The Marshall republican., 1912-03-15

me was crushed out of me. Be
yond the curve I came TO the first long |
straight bit OF The road on the line. ]
knew I must do over sixty miles nm
hour here in order to get through In
The limit of time. For twelve miles
kept my eyes fixed on the track illu. |
by the headlight. tearing along
10 fast that should an obstruction be
bn the track I could never slow up In
umc to avoid It. Every minute Of
train on my nerves took just 80 much
,trength out OF them. ] believed that
no II would place anything on O
ttraigDt tInck to throw me of and took
III the chance on this. besides the
fanger OF leaving the rails. The loco
hotivc swayed and groaned and
lounccd TIL It seemed that the next
lump would surely throw 1t OF. At
Ivep the slightest curve I held my
ireath, and every time I came to q
witch which 7 could not plainly see
was sure the rafting and pumping
Deneath meant TINT we were on the ties
Ind In another moment would be rolled
yD IN u universal SnllSn.
II had an excellent headlight. the
reflector OF which ! had polished my
(elf. Under Its glare the shadows be-
fore me looked black and heavy rs II
hey had been stone. There were tele-
traph poles beside the track, and II
tcemed TO me as I approached their
(hadows that I was about TO en-
t%ounter the trunk Of n fallen tree.
they faded In rapid succession. but the
(pproach Of every shadow was like
the falling or q siedgebammer on my
terves.
Il hnd gone seventy miles and wal
On time when suddenly a big block
~ solid stone doomed up ahead. I
reversed, whistled down the brakes
Ind cnme to n full stop. But I neither
Enew when 1 stopped nor for q few
moments nfter whether I had escaped
The peril. for I was 30 benumbed with
fright that my sense refused to net.
Ms soon rs ! wns conscious that the
machine was at rest I took another
look ahead. There was the block I
had seen. but as far distant as Il had
been when I discovered Il. I jumped
Down and run ahead. I couldn't SEQ
the obstacle, for my own shadow con
tcaled Il. Nevertheless I did not reach
II. l stepped aside. ana there Il WAS
thead. 1 ran forward q bit and. not
teaching Il. returned and examined
NY headlight. There on the glass
directly before the light was a tiny
moth.
"Summoning oil my resolution to dis
regard these phantom obstacles. ! put
bn full speed. ana when 1 came TO a
btraight bit or road | shut my eyes
that I might not see and be racked
by them. Again tho old iron swayed
Ind groaned and wheezcd and pulled
Ind spit fire and smoke I'LL entered
Upon the last ten miles between me
Ind my destination. Then suddenly
there was n crash. and n bit OF spin
tered glass struck me In the face. I
supposed that ut last the catastrophe
had come.
but. no. The cowcntcher had
thrown up n chicken or some other
bbJect that had broken the lamp OF the
headlight. The lamp continued to
burn. however. though unprotected.
klnce ! had reversed as soon as the
trash came. However. knew II
would not keep lighted under speed,
Ind l felt that after all l had been
blocked. But just as I was about TO
give up hope l saw n light ahead. and
presently a locomotive bore down on
us. slowing up as II came. IL Ind
been sen mi by the commander nj
j., who was hard pressed TO learn II
we were nearing him.
1--WE managed to get this other head
light In position on my locomotive,
ind again I pushed forward. From
this point now and again we could
occasionally hear the faint booming OF
guns and as we drew nearer the rattle
bf musketry. The noon was ut the
full. Evidently the Confederate com
mander was determined to crush his
enemy before the arrival Of re-enforce'
ments, and the Federal officer was
lighting against time.
II did not know at what moment
the latter might give way. and. al
though tho road was rs rough and az
crooked rs any part 1 had passed over
I drove the machine as rapidly and al
tecklessly as before. approached ouI
men from the rear, though they vert
being Hanked. which we were made
aware Of by a sudden fire into ouI
train.
'.rhe commander OF the troops l had
hauled through pulled the bell cord
and when I had come to q halt or
dered bis men out Of the train. They
drove back the Confederate iankers
and Joined the main body.
"The arrival OF re-enforcements
caused the Confederates to withdraw
and the place was saved.
CAS- soon as my work was over
tumbled over on the cab floor. MY
fireman picked me up. and / revived
Y Varv ohnrtly I tnnxv what an fmnnr