Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-07-13

ses. Is
ats not often man loses anything BY
kindness. know . little matter Of that sort
saved my life, and perhaps the lives Of many
others at the same time"
ssHcw was that W asked VIC Of our friend
Rawlings, the model conductor:
awhy, we had an Irislnnan on this road !
watching tunnel. Itwas warm weather, so |
he used to 90 into she tunnel to keep cool
rather think be used to take little liquor
when he was lonesome any way, he laid
down on the track one day to listen for the
cars. lie fell asleep, and very inprudensly |
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 <aacenily could, Tor you
know its not agreeable to be surrounded with |
distracted family when you're neither
doctor, nor nurse. nor preacher. Some
how ! was always sorry when passed that
place of course felt as if--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 Catholic,
and, as / was then on a very fast train, l
would sometimes take up the old woman on
Sunday and carry her to church at Martins
burg somehow thought it was a satisfac-
ton to her to go to church, for she had but
little chance in the world, any how. ] GER
tainly did not expect to get anything for it
in this world, and l expected they had so
much scored against Inc in the other that it
wouldn't amount to anything there.
"That was during the summer. One night
the next water it was very cold, and the
mountains were covered with snow We were
running to make time, when, on turning a
curve, the engineer saw waving light on
the track, and we soon heard some one ahead
shouting. was then out on the platform.
The engineer Stacked up and stopped the en-
CINE, and we got out and went ahead in the
dark to see what was the matter. There it
was. A large landslide had fallen across
the track, near the shanty of that old Irish
woman. She had built up a large fire and
watched for the train, for the curves wore SO
sharp that we might have been upon the
slide before we could see it. So, when We
4 run W, ahs-. the old lady. With hes
calico cap, swinging the chunk Of fire like a
revolving lighthouse, and there we're the lit
tie Irish carrying brush, like 50 many little
beavers. She had watched all that night in
the cold. But for her, in another minute we
should have run into pilo 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
passengers and train you can guess as well
as can"
We expressed hope that the old widow
had been properly rewarded.
"Thc passengers made up about eighty
dollars; the company afterwards gave ber
a shanty rent free, the brakemen and engi-
neers bought her COW, and she made out
very well. But when handed the money
to her that night, she said Gentlemen and
ladies, Pm thankful, and may ye niver know
the want of what ye give me. But what
did was mostly on account of him, there
He was kind and thoughtful to the poor and
the afflicted, and I'd watched till froze
before harrum should have come to him, if j
could ha helped it,"
"D-n the thing, it made me choke right
up"
"Passcn jars for the Relay-a-y." eDon't
forget your umbrella, sir ; there might be
an explosion, and you'd want it TO keep off
the cinders." ssLet me pass your bandbox,
MISS s'Take care of your little boy, mad
am, no insurance on him." "All right go
ahead :"