Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-03-24
The Brave Engineer.


A, the sts,ion in Syracuse, New York,
there is assigned to Mr.. Glenn the duty oil
arranging each day TO which Of the engines
the several trains are TO be assigned, so
that as the hour of departure for each cones
the engine will be ready to tske it's burden.
He was for a number of years an engineer
in active service, distinguished for courage
and prompt resolution. There some in-
stsnces OF this, h.ch, by their incidents,
ought not to be emitted irom the roll of the
truly-brsve deeds done by men.
He was at his bar, his engine careening
on with the speed that only sleams strength
can give; the road was clear; the busy
wheels kept their regular roll; the huge
drivers beneath his feet made swift circling,
and they who in the cars were SUrpe on
ward, knew no obstacle in their journey
Every thing moved on according to the card.
and they who were by The roadside found
the car marking, by its passage, the moment
as accurately as il it was tie hand OF a
great dial. Suddenly. he discovered small
object near the rail. The human risien
grows sharp beyond the opticians art in
such an instant. The object moved, and its
form becHme only too apparent. II was
little girl playing with the dirt between the
rails.
One may in the race pull the blooded
horse to his launches and in brief space
control his movement; that springiDg mus
Gle has but light weight 10 control; the
backward paddle soon changes the course
of the steamer; but this large engine, with
its rather rush than roll, pcnderous, power
ful, in earnest, in its motion that it must
have great epace of change, low shall this
stop before it shall crush out of all form of
life the feeble child! The play with the
soil is of such Importance that the little one
does not hear the ro5r o: the wheels, or II
she does, it is the child OF q cabin proximate
10 the rail and the sound is ismiliar one
it continues its play, and nearer, ~ an ad-
vance than is the very step Of death, the
train comes tow ard it. MIR. Glenn deter
mined in a test accuracy Of sdgment that
his train could not stop in line! What if
il was checked, and the speed that was
measuring the mile by the very few minutes,
diminished. the death blow by the switter
would be the more NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
was certaiH-the little one must meet the
force that would crush it from The record OF
the living, and it. play went on as if it were
at its mothers feet.
The brave man read the realities of the
scene in an instant! He left his bar! The
freman's heart forgot to beat; as for the
passengers, they were acting out the every
dav scenes OF a commonplace peaceable
journey; perhaps the checked speed caused
somebody to lay down his newspaper; of the
intense scene without he knew nulhing
He lett his bar, and walked firmly ever
the top of the locomotive, over the boiler,
past TIE smoke stack, he climbed over the
front end down the step like framework Of
the pilot. and grasping that with despe-
rate strength, he leaned over! The bars Of
iron seemed to glide dizzly away beneath
him, end now the Struggle for the child sas
Que between death and bravery, and as ever
in this mortal time, the King of TeErors
seemed to have all the might in his skeleton
hand He leaned overI he reached forward
and at the instant, at that period Of TING
moment is too long word to express this
AS the cruel edges OF the pilot wac eboul
10 crush the little one, he, not the locomo-
tive, struck the child; if ever there was 6
bold love touch this wa: one; aud the child
laid between the ties! and on :he fast train
darted. Then down weni the brakes; the
strong arm OF the brakesman strained tbs
wheel lever TO crowd the delaying surface
against the speed; then the passeDgers
aroused to find the train comisg to o halt
while neither staten nor tank was near
then this brave man trod his locomotive tnt
back again, and as soon as the power OF thu
advance could be subducd. jumped from hi
iron step and ran down the road. The Won
der was that sgitsted limbs could move 81
fast, and here--there was the child, livin.
unharmed, not bone broken. not quic re
covered from It's establishment at the life
giving blow which had turned aside The dar
of death.
Restored to its parents, who ihronget
around It's deliverer, the little on, 90 young
10 realize that it had quive:ed on the yer,
verge of another world, was taken home
Nr. Glenn returned TO his engine. and III,
locomotive careersd to its grand progress
with not q stein of blood upon its burnishe!
metal.
And is not ii is the record of the deed o
the highest order o. biaIery, lie courag
that saves lifei