The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-08-03
Interesting story-Wen Told.

uo IolOWHS cACltluS anu dItiStlC6lly
told story we copy from the Washington
Republic. The hero. Conductor Rawlings.
we know well and intimately, and more
gentlemanly, polite and humane man does
not live. He has lately been transferred
from the Main Stem, to the Washington
Branch Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road, where he now daily fills the respon-
sble post as Conductor Of one OF the many
passenger trains running between this city
and ashington:-
CHAT WITH THE Championships not
often that man loses any thing by kind
ness. know little matter of that sort
saved my life, and perhaps the lives OF.
many others at the same tme.''
"How was tha,?" asked we Of our friend
Rawlings, the model conductor.
"Whv, we had an Irshman on this road
watching a tunnel. 1t was warm weather.
so he used to go into the tunnel to keep
cool. rather think he used to take a lit
tie liquor when he was lonesome; any way,
he laid down on the track one day to lis
tenforsthe cars. He fell asleep, and very
imprudently got his head cut off by the
express train. Well, there was the last OF
that Irishman. There wasthe devils own
row.in his shanty whsE We took the pocs
fellow up, end We got away as soon as we
decently could, for you know it's not a
greeable to be surrounded with distract
ed family, when you're neither doctor.
nor nurse, nor o preacher. Somehow
was alway sorry when passed that place;
of course Ifelt as i-not exactly the same
thing but just as bad might happen to me
some day., and then there'd be another
row in family. | told my wife about it,
and she sent the family some little things.
The widow of the dead Irishman was a
catholic, and, as was then on very fas,
train, ! would sometimes take up the old
woman on Sunday. and carry her to
church at Martinsbnrg. | somehow tho'i
it satisfaction TO her to 60 TO church, ioI
she had but little chance in the world, any
how. | certainly did not expect to gel
any thing for it in this world, and expect
ed they had so much scored against me in
the other that it wouldn't amount to much
"That was during the summer. One
night the next winter it was very cold, and
the mountains were covered with snow
we were running to make time. when, on
turning curve, the engineer saw waving
light on the track, and we soon heard some
one ahead shouting. was then out the
platform. The engineer. Stacked up anc
stopped the engine, and we got out ane
went ahead in the dark to see what wa:
the matter There it was. A large land
slide had fallen across the track, near the
shanty of that old Irish woman. She hae
built up large fire and watched for the
| train, for the curves were so sharp that we
might have been upon the slide before we
could see it. So, when we ran up. there
was the old lady, with her calico cap
swinging the chunk of fire like revolving
lighthouse. and there were the little lrisf
carrying brush like so many little beavers
She had watched all that night in the cold
But for her, in another minute we shoule
have run inio pile Of dirt and stone a.
big as Barnum's Hotel. ! should have 60
spit ticket" certain, for was on TIT
platform. What would have become o
the passengers and train you can guess a.
well as can"
We expressed hope that the old wild
ow had been properly rewarded.
"The passengers made up about eighty
dollars; the company afterwards gave he
a shanty rent free, the brakemen and en-
gineers bought her COW, and she mad
out very well. But when l handed tn
money to her that night, she said: Gentle
men and ladies, I'm thankful, and may y
niver know the want of what We give me
But what did was mostly on account Q
him, there. He was kind and thoughtfu
to the poor and afflicted, and Id watch
ed till froze before harrum should hav
come to him, if could have helped it. .
"D-n the thing, it made me choke rigl
! up"
tsPassen-jar for the Rela-a.y." don
forget your umbrella, sir; there might b
an explosion, and you'd want it to kee
J off the cinders." .'Let me pass your ban
box miss sTake care Of your little boy
madam. no insurance on him. "a
right go aheadp'
Il L Get possession Of the whole world
II and if you measure your own shadow, 20
Twill not find it one jot longer than before