Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-07-28
Fr ON the Republic.
An Interesting story. Wciftold,
Oh
Chat with the Conductor.

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! ..
IFS not often man loses anything by
kindness. know a little matter of tha,
sort saved my life, and perhaps the lives
of many others at the same time
'How was that!' asked we of our
friend Rawlings. the model conductor.
why, we had an Irishman on this
road watching tunnel. 1t was warm
weather, so he used TO 90 into the tunnel
TO keep cool. | rather think he used to
take a little liquor when he was lone
some: any way, he laid down on the
track to listen for the cars, and fell a.
sleep. and very impruden,ly got his
head cut off by the express train. Well,
there was the last of that Irishman.--
There was the devils own row in his
shanty when we took the poor fellow
up, and we got away as soon as we de-
Gently could. for you know it's not a.
greeable TO be surrounded with distract
ed family when you're neither a doctor
or nurse. or a preacher. Somehow
was always sorry when | passed that
place; of course felt as if--not exactly
the same shing--but just as if bad might
happen to Ne some day, and then there
would be another row in the family.
told my wife about it, and she sent the
family some little things. The widow
of the dead lrishman was q Catholic,
and. as | was then on very fast train,
| would sometimes take up the old wo
man on Sunday and carry her to church
at Martinsburg. i somehow thought il.
was satisfaction TO her 10 go to church
for she had but little chance in the
world. anyhow. | certainly did not ex
pect TO ge, anything for j: in this world,
and | expected they had so much scor-
ed agains, me in the other tha. il would
no: amount to anything there.
THAT was during the summer. One
night the next winter it was very cold,
aud the mountains were covered with a
deep snow; we were running to make
time, when, on turning a curve, the en-.
sineer saw waving light on the track,
and We soon heard some one shouting.
| was then out on the platform. The
engineer Stacked up and stopped the en-.
gine. and we got out and went ahead in
the dark 10 see what was the matter
There it wat. A large land slide had
fallen scross the track. near the shanty
of the old Irish woman. She had 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 il. So. when we run up.
!here was the old lady, with her calico
cap, swinging the chunk of fire like a
revolving lighthouse, and there were the
llnle Irish carrying brush. like SO many
little beavers. She had watched all tha,
nigh. in The cold. But for her, in ano-
tier minute we should have run into
pile of dirt and stone as big as Barnum's
Hotel. should have got pit ticket
certain, for was on the platform
What would have become OF the pass
engers and train you can guess as well
as can.'
We expressed hope that the old
widow had been properly rewarded for
her kindness. .
The passengers made up about eighty
dollars; the company afterwards gave her
shaniy rem. free, the brakemen and
engineers bought her a COW, and she
made on, pretty well. But when give
her the money that night. she said:
Gentlemen and ladies'. I'm thankful,
and may We niser know the want OF this
what ye give me. But what did was
mostly on accoun, Of him, there. He
was kind and thoughtful to the poor and
the afflicted, aud I'd watched ill I'd a
froze afore harrum should have come to
him, ef could helped H.
.Confound the thing, j; made me choke
right up
'Passen jars for The Rela.a-y. Don'i
forge, your umbrella, sir; there nigh, be
an explosion, and you'd want it 10 keep
off the cinders. lie. me pass your band
box, miss. Take care of your little boy,
madam. no insurance on him. All right!
60 ahead!'