Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1911-01-04

A Supelintendent's S
Story
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


Now, there is a vast difference be
tween a fireman or engineer and gen
eral superintendent Bat ] didn't get
the big head never considered my
self or any of my family any better for
my sitting in a revolving chair tapping
bell for some one TO wait on me thaa
when | had my hand on the throttle.
and when Tom Millikin, a locomotive
engineer, came courting my daughter
Susie / didn't turn him down because
he drove an engine. But what l want
ed for Susie was a man OF nerve,
strength and character.
"Tom," said, you may have Susie
on one condition. We want man TO
take a new passenger limited through
in the night. The distance is 500 miles,
and 1t must be done in FIVE hours. The
average must be sixty miles an hour,
which means as low as fifty and as
high as seventy. Do the Job, and you
shall have Susie"
Tom thought long while, then said:
81 have always supposed, Mr.. Nc
Mullen, that you'd never ask man to
do what yeu would not do yourself"
Il wouldn't"
We'll, suppose we put 1t this way
You take the train through first. II
you succeed. take 1t through and sc!
&hsie. II you don't succeed, I get Susie
without making the attempt M self"
The fellow knew how to handle me.
/ was very proud OF my knowledge of
railroad technique and had carried
trains often since my promotion. at
once acceded TO his terms.
shall never forget the experience OF
that run. Twenty minutes before train
time I appeared in overalls at the en-
gine, which was standing ready on the
track, to make my own inspection OF
her and do my own oiling. When we
pulled out felt like bird let out of
cage. l was still. though fifteen years
older than when l left the cab, in full
vigor of nerve and muscle. | had fig
ured carefully just what time l must
make on different parts Of the road and
was in every way prepared for the
trial. | had never driven an engine for
any length of time over fifty miles an
hour. and up to that point there is no
great strain on an engineer. ! did not
realize that an average man can't
stand many spurts at sixty-five miles
an hour and in some places must do
seventy
l got on pretty well for the first
three hours, though had made num-
ber of my fast PAGES. but after that
began TO suffer Looking straight
ahead continuously seeing at the same
time things out of the corners of my
eyes whizzing by me, made me
feel as IL something was pulling my
sight nerve out through the sockets.
Some OF my fastest spurts came In
about this time, and every few minutes
was frightened half out of my senses.
The first thing to rattle me was seeing
something black on the track dead
ahead OF me. thought it was the rear
end OF train with no lights out. IL it
had been there would have been no
time to slow up, but 1t was gone before
l could have done SO anyway, and then
l realized that it was the shadow of a
bird flying across the headlight This
had the effect on my nerves OF an es-
cape from a sudden plunge into death.
had always been quick TO adopt i'm
provements on the road and had put
on electric headlights. This made all
the shadows look like big black things.
solid as masonry The shadow Of n
| telegraph pole cast on the track as 1t
sometimes would be at q curve ahead
looked for all the world like the trunk
OF a tree The worst scare ! had was
from something that wouldn't get out
| OF the way. 1t was big round black
bowlder that appeared a few hundred
feet ahead. This was the only scare
| put on the brakes for. AS l slowed
down l noticed that got no nearer to
It. Finally | stopped short. went ahead
| TO the pilot. and. turning there on the
glass before the headlight was little
moth
An hour before | was due to arrive
I had made up my mind that. though
| could make an engine to do the trip
l on schedule time. | couldn't make a
| man 10 run her But had lot OF
pride and continued the struggle.
| though my failing nerves rendered
| failure almost a certainty. When
had the last forty miles TO 60 and only
l thirty minutes to do 1t in gave up and
| turned the throttle over to my fireman.
| with directions to take his time. AS
left the engineers post staggered TO
| the seat on the other side of the cab.
| and It was all / could do to hold on
| when l got on to IT.
/ felt as II a dozen men with ham
| mers had been pounding on every
nerve IN my body. When we reached
| the station / called carriage and
went TO a hotel, and IL / hadn't been
| too proud, or, rather. II l hadn't feared
It would get out. I'd have called a
| trained nurse to take care Of me.
The next day went back in the pres
| ident's private car and the morning
after appeared In my Office and sent for
| Tom Millikln. He came IN. looking
| curious. said TO him:
"Tom, you needn't perform your part
Of the contract. 1t would be no use,
for I've made up my mind not to put
the train on. You've won"
I'D Ike the privilege Of doing the
trick once" he said. - you don't
4 rnfndn