Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-11-30

After an absence of four years from
superintendent of the eastern division
OF the railroad and had married Lib,
bic Nelson. The wedding was only
yesterday. and now that 1t was over
and they had started for the east the
villagers had time to revert 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 Mel
son sing that song which had some
thing 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
Cesey's mental vision beheld it he
broke into satisfied grin. Ii brought
forth to visual observation IL 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 300 for
the return trip an ambulance went
galloping past him. Ambuances pass
people frequently in Il big city. and
there was nothing about this one in
particular to appriSe Casey that Nat
Taylor. fireman fer Bill Whalen, who
was running 500, was inside. 1t was
nasty night, and Taylor had slipped
on the icy tracks and broken a leg.
When Casey, with a few extra min
utes on hand. sauntered into the train
dispatcher's office he found that insti-
tuition in voluble 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.
a 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 Whalen, one of the best en-
gineers OH 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 800
were ready to couple on at moments
notice. but no substitute had yet been
found for Taylor and there were pre-
cious 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 cam
he shouted. Hurry, For Gods sake
hurry. Don't stop for anything Run.
Whalen II tell you
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. 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 Il large. stern viSaged person.
He was restless He chewed at his
short white mustache. bTttOned and
unbuttoned his fur coat and never took
his eyes off the engine until they were
getting under Roadway.
do your best, boys" 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 he
received in reply were assuring.
Wakeful farmers and belated vii
layers were puzzled by the unusual
traveller as 800 with her single con-
sort momentarily flashed on their view
like 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 seet.
and everything indicated that it had
been sleeting for some time in that To-
cality. Tie landscape glistened. tele-
graph poles and fences shone like crys-
tai specters. wires were thick with in
crustations. and after distance they
were sagging. and then some were
broken and dragging on the ground.
There's no use talking" growled
Whalen. i've got TO slow down some
or well be blown into the middle Of
nowhere. Get away from this devilish
lake. then We can make up.
He eased 800 bit Yet she puffed
and pulled and stuck nohly 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.
lou re dloui 'i-'''' ''P'i'o "
glumly. but the only thing | can do
is to watch for signals
And In a drilling sleet ike this
there might Just about as well be no
signals" continued Casey.
They had passed Dempsey and In
another forty minutes would reach
Radnor. Cn5er ordinary conditions
the local was due at this point. but
If no error in orders had occurred she
9AunlI be waiting now on the siding at
Putnam. The station beyond. giving
right II way TO the presidents special.
The strain was beginning TO tell ON
both men and on Whalen in particu-
lar