At the foot of this grade is a very abrupt curve and when
she struck it, I thought she bounded ten feet in the air. My hat was
gone, my hair was flying in the wind, and all the first fright was lost
in the feeling of exhilaration over the fact that _I_ was the one who
was controlling that great iron monster as she tore along the track.
I--I was doing it all by myself. It was like the elixir of life to an
invalid. My fireman came ever to me at one time and said in my ear that
I'd better call for brakes or the first thing we knew we would land in
the river. Brakes! Not on your life. I didn't want any brakes, because
if she ever stopped I wasn't sure that I could get her started again. We
made the run of thirty-five miles in less than an hour, and when we
reached Johnsonville I received a message from Mr. Hebron,
congratulating me on my success. But Bennett--well, the rating he gave
me was worth going miles to hear. He said that never in his life had he
taken such a ride, nor would he ever volunteer to ride behind a crazy
engineer again. But I didn't care; I had pulled the train in as I said I
would, and the engine was in good shape, barring a hot driving box.
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