The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1853-07-22
Chat with the Conductor

lts no, often man loses anything
10y kindness. know little matter ni
that sort tha, saved my life, and perhaps
the live Of many others at the same
time
How was that 2 asked we Of our
friend Raw ling, the model conductor.
Why, We had an lrishmaH on this
road watching the tunnel II was warm
weather, SO he used TO 90 into the tnn-
mel 10 keep cool. rather think hc used
to take little liquor when he was lone.
some. lie laid down on the track one
day TO listen for the cars lie fell
asleep, and very imprudcntly got his
head cut off by the express train Well,
that wns 'hc last of the poor lrishman.
We TOOK him up and carried him 10 his
,haniy. somehow ! was sorry when |
passed that place Of course felt as if
not exactly the same ihing--but just
as bad might happen 10 me some day.
told my wife about it, and she sent the
family some little things.
The widow of the dead lrishman was
n Catholic, and as then was on "A very
fast train, | would sometimes take Up
the old woman on Sunday and carry
her to church, at Martinsburg. | some
how thought it was u satisfaction to her
10 60 TO church, for she had but little
chance in the world, anyhow. GER
tainly did not expect to get anything for
it in this world and | expected they
had SO much scored against me in the
other, that it wouldn't amount 10 any.
thing there.
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 trace, and
we soon heard some one ahead shout
ing. ! was then out on the PLATFORM
The engineer Stacked up and stopped
the engine, and we got out aud went
ahead in the dark 10 see what was the
matter. There it was. A large land
slide had fallen across the track, near
the shanty Of that old Irishwoman.
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 it,
So we run up; there was the old lady,
with her calico cap. swinging the chunk
of fire like a revolving light house, and
there were the little Irish carrying brush,
like so many beavers. She had watch
ed all that night in the cold. But for
her, in another minute, we should have
run into pile of dirt and stone as big
as Barnum's Hotel ! should have cot
"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.
"The passengers made up about
eighty dollars the company afterwards
gave her shanty rent free; the brake
men and engineers bought her a COW,
and she made out very well. But when
| handed the money to her that night,
she said, Ginilemen and ladies, am
thankful, and may you niver know the
want Of what ye give me. But what /
did was mostly on account of him there.
lie was kind and thoughtful to the poor
and afflicted, and I'd watched till froze
before harrum should have come TO him,
if could a helped it,"
Darn the thing, il made me choke
right up"
Passenjars for the Ralay." Don't
forget your umbrella, sir; there might
be an explosion, and you'd want it to
keep off the cinders." Let me pass
your bandbox, miss" "Takc care Of
your little boy, madam, no insurance on
him. An right 90 ahead - Wash
.ngton Repub.