Page:McClure's Magazine volume 10.djvu/208

possibly get there, was awaiting our arrival.

Within ten feet of where I intended to stop, the coupling-pin of the tender broke, and on her next leap ahead she tore loose from safety-chains and feed-hoses, leaving it behind. I got down the best way I could; for besides being killed, I was starved to death; and telling the round-house foreman he had better get the fire out of her, as the water was rather low in the boiler, I started to look her over, but seeing a broken equalizer, and immediately afterwards a break in the frame, I gave it up, and simply wrote on the slip, "Engine 207 wants to go in the back shop," filed my report, and went home. I stayed home two days, recuperating, and when I returned, I found an order in the engineer's box for me to call at the office and get my time.

I met the master mechanic coming out as I was going in. He didn't even look at me, but I called him by name, and asked why I was discharged. He stopped, looked at me a moment in superlative contempt, and said:

"I don't know, I'm sure. I don't see how this company can afford to dispense with the services of such a valuable man as you are."

I said no more to him, but went at once to the superintendent's office. Fortunately, I found him in, and, for a wonder, unoccupied. When I presented myself, he looked up inquiringly, and without a word I laid the bill of my time on his desk. He looked at it, and said, "Well, what's wrong with this? Isn't your account all right?"

"Oho!" thought I, "he sings a different tune from what he did the other day." So I reminded him that he had promised me that I should not be discharged for what I had done.

"I don't know that you are discharged for that," said he, coldly, as he handed me back my bill; "what did Mr. Seely say he discharged you for?"

I told him the answer Mr. Seely had made to my request for information, and he promised to inquire into it, saying that he would be as good as his word and that I should not be discharged on that account. I asked him when I might expect to hear from him, and he said he couldn't tell, was very busy just now, but as soon as he had time.

I waited in suspense three weeks, and as it would soon be pay-day, I thought I had better find out if I was to sign the pay-roll for the last time or not. So again I called on the gentleman, and he told

"I SAW AHEAD OF ME A MAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK, LANGUIDLY WAVING A RED FLAG."

me, with a surprised look, that he had sanctioned my discharge ten days ago. He said the master mechanic reported that I brought the engine in a total wreck and