The sparrow cleaned his bill upon his bosom, and said, "I should like to
see the worm that made that complaint."

"Come forward, worm," the eagle said. But when the worm appeared, the
sparrow snapped him up and ate him, after which he went on with his
argument against the cats.

HOW HE BROUGHT HIS ENGINE DOWN.

BY CHARLES BARNARD.

It was one of the most difficult parts of the whole line. A range of
high hills lay directly north and; south, and the railroad ran nearly
east and west; that is, the stations on each side of the range of hills
lay east and west, but to cross the range the road wound about in the
most complicated and curious fashion. At the summit of the range, where
the line crossed, there was a water tank, and a cross-over switch, and a
house for the line-man. This place was eight miles from the station, on
the east side, as the crow flies; by rail it was seventeen miles, a
steady up grade all the way. All the west-bound trains had to have help
in getting over this seventeen-mile grade, and for this service there
were several pushing-engines kept there to go behind the trains, and
help them up the grade. When the top of the grade was reached, the
trains went on, for there were no passengers to be taken or left there.
The line-man's house was the only house within five miles, and all the
rugged hills round about were covered with deep woods. The
pushing-engines that came up the grade usually stopped for a moment or
two for water, took the cross-over switch, and ran back on the down
track without using steam, as it was down grade all the way. Of course
all east-bound trains, both freight and passenger, came down without
help, and, in fact, without using steam, except to get a good start at
the top.

One day a long freight train moving west came to the foot of the grade,
and took on an extra engine to help it up the hill. This extra engine
stood on a siding, and when the freight had passed, it drew out on the
main line, and took its place behind the train. It was not coupled to
the train, as its duty was merely to push behind. There were about
thirty-five cars in the train, chiefly empty grain cars going west, and
with a "caboose" behind. There were half a dozen brakemen and the
conductor scattered along the train on top of the cars. All these points
you must remember, to understand what happened soon after.

The line for the seventeen miles up the grade is very crooked, with
several high em