Year: 1878




standing in the depot when we left. The
engine was just as fast as our own, ard if
it was without train attached, rs Jake
supposed, might easily gain on us, as it
seemed to be doing. AT any rate, we
shall see when wo pass Jamaica station
whether Jake's theory is correct l
thought, and said to him.


BY this time the fireman, acting as
engineer, had given our engine all The
steam she would take, and we were slash
ing along at q lively rate, tell you,"
said the conductor. "The good people
along the road who were out OF their beds
must have thought that railroad Gilpin
was riding another race according to the
new style. | was angry enough to have
sent bullet at the crazy engineer follow
ing us, and determined that my first
business the next day should be to COM
plain to the Superintendent OF his fool
hardness. l thought that possibly, be
ing for the moment his own master and
no longer under the immediate orders of
a conductor, he was indulging in n kind
of a railroad spree, and, for u lark, was
driving US to the top of our speed, ex-
pecting to end the race and his day.
work at the same time at Jamaica.


Wen, we tore through that sleeping
village without stopping long for refresh
mept, | can assure you, and then Jake
and looked to see our comical friend in
the rear pull up at the station and take
lodgings for the night But we we're mis-
taken in our guess. Not a whistle was
given by our pursuer as a signal that he
intended to stop not sign of slacken
| ing was shown but on the contrary he
was gaining upon us when we were doing
our very best. Sometimes curve in the
road would shut him moment from our
view, but he would round it IN an instant
and every new turn brought him more
closely upon us. Jamaica had been left
far behind, and we we're out on the wide
Hampstead plain. The old Constitution
was on her muscle. Our train was actu
ally swaying and rocking with speed like
q yacht on the waves. The telegraph
poles, upon which the light from our win.
lows would CLINT in the dense darkness
were flying behind US at every second.--
The sound Of our wheels rs they struck
the ends Of the rails was continuous
aum. But, do the best that it might,
our engine with its heavy tram was no
match for the light weighted one behind.
That was gaining upon us, and was not
the eighth OF Il mile Off The glare from
its lantern shone brightly in our faces l
thought Jal;e's face looked little pale
and perhaps mine did, too, Now that ouI
pursuer did not halt AT Jamaica, we were
entirely off our rockonings, and we could
make no guess rs TO The cause OF our
chase, nor when it would end. The pros
pect seemed that we might be driven tc
the end ofthe road, it We wore not over
taken and smashed before it could be
reached.


"' That's the Franklin, sure, broke out
Jake once mora. No other engine or
tho road could overhaul us as we are going
now. What can that fool of Simpson
pean by driving her at such rate ? liz
must be drunk. If the boss don't breal
him tomorrow he woa't got his deserts
He will be into us in two minutes


80 You arc right, Jake, said l. g,
forward and SEQ ifyou cannot get up lit
tie more headway, Empty n few Of thps'
petroleum cans on the wood, and pitch i
in, and see what can be done


While Jake was forward on his er
rand | thought over the situation. Here
was with a hundred or Two passengers
under my care, all ignorant Of the dangel
which knew they were in. If we should
be oyertaken and crushed in the rear, the
disaster would bs serious one, and would
probably cause the death or injury at eas
of some ofthe passengers. 1--we were moi
smashed in this way, there was another
and perhaps, a greater danger before us
The train Of which | have spoken, which
!
was on its way to meet us on the samt
track, ltshould switch of at Lakeland
in the m iddle OF the island, and allow ui
I TO pass an hour after we started, or at II
o'clock. 1t was now haif-past TO- and
we were close TO Lakeland already, and
would pass thore long before the arrival u
the Greenport train, which ordinarily go
there arst. The result would be that WI
should meet the train beyond Lakeland
without warning Of our approach, and {
COLI sion in front as we'll as The rear woulc
} be tho consequence.


We reached and few through Lake
land depot nearly halfan hour ahead o
, time. Ofcourse the Greenport train wa
T not there yet, but was coming down thr
road. Ourspeed was now little ahead o
any ever before made upon the LonI
Island road The telegraph poles fairl,
danced behind us, and the bushes on eth
err side oflhe track seemed a continuou
wal Of fire as they were lighted up by tn
, fame which was pouring out OF our smok
stack. But, dangerous as il was for US l.
, keep on, it was just as dangerous to slack
en- speed, and 50 on we went"


The conductor rolled his quid from on
cheek to the other raised the window b
/ his side and expectorated into the quito
: darkness, and became silent for severr
! moments, az if burdened by the recollec
, ton ofhis former perils. After waiting
t reasonable length oftime for him to re
sumo his story, I said, When tho CO.
| lision occurred, was it with tho train i
9 front or in the rear, or with both ?"
0 go, the collision |" said the conduct
( or. Well, now you come to the ridicu
0 lous part Of the story. The collision dI


4