The Engineer's Last Run

"File in the diainonds, Toro, for the run ia long, And the Lake Shore train from the East is a little late; And the moment we hear the tap oí the depot gong The old girl wants to strike her liveliesi gait. 'he night is as black as death, and the wind is in the west, And the sky nbovo us ia streaked with dusky bara : Whether it storm or nol. the night will be dark at best, For that climbirg bank of clouds is blotting out the stars. "I wiah we oould start ou tinie, Torn, for we're pullin' a heavy train - ïhree coaches, a smoker.two Pullmaii,baggage, expresa and mail ; And the old girl leans at the draw-bar as though she oould feel the strain - i can see her holding her driyers awfully close to the rail. There goes the gong; look out, Tom, the signal is on your side, 'Afraid!' I hear him; what does he signal ? 'All right,' say you? 'Go ahead I' Now, girlie, we'U give these folks in the sleeper an all-night ride, And we'U laugh at the Mississippi ere the eastem skies are red. "Steady, oíd girl ! Go easy ; look out for yourself - don't slip; Look at yon, now! Hold close - that's right - there aln't no hurry just yet ; Here's a handfnl of sand for your drirers; it'ü help yon hold your grip - Look out for that crossing - don't stnb your toe - easy, old girl; don't fret. Now then, you run a little ; we haven't no time to dream; ril just let yon take a six-mile gait till we're well outside of the yards; Now we're past Grand Crossing - now rush right along - just help yourgelf to steam, And we'll give old Time and distanoe our swiftest and best regards. "Ha, ha ! Do you feel her quiver, Tom? It's a little too fast, I know, She knows she has time to make up - she's running so wild and so glad; Vnd I haven't the heart to hold her, Tom, when I see she wants to go; When I know by the throb of her nervous pulse that she wants to run so bad. "It mnst be nearly morning, Tom, the night lias worn away, But the skies grow blaeker and darker, it seema, as the weary night wears on ; And though I can teil by the smell of air that it must be nearly day, Yet the olouds have blotted out the stars that should pale in the early dawn. She shows two guages, doesn'tshe Tom? this light, I oan't see - The very headlight shows dull and dim falters as it fliokers along the rails; I reokon I'm nervons with this long run; and it always seems to me That along in the early morning, a fellow weakens and fails. "We must be near the river, Tom; I wish I oould see it now; Bnt we'll hear it sweep round the great stone pier, I reckon, by and by; We're right on time, and I don't feel afraid of anything, but somehow I wish I could see oíd Burlington's hills uplooming against the sky. Just feel her spring ! how eager she seems ! how faster than Ufe she goes ! Hear, when I touch the whistle. what agony in her scream; nd yon cannot oount the whirling miles that over her shoulder she throws - Why, the mght'a run seems to me, boy, like a strange, wild, unreal dream. "My hand is heavy, the whistle I blew just now I oould not hear; And your voice is so strange and distant, Torn, I oan't teil where you are. Have we dropped the train? Iteroar ishnshed- but murmuring cold and clear, I oan hear the sweep of the river -it oan't be very far. The headlight's out, and this air brake, boy - it won't work any more ; There's something wrong, but 111 drive anead ; there is no canse f or f ear - It's dark and still as the grave behind, it's dark on the track before But the signal-lights are set all right - 'the track ahead is clear. ' "The river is close ahead, boy, I can hear its ceaseless flow Thongh I cannot see in the darkness the rush of its chilling tide: It isn't the Mississippi, Torn, it's some river that I don't know, And the shadowy sweep of its waters is dark and cold and wide. There ain't no bridge I can see, Tom, but I know the way is sure, And I'm going to pull right straight ahead through the quiet, starless night, For I see across the river, and white and clear and pure, The signal-lights burn steadily, and they're set- 'Come ahead. All richt !' "