The Brakeman — C.J. Petit

When Drew Campbell turned sixteen and had to leave St. Thomas Home for Boys, he knew he wasn't fully prepared to face the world on his own. But he thought his years as a blacksmith's apprentice would give him a start.But after failing to find work at any of the town's smithies, Drew traveled to Brainerd and found work in the Northern Pacific's maintenance yard as a common laborer.He was eighteen when he met pretty Anne McDuff and wanted to prove himself to her father. So, he volunteered for the well-paying job as a brakeman. The reason for the high salary was because it was one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. So, only those brave enough or stupid enough to believe they'd last long took the job. Or those who were smitten like Drew.Drew was lucky enough to survive almost two years as a brakeman but not lucky enough to marry the girl who'd driven him to risk his life each day.His run of good fortune ended on a cold, rainy day in April of 1884 as his freight train raced across the rugged terrain of Montana Territory.