Part 10 (2/2)
”I got on pretty well at first, for I was first in the field. I got in a theatre or two before the other young fellows caught on. About this time there was a dance, and I lost my grip. I took Madelene but couldn't dance, and all the others could, especially Dandy Tamplin, one of the train despatchers.
”I took private dancing lessons, however, and squared myself that way.
”Singing was a favorite mode of pa.s.sing the evenings with the young folks at the Bridges's home, and I cursed myself for being tuneless.
”It finally settled down to a race between Tamplin and myself, and each of us was doing his level best. I was so dead in earnest and so truly in love that I was no fit company for man or beast, and I'm afraid I was twice as awkward and dull in Madelene's presence as in any other place.
”Dandy Tamplin was a handsome young fellow, and a formidable rival, for he was always well-dressed, a good talker and more or less of a lady's man. Besides that, he was on the ground all the time and I had to be away two-thirds of the time on my runs.
”I came in one trip determined to know my fate that very evening--had my little piece all committed to memory.
”As I registered I heard one of the other despatchers, behind a part.i.tion, telling some one that he was going to work Dandy's trick until eleven o'clock, and then the two entered into a discussion of Dandy's quest of the 'old man's' niece, one of them remarking that all the opposition he had was Hopkins and that wasn't worth considering. I resolved to get to Bridges's ahead of Tamplin.
”But man--railroad man, anyway--proposes and the superintendent disposes. I met Bridges at the door.
”'Hopkins,' said he, 'I want you to do me a personal favor.'
”'Yes, sir,'
”'I want you to double out in half an hour on some perishable freight that's coming in from the West; there isn't one available engine in.
Will you do it?'
”'Yes,' I answered, slowly, showing my disappointment. 'But, Mr.
Bridges, I was particularly anxious to go up to your house to-night; I intend to ask--'
”'I know, I know,' said he kindly, taking my hand; 'It'll be all right I hope; there ain't another young chap I'd like to see go up _and stay_ better than you, but my son, _she will keep_, and this freight wont. You go out, and I'll promise that no one shall get a chance to ask ahead of you.' This was a friend at court and a strong one.
”'It means a lot to me,' said I
”'I know it my boy, and I'm proud to have you say so right out in meeting, but--well, you get those fruit cars in by moonlight, and I'll have you back light, and you can have the front parlor for a week.'
”On my return trip, I found a big Howe truss bridge on fire and didn't get in for two days. The road was blocked, everything out of gear and I had to double back again, whether or no.
”I was 'chewing the rag' with a roundhouse foreman about it when Old Andy came along.
”'Go on, Hopkins,' said he, 'and you can lay off when you get back. I'm going South with my car _and will take the girls with me_!'
”That was hint enough, and I said yes.
”It was in the evening, and while the fireman and I got our supper, the hostler turned my engine, coaled her up, took water and stood her on the north branch track, next the head end of her train, that had not yet been entirely made up.
”This north branch came into the south and west divisions off a very heavy grade and on a curve, the view being cut off at this point by buildings close to the track. The engine herself stood close to the office building, and after oiling around, I backed on to the train, bringing my cab right opposite a window in the despatcher's office. Just before this open window and facing me sat Dandy Tamplin at his key. I hated Dandy Tamplin.
”It was dark outside and in the cab, the conductor had given me my orders and said we'd go just as quick as the pony found a couple of cars more and put them on the hind end. Dennis had put in a big fire for the hill, and then gone skylarking around the station, and I was in the dark glaring at Dandy Tamplin in the light.
”The blow-off c.o.c.k on this engine was on the right side and opened from the cab. Ordinarily, you pulled the handle up, but the last time the boiler was washed out they had turned the plug c.o.c.k half over and the handle stuck up through the deck among the oil cans ahead of the reverse lever, and opened by pus.h.i.+ng it down. I remember thinking it was dangerous, as a man might accidentally open it. On the c.o.c.k was a piece of pipe to carry the hot water away from the paint work, and this stuck straight out under the footboard, the c.o.c.k leaked a little and the end of the pipe dripped hot water and steam.
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