quick as you canr'
he shouted. Hurry! For Gods sake
hurry, Don't stop for anything! Run.
Whalen II tell your
Casey peeled off his coat as he was
climbing into the cab. and he had
scarcely grabbed a shovel and com
menced to throw coal when the special
straining and wheeling. erunched on
the track alongside.
Switching and coupling were matters
of seconds only, aud. 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. lie chewed at his
short white mustache. buttoued and
unbuttoned his fur coat and never took
his eyes off the engine until they were
getting under Roadway.
DO your best, boysr' he shouted
across the tender to the men in the en-
CINE as they shunted ON the main track
and set off. The determined mods be
received in reply were assuring.
Wakeful farmers and belated vii
layers were puzzled by the unusual
traveller as 500 with her single con-
sort momentarily flashed ON their view
like a monster one eyed demon wrath,
sliding, cleaning. screeching across
country.
The special had left murky Cleve-
land 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 sIeeting for some time in that lO-
cality. Tie landscape glisteued. tele-
graph poles and fences shone ike crys-
tai specters. wires were thick with in
crustatious. and after "a distance they
We're sagglng. and then some were
broken and dragging on the ground
There's 90 use talking" growled
Whalen. 1--WE got TO slow down some
or Wen be blown into the middle of
nowhere. Get away from This dcviiish
lake. then we can make up"
He eased 800 biz. Yet she puHed
and pulled and stuck nobly TO her task.
IF orders 10 clear tne tracks didn't
get through before those wires went
down we may be all in" observed Ca
sey.
you're about right" replied WhaIen
glumly. but the only thing ! can do
L.. g.. --e-- ,.H-.H