Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-10-25
DELAY ON TRAIL
BY 3. il. BAILEY.

By B. H. BAILEY.
No. 6 was late. That was an I'm.
usual happening on the D. & Il. rail.
$]E0ad and the division superintendent,
|5jstanding on the little platform at
HoOpeston, waiting to take No. 6 back
to his headquarters, was plainly an
4noyed.
q Superintendent Wheeler was not d
1quick tempered man, but as he walked
up and down the Hoopeston platform
balancing at his watch from time to
time, anyone with half an eye could
have seen that he was not in an angelic
frame Of mind. Inside the Office the
telegraph was ticking merrily with
NImore railroad business" and at length
\ superintendent Wheeler thrust his
SIhead In the door for the tenth time and
SS3asked:
8 Anything new from No. 81"
"She's thfrty-five minutes late at Al
Ilbion, sir, replied Operator Ryan brisk
lly. They've made up eight minutes
thine, sir
Have you vet heard what's the mat
|ter3' asked the division superintend-
ient brusquely.
Don't know for sure, sir, but I guess
ITS q hot box" said Ryan, and the SUI
lperintendent continued his nervous
walk up and down the platform.
Twenty-three miles away No. 6 was
whO0ping over the shining rails like a
ivestibule limited, although 1t was only
Ia combination freight" lately invest
led with the dignity Of a badly frayed
passenger coach tagging on behind the
heavy box cars for the few passengers,
who desired the accommodation of
way" train. But tonight No. 6 was
running on freight schedule. She was
more than 40 minutes late and as Joe
Kelly looked from bis porch beside, the
lever and saw his comp 8nion shoYelipg
coal into the capaciQus NAV Of the
engine, he encouraged him to redou,
lbled erofss
i Thpt's the stuff, Jack" he said,
Of It anyhow"
BE g6f thus Tar IN his chat and Jack
was gfdntlng Assent from his dusty
place among the Jumps Of coal when
THE engineer surrenly stood upright
land leaned halfway out Of the cab
window. Then with conyulsive
movement he threw the lever clear
over and smut of the steam. An In
sfant later the sharp bark Of the whis-
J tie calling for tbrakes" awoke the
Echoes.
s'What's the matter" demanded the
fireman, springing up to his side Of the
cab, half ready to Jump.
n don't know" said Kelly, peering
into the half gloom ahead Of the train,
l'sbut IL someone isn't swinging a red
Hight across the track down there, I'm
T "a goat
Fright you are,p said the fireman.
s.that's a red one all right. VIII we
make it,"
..Oh, yes; we'll stop before we get
there" said Kelly, confidently. 'Won-
der what it is, rail broken or hold
up?' The conductor, who had been
alarmed by the whistle for brakes and
the grinding of the iron shoes against
the wheels, came running over the tops
OF the freight cars and clambered over
into the cab.
what is TT" he demanded.
Don't know" said Kelly, take a
I peek yourself. Red light ahead
The train had begun to slacken speed
by that time and was fast approaching
the slowly swinging lantern. At last
1T Numbered to stop and stood pant
ing while the conductor sprang off and
ran ahead. There stood youth not
more than twenty-years old, doggedly
4 swinging lantern while frightened
girl of seventeen chung to his arm and
/ looked with wide eyes on everything.
whats the matter here?" demand
ed the conductor. "What are you flag
ging this train fort"
I'VE want to get aboard" said the
young man stoutly.
n. eWhat?" shrieked the conductor" dc
you mean to say you've stopped a way
freight that's forty minutes late just
because you can't wait for the passen'
4 ger that comes through at ten o'clock 2
& sThat's just it, sir" said the young
man with mucn dignity, 1--WE can't wal,
h for the passenger. We want to go or
hhis train. You see, the fact is" he
went on growing confidential and TAX
ling tighter hold on the little arm
changing In his, we're going to town t.
get married"
"Oh, ho,' interrupted the conductor
''an elopement, eh? Well, I'm darnet
y jif don't like your nerve. Come on
"a ltsnt ahnard Than nnnit delay 1lS my