The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 25

irnnn inn jijij-i nrix in j- nrim -p rMnjiiijKrijtJLjLj--M-Mi. SECTION 4 Austin GoIIaher, Who Played With "Young Abe" In entucky and Once Saved His Life, Is Near Death's Door. I TT ITSTTN OOLLAHER. sged almost ninety-two years, sire Of fur living I generations, patriarch of a county and tba only known surviving play-ma of Abraham Lincoln's boyhood days. Is slowly but aona the leas surety drawing toward th end of his earthly career.

Down In Larue county, away back In the heart of the hills, the old fellow, stricken with the Infirmities or age. flea helpless on a bed from which he will probably nevermore in pt fully drifting on toward the close of hla worn and -threadbare existence. -For years after the passing of the allotted three score and ten he went regularly about his dally pursuits and performed the most arduous manual labors with a sustained strength and vitality whl-b surprised alt. even con slderlngtbe haleness which usually at tenda the old age of the and It became traditions among the more superstitious of th neighboring people that, through torn mysterious agency, the old. man ban become possessed of a charm agalnm the common ravages of time.

But If th final attack was delayed It was all the more certain when once begun, and shortly over three months ago the old man rather suddenly found himself unable to rise as usual from his where be has since remained, becoming daily more feeble In mind and body. "Uncle Austin. as he Is familiarly known for miles and milts around among the country folks who rtgard blm with the utmost reverence and veneration. Is the most absorbing character of a section abounding In picturesque features; and. although much has found Its way Into print concerning his connection with Uncoln.

and the story of his recollections of the martyr President' have been told and retold, very little attention haa been directly given this Interesting old man himself. The home of Austin Oollaher lies about eight miles back from the town of Hod-gen III e. the metropolis of Larue county. This town Is the stopping-place of tourists to the nearby Lincoln farm and visitors from the outside world to "Unci and Is Itself not altogether undeserving of mention. If for nothing else, on account of very lack of any claim to notoriety save that attained through lta proximity to the former places, although.

In Us own unpretentious wsy. It has harbored several minor celebrities. It la a serene little hamlet of great age. and It claiina 1.000 as peaceable Inhabitants as may be found anywhere, being known chiefly aa the home of a One of Its 'foremost features, which the Hodg-nvJllel'e pojnt out with pride. Is a Town Marshal who.

has undergone the harrowing experience of being scalped by Indians. Ttls one stupendous sacrifice, suffered In battle for his country, has entitled the Marshal, it Is said, to unchallenged rest during all troublous times to come; and so thoroughly has this principle been Inculcated In his inlnd. and so faithfully has he adhered to M. that iis regularity In Its obs rvsnce "has earned for him from his admiring fellow-townsmen the pseudonym of "The Rainbow." It I traditional that he baa never yet failed to be on hand In time to take the lead In clearing up the debris. The most Important establishments of the town are the hotel, or tavern, and the livery stable which adjoins It.

Mine ancient host, known to all as "Uncle Bob, Is celebrated chiefly for the spring of open welcome which gushes forth from his -lips to greet the visitor and for bis bluff geniality: and also from the fact that he once Carried a cane to Lincoln. The stable Is the best thereabouts, and. incidentally, the only one. The bosom of this peaceful community Is seldom ruffed by Intrusion from the outside world, for. with the exception of the all-penetrating com me leal traveler, none ever come to If pel the sweet solitude save on the occasion of the visit of a sight-seer bound for the Lincoln farm or the periodical advent of some Journalist or magaslne writer.

This is rather to the loss of the outside world, for. among its r-'lmed" one thousand. Hod-genvllle nuiuuers some clever and hos-pits hie people. If the town of HodgenvlUe be called obscure. It be difficult Indeed to find term descrtp'lve of the spot where old "Uncle Aust.n" ts slowly dying.

It Is swsy up among the hills, in whst aeems almost an Impen treble faa'nea to one accustomed to more level country, and Is barely accessible over famously bad roads. These form a series of la by. tin thine windings over precipitous hills of soft clay and great rocks and through woods where they become IM tie more than faint traila. ard the driver's beat kill has to be 4 exercised in a devious dodging of the stump which frequently almost entirely mock tne way. Two hours lof tortuous steering brought the ter.

despite his care not without slight itshap. to the home of the old man. in the locality of Wilklns" post-office. Here he lives whh his eld- est son. Thomas ICloIlaher.

In a house be-longirg to the tatter. It la a lorg. low. old-fashioned building, made principally of wHh a frame addition. The writer was met at the gate by Thomas Oollaher.

who welcomed him cordially and conducted him to the front room, where the old man lies. On a country bed. of primitive pattern In a corner of the room Isy stretched the ems-cisted frsme of the once sturdy countryman, sad shadow of his former self. Yet. warted and enfeebkd a It is, the old form besrs eloquent and unmistakable tracts of a former no hie manliness.

The fsce. half hidden by the hairy growth, is still whst msy he called fine In spite of the disfiguring heavy wrinkles. The nrm'y-set chin, the well-formed lips, relaxed ad somewhat weakened by age the straight, sensitive nose and the ample, patriarchal forehead, surrounded by the sparse strands of long white hair. Break volumes of the manhood that is past. He was roused by his white-haired son from the lethargic stupor In which be wss lying, and was told that some one bad come to see him.

At this he evinced lively Interest, although he did not at once fully regain consciousness, and. lettlrg his eyes. which are still, good! despite the failing of nis hearing, wan- der about th room until they rested on the newcomer, he queried in a sharp voice: "Are you a Urited 3tates Marshal On being asured that such was yot ras. "Unc Austin. who.

Julg-Ing from the remarks he made, seems to harbor a very hard feelirg against officials of this class, twisted his body about, set tied himself comfortably. made a heroic effort to eject the Juice of a large quid of tobacco, which weed he atlll enjoys notwithstanding his advanced age. and signified that he waa i ready for a chat. After the greeting and mutual expressions of solicitude regarding health and families had been exchanged, the old fellow Inquired Into the present state of pol itics and evinced keen Interest iv tne movements of th Republ.ean party, of wnlcn be la atiu a staunch adherent. During the conversation which followed he talked Interestingly of bis reminiscences, speaking distinctly and deliberately In hts weak, faltering voles.

At times, however, bis mind would play him false and he would varder, without warning, from the subject in hand Irto some ridiculously Irrelevant strain, relating, perhaps, to wsr-times or some Hhcr historical period. Occasionally the turdy old brows would contract In a tussled and hesitating manner, and, asstng his hand across the wrinkled 'orehead as if to brush away the cob-veba of time, he would stare straight efore him with an earnest expression Intentness, aa though endeavoring to eer back through the mists of decades nit oast. When twelve yearn of age "Uncle Aus- In" moved from Georgia to Livingston ounty. and shortly afterward to Knob "reek. In Larue county at that time a kart of Hardin count which is not nany miles from the place where he lives it presort.

Knob Creek was the scene if his companionship with Lincoln. When ssked concerning Ms reoollee-rons of the latter he brtgh'ened up. and although bis snswers were st first laborious and hesitating, he soon warmed to ils subject, which Is evidently a favorite one with him. snd began to relate parts of his reminiscence without pausing for the questions. He told how they had together attended the Knob Creek school-house, a primitive log shanty long since torn down.

In the winter and worked about the farms In summer; how be. being three years older than his companion, would slways come to the help of "little Abe" when the Istter cried out for him. and thrash the larger boys who were persecuting the future President; how. when on one memorable occasion, Abe had attempted to follow bim over narrow log across the creek and had fallen be fished him out with a long rod and rolled blm across his lap to force the water out of his half-drowned body, remarking, as he related It. that "Abe spit up about two quart; how the youngster, eager for learning and not allowed to read after dark on account of the expense of candles, would hasten to finish his dally chores so that he might spend his little spare time In cutting the wax-wood splinters which he u-ed as torches to furnish light for bis nl rhtly and.

In short, many other Interesting reminiscences, all of which have beer told before. "Do you rememner Abe's sister?" was asked him. "Tea. yes: Sally was a party gaL" The old man'a eyes partly lighted and shone with a remnant of the spent fires of manhood: weak chuckle struggled In his throat, and be faintly essayed a pleased smile as be added: "We were sweet- A FINE 8PECIMKN OF THE BULL-TKKKAKK. OWNED BT A LOCAL FANCIBR.

hearts then; but 1 never heard of her after they moved away." The moving referred to took place toward the latter Jart of 181. when the L'ncolns left Kentucky for Indiana. 8. nee that time "Uncle Austin" hss not seen or directly beard from his former playmate. On the occasion of Lincoln's first race for President.

Uncle Austin's was one of the three votes which he received from Larue county. He did not vote in the second campaign because the country was in a state of lawless confusion, and. In his precinct, some of the most extreme of the abolitionists, he says, surrounded the polls, swearing that they would kill anyone who dared to vote for Lincoln. As the artist's camera was placed and brought Into range with the old man his talk drifted back to the war at the sight of what he took to be a gun. The sudden explosion of the flash-light powder caused him a genuine shock.

However, be it said to his credit as a warrior, be waa not alarmed beyond the first surprise. He merely gave one tremendous lurch shading his eyes with bis hand snd peering sharply at the instrument through the ascending smoke. In a cool, yet anxious voice be asked: "Did you hit anybody that jimeT and received In reply the arsurance that It waa only target p-sctice- Austin Gollsher wss. aa haa been said, a man of great activity in his early days. He wss married twice.

His first wife wss Mary Price, of Knob Creek, by whom he had seven children, snd his second wss klary Smith, also of Larue county. He is the progenitor of a long line of living descendants. All hla children still live, each of them with a large family. He haa aixty-five great-grandchildren, and the numerous children of the families of Forrest Smith. John Braden and Tom Bra-den, all of Larue county, are his great-great-grandchildren.

For more than two-score yesrs he has been prominent st every county gathering, church, political and educational, in later years, it is true, only as a figurehead, yet regarded still with ss grest reverence ss when formerly he wss power among the prime movers. In short, no meeting i.f any kind in Larue would be complete without him. Esp-clal has he been In demand at the State reunions of the Q. A. where, among the Important men assembled, he baa remained unique aa an object of homage, and haa retained first place In the hearts of veterans and youngsters alike.

This may be due In part to. the fact that almost every see- ond person In the county seems In some manner related to nira. This years re union, held a form gbt ago. was attended by such celebrities aa Gen. Lew Wal- lace and Robt.

Lincoln. Tet. in the midst of the festivities, the realisation tbst they were the first in which the good old man. now in his last sickness, waa not a i (Written for th parttclpant has saddened the hearta of many of the faithful people. "Uncle A us in" was a man of fine character and powerful Intellect.

Even at sight of the old man as he Is tj-day. these facts can not fall to impress themselves on even those knowing nothing of hi history. His features, sadly as they have been used by time. Indicate that the very force of the man was tremendous. Despite the fact thst his education was exceedingly limited he was long a power In hie community, and now that the vital spirits in the lamp of lire are- ex- rS iH- E.VNSYLVANIA furnishes the hero as well aa the narrator of this story, for the story la not mine.

It waa told to me by Mr. a V. Derrah. who was a bashful, beardless youth when he wandered Into the West and struck the "New Santa Fa Trail" at Trinidad. He began hla railroad career when this tale begins, and he began at the bottom, I The- rules of governing the actions of railway employes In this country are almost uniform they ought to be perfect- ly an.

The rules are mad to cover everything but emergencies, and a good emergency man" a man who la brave enough to break sx rule Is valuable aaan to a railroad company. I remember a.rule that said. If your train breaks In Iwo keep going until you are sura that the rear section, the detached part of your, train, has A man on our division started down a long bin. looked back and saw that hla train had parted, tie; Immediately set the air on the cars that, were still coupled to him: the rear section smashed into him of course, and made splinters of two freight cars. He broke a well-known rule.

But if he had undertaken to outrun that train he would have lost his life, as well as the train and engine, for a car let loose on a bin will run faster than -I "rZLZ have been averted by the quick wit of an emergency man. A great many good stories remain untold because the men who hold the secrets know that their publication would embarrass those responsible for them. Often the most careful man will make a mistake at the beginning of his career, If published, would make bis whole life a failure. Sometimes by a single move. In the face of a great young man places himself under the eye of the management and In the sure line of The Incident related here, however, seems to have made no great difference with the young hero.

Some men seem bm to succeed and others doomed to failure. Mr. Derrah has himself msde a great success of railroading. He la Just now one of the trusted lieu tens nta of the gentlemanly. scholsrly freight tramo manager of the Missouri Pacific railway, stationed at Salt Lake.

He talks better writing than the writer writes, and here la the tale: One dark stormy night, la the winter AUSTIN GOLLAHER. THS LAST OF LINCOLN'S SCHOOLMATES. fProppsd ap In bed to be Photographed for the Caarter-JowrnaL) haueted to the dregs and hla days are drawlrg to a close, those who have loved him are- still gathered about him, waiting sorrowfully for. the last. Not a day passes-- but what a number of vehicles of all sorts and conditions from, all over the neighboring bills -are lied up in front of the old house, while their occupants alight and.

with anxious inquiry; softly enter the room where the old patriarch- ilea like a Spartan, never complaining; but stoically waiting; to look at bim avnd exchange a few words If hla condition allows of the latter. Often. In mentioning bis name in connection with Lincoln's, the people do-riot hesitate to express a confidence- that, with training. Austin' could not have failed to be aa great a man aa waa his Immortal playmate. Would It Indeed have been wonderful had the confused the cs reers of 'these-two oountry boys while their simple existences ran so closely and evenly in tho old day.

woods? all. whst simple matter It would have been. One chance slip of the golden balls, ons -slight divergence of destiny, and AuMinGolla-her might have been sent to the head of the nation to be the emancipator of a race ard the martyred leader of his countrymen, and Abraham Lincoln allowed to grow from the obscure country boy. to an obscure courtryman. and after a beautiful life of peaceful serenity, die the mild death of virtuous old age.

unknown to fame and mourned, not by the world, but only In the sincere hearta of Larue county. HUBERT LEVT. Threa II naxlrml Yenrs later A writer In a leading magazine has made the prophecy that in 3GV years from now the world will know only three languages RngliHh. Russian and C'hinese. The English language will be spoken all-over North and South Atnerlea.

In Australia. India. Africa, New Zealaurf and the bilands of Australia and the Pavittc The KuMian tongue will have conquered all Europe except Great Britain, jd ail Asia eac-ept India. Chinese will bwid sway over the rst yf be world. Courleevjourtiel.) THE HOME OF AUSTIN GOLLAHFR, NAR HODGENVTT F.

KY. (Photographed expressly tor tU CouriaisIournaLJi r- i i i i i iiii it ii ii i i i i i i ii iiii i ii ii kpj Jx xyky'xy (EJ Wa v- Obeying the Book of Rules In This Case Meant Death and Disaster to Hundreds of 18S1-S2, tba writer sat In the waiting- room of the old Santa Fe depot at Trim dad. patiently watrhlng the bands of the clock aa they slowly, crept toward- tne point on the dial that Indicated midnight. California Express Na 104. east-bound was reported four hours late at Wallace and at Laa Vegaa It lost 80 minutea more.

A motley crowd waa gathered in that room, and aa the minutea wore Into hours, and the reports from the delayed train became more discouraging. It was apparent to all that daylight would still find us In Trinidad. A roaring fire blamed In the mammoth stove that stood In the middle of the room. and. wearied by the tedioua wait or made drowsy by the best, those who were so fortunate aa to secure them stretched out at full length upon the benches which lined the room.

In one corner, wrapped in his striped blanket, a Navajo buck snored lustily, while beside him upon the sat bis dusky squaw, her vigils keeping ever- and anon suckling an embryo Sitting Bull, who at other times stood strapped to a board leaned against a convenient bench. In another comer a party-of Mexicans snd cowboys, from a ranch up the "Plcketwtre," were playing "hicrh-flve." and the frequent JlngJng of ailver Indicated that it waa not for pastime only. A bevy of gaudllv dresd maidens, whose rich, olive ct.eeks and languishing, dreamy eyes beruXt their Spanish orig'n. cha'ted and laughed over the fun and frolic of the bsile which they had come down from El iJoro to attend the nlgbt before. Their escorts, bashful and awkward, occupied a bench at the opposite side of the room and contentedly smoked their cigarettes in silence.

A couple of miners from the famous "Ten Strike" were.slslng up their losses by the ticket window, and cursing Victoria and his devilish Apaches, whose bloody raids Into that part of New Mex ico bad made life in that part of the Black ran ice country sltogether too un pleasant for them. The merry clicking of i the telegrspn instruments tn tne aajom. Inc room could be heard, and occasion ally the sleepy operator would volunteer some cheerless Information as to the whereabouts and prospects of 104. Outside the wind Mew In fitful gusts, the snow sifting in through the crevices In doors and windows, only to last a brief moment In that stifling atmosphere. Through the small mullioned windows could be seen the flickering ft 1 t.v 'r i SECTIQIlmji VOLUME XXCIX.

NEW SERIES- NO. I0.4U7. LOUISVILLE. SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 26, 197. SUNDAY TRICE FIVE CENTS.

PASSING OF LINCOLN'S PLAYMATE. A THRILLING RAILWAY EMERGENCY street lamps, upon snow-covered wooden posts that stood like ghostly sentinels at long intervals on Commercial atseeu Diagonally across, and high, up in one of the. block on Msin gleamed a row of lights which marked the News office, where Editor Newell nightly prepared the mental pabulum on which the "unterrifled" of that day fed and waxed far. Near the bridge which spans the "Plcketwire" stood peg-legged Pete's dance house, and the sounds of revelry and debauchery borne upon the night wind, mingled weirdly and gruesomely with the dismal' creaking of the old wind-mill thst for so many years beld sway upon the opposite banaof the o'clock I turned to the telegraph window, when the following message posted on the bulletin board caught my eye: La Junta. Nov.

"Agent R. tlh 8 tart Engineer Murphy for La Junta at 1 a. m. with Eng. (3.

light. immediately determined to be a passenger on "tO" If 1 could get Murphy to carry me. About 1:30 Mr. Murphy ahowed up, and. presenting my credentials, he finally consented to take me along If I would promise not to fall out of cab window and disfigure the right of way.

I agreed to this provided he kept on the rails, so the matter was settled. Shortly after the fireman brought his engine out of the round-bouse, and, quickly signing his orders atid "oiling round. Murphy and the writer climbed on board, the latter as signed to a part of the fireman's seat. The "S3" was Alurphys pride; a swirt. powerful snd handsome slant that te- a ponded promptly to hla every touch and wish, and seemed almost human In its obed.ence.

Throwing forward the lever. Murphy took hts seat. and. shooting a quick glance ahead, to where the multi tude of switch lights flashed their nig-nala of warning or aafety. hia hand grasped the throttle, and a moment later we were off for an eighty-mile dash in the darkness of the night, with a clesr track aa far aa Thatcher, thirty-six miles away, where we were to meet "No.

to." and report" for orders. Slowly at first, then faster snd faster turned the huge drivers, until by the time we hsd reach ed the yard limits, and passed the laet friendly light, the old "S3" had warmed well un to her work, and was dancing along the rails like a thing of life. Not a word waa spoken until we slowea up for the Denver and Rio Grande crossing. at El Moro, when Murphy remarked that It waa about the blackest night he nsa ever gone- over the road. Again tie opened the throttle and.

with bell ring ing, and a lurid glow rroro the nre-oox throwing a weird, though beaut irul Rembrandt a gain at the Inky sky. we shot across the narrow gauge tracks and sped on our way. with one teg portly cross ed under him, and his raJtnrul lert arm atlll grasping the throttle, old Murphy sat motionless aa a ststue. his eyes peering through the narrow cab window, al though, save roathe reflection or tne headlight upon the track, ail waa aa black aa an Egyptian n'ght. At the time we sneak of.

Thatcher waa the only telegraph etatlon between Trin idad and La Kacn station, or si cling, however, wss provided with a tele- rraDh box. and ever train crew waa re quired to carry an operator and a porta ble Thus ir a trsin got ctr its time the operator would "cut-In" at the first -siding and report to the dispatcher for orders. Sometimes when the snow waa deep and the operator too short to reecb the box conveniently the messagea that emanated from those im- prevised offices would melt the plugs ut of the switchboard at La Junta. On we flew. pat ranches and dug-outs, over bridges snd round curves, until we had left Hoehnes.

Earls snd Tyrone far behind, although, aave for the occasional shriek of- whistle, announcing the -p roach to 8 station, snd an extra Jar aa we crossed the switch-frogs. there waa nothing to Indicate the viclnityof any? living thing. Suddenly rounding a curve the green signal light at Thatcher came Into view, and, with a glance at the stesm gauge snd another st his watch. Murphy opened wide the throttle, and as If maddened by the touch the Iron steed shot ahead, and with every nerve throbbing dashed down the half-mile level stretch and up the long grade, on the summit of which stood the station. A few minutes after getting our running orders the headlight of "103 showed up, and very soon the New Tork express thundered up slongride of us.

snd moment later was gone again, the tail lights on the sleeper looking like balls of fir as they dissolved in the darkness. Once more a board, with a down grade and a "regardless" order, the fireman curled up on the seat I bad vacated and was soon lost In slumber. I wss fortu- nate enouerh to have some cigars with me. and offering one to Murpny, was pleased to note that after lighting the same his grim, stern features relaxed, and. beckoning me to share his aest, seemed disposed to be sociable.

There war nothing to do but watch the steam gauge and keep an eye on the track ahead, and soon we were skimming along at a forty-five-mile pace. It transpired In conversation that Murphy wss tn old and before coming West bad put In some long and hard years or service on Eastern roads. Pressing blm tor some Incidents of life on the foot bos rd. he mellowed up al once and regaled me with story after story, all of which were replete with Interest, and many of them exciting to a high degree. Some of these hsd already worked their way Into print, but to be fully spprecisted should be told with all the wild accessories which surrounded them that wintry night.

Incidents In railroad life during the rebellion and during the Mcllie Magulre troubles In the coal regions, hairbreadth escapes from collisions and falling bridges, followed in quick succession, until I felt thst we were shout to repeat in fact what I was listening to In the story. After dashing through Iron Springs, the shrill scream of the whistle had hardly died away until the old man "shut her off" and slowed up for water at Tampaa. I waa quite overcome by fatigue and the strange experience of the trip and. while Murphy once more lubricated the muscles of old "3. I fell Into a dose from which I with difficulty awakened after he again came Into the cab and once more started ua on our Journey.

A fresh cigar Umbered him up again, and shortly after whistling for Berton, be took a few vigorous whiffs and said: "Now. young man. I'm going to tell you a story that has never been gotten into tbe newspaper It was away back In the early 70s. .4 at that time I waa pulling the midrlsbt express on the old Willlamsport and Catawissa road, my run being from Williamsport to Onakake. We were scheduled to leave Williamsport at 11:30 p.

but one Friday night, in September we were beld thirty minut-s to await transfer of passengers who had come down on the Northern Cer traL Now I alwaya get kind o' nervous when I register out late, especially If it happens on a Friday. I was more thst usually careful when 1 oiled around the old F. B. Gowan' that night (our engines were all named those daya) and I made the car inspector take another good look over the train before I got Into the cab. He reported everything -O.

K' and at 11:30 p. m. we pulled slowly out of the archway and were moon 1ktr)e along the weat branch of the Susquehanna, Muncy, Milton. Lewi. bury and Banbury successively were reached and passed, and although everything seemed ail right I could not by any means pick up the thirty minutes wo had lost at Williamsport.

Ordinarily It was easy, but that nlgbt It waa almpty Impossible to recover a minute of our lost time. and. tn fact, we pulled Into Tamaqua Just forty minutes late. There we got orders to run to Onakake but to meet extra north. Conductor Grey, at that point.

After algning th order we pulled out at once and were aoon spinning along until Rupert, Dan ville and Catawissa were car to our rear, when suddenly my fireman exclaimed: There's a red light out at Rin "Now. there wss no meeting point at Rlngtown down on the ca rd. and I held orders to run to Onakake so I waa a little shaken up when I saw that red signal. As we had a down-grade run, with good prospects of making up soma of our lost time, the sight of thst signal made me rather warm under the collar. but I shut off steam, whistled fat brakes, and brought the train to a full stop at the little depot.

1 found the operator alttlng Inside calmly smoking a pipe, and at once -demanded to by whose orders had been flapged. Without looking up from, the message he was sending, be calmly Informed me thai he had hung out the signal on hia own responsibility, tnj that no one that he waa aware of had given him any orders. He was a young lad of about seventeen. should Judge, with rosy cheeks and big brown eyes that looked right at you without flinching. Something in hia countenance told me that he would not stand much stirring up.

and. though I was boiling mad. I curbed my snger somewhat, and remarked: 'Look here, young man. when you get through monkeying with, that Instrument I will be pleased to hear you explain why you have taken It upon yourself to hold a passenger train without orders to do "Before he had time to reply I heard the whistle and distant rumble of an approaching train, and. rushing to the door, 1.

joked down the track, and there, lust coming round the curve, I saw the reflection of a headlight, which, coming nearer and nearer, finally atopped altogether, and I knew a north-bound train was taking the siding st the south end of the ya rd. Then the situation suddenly flashed upon me. "I was being held for a north-bound freight train which evidently had not been protected again at tba midnight ax- press. I excitedly thrust my hand In the pocket of my blouse and drew out my orders. Although the words seemed to swim before my eyes, there could be no mistake as to their meaning: 'Midnight express.

Encr Murphy, srUX run to Onakake regardless of ail traOna. tSlxned)' 'Midnight express, fSmfr Murphy, wtb meet extra, engine IOC, Cood'r Grey, aa OnakakA. (Signed) "Merciful God! Had not that red tight, which I dared not run by, stopped mo at that little station away up there among the Pennsylvania hills, the midnight express, with Its load of living freight, would have met and crashed Into the hesvy north-bound freight train not very far beyond that curve. For a moment I pictured the awful horrors of such a calamity: listened to the walla and ahrieks of the msngled and dying, and saw In Imsginstion the crushed and bloody corpses Intermingled with the debris of thst terrible wreck. Then my brain seemed to collect my scattered Ben sea.

While thus engsged the young operator came up and coolly inquired: Well, old man, have you found out what I flagged you forr I shook his band la a grasp thst nearly crushed it and replied: 1 knew something awful would happen to-night: but tell me how It ail occurred. "It was a short story, briefly "While smoking his pipe to help pass away the time end almost Involuntarily listening to the treses gea thai flew over the wires, he hsd heard an order for extra north. Conductor Grey, to meet the midnight express at Rlngtown. Some time after this he heard the operator at Port Clinton tell the dispatcher that owing to a hot box Grey would probably be thirty minutes Iste In get- -ting out. It wss now about 4 o'clock, and he waa Just getting his 'good night' from the opera tor at Danville (a mighty pretty young thing she was, too), when the dispatcher broke In with an order for tbe mldnirht expreea to meet extra north.

Conductor Grey, at Onakake. It was no uncommon thing to cancel a train order, and while he listened, quit -as a matter of habit and not of Interest, It soon passed from bis mind. When, however, the night express whistled for Rlngtown It flashed upon him thst bo hsd not heard anything over the wire cancelling the order of the extra to meet the passenger trsin st Rlngtown. He flew for his red lamp, which be quickly Ilrhted and swung across the track Just as the express appeared over the brow of the hllL "Who was to blame? Well, now, don't care to answer that. When the Superintendent had ua on the carpet the dispatcher furnished his order book, -and there waa the copy of a mesaags to the operator at Onakake to 'flag and bold north, Cord'r Grey, for which was underlined to show that it had been repeated back, and had tbo usual operator's the left-band corner.

"The operator swore point blank that he bad not received such a meaaage, -consequently he couldn't have repeated) It back. Grey and I were all right, for our orders went straight, and we took our runs aa ueuavl the next day. Tba Onakake operator, poor devil, waa fired, but between you and me I thought him Innocent, ard I believe to this day that that third trick man doctored his order book to cover up the But. aa Dooley used to say. 'It's hard to beat the and the dispatcher was not tven censured.

"The ofilciala suppressed this affair aa much as possible. a-d I doubt If half-dosen of the 300 passengers on the midnight express ever knew bow near to eternity they were on that awful Friday night. "What became of the young operator at Rlngtown. and who was her Well, now. I'll tell you.

and It'a God a truth, I'e Is fast working his way up the railroad ladder, and will some day get to the top. Just now he Is agent for th Santa Fe. at Trinidad, and his name as J. P. Ftynn (new chairman of tbe Colorado-Utah Traffic Association)." A long, shrill shriek from the old "C3." aa she went thundering down Anderson) hill, caused me to start and grasp the reverse lever.

In order tt keep my seat, and. rubbing my eyes, looked out at the dancing lights, and I knew that we were In the La Junta yards. But the story of th midnight express; was It real, or a dream, that grew oot the thrilling narrativeaof life on tbe rail, with which my friend of the footboard had been regaling me? Who can tell? can't, for Murphy-had gone and the hostler had already taken charge of the Old "63." CT A KM AN. Lsag-tMstaaes RoelaMII ty. "Did you meet any original people while yo were jr?" i ret an Fngl'shman who said he wished 1 would call oa bin cousin li Oai- urn, Xsaaa.

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