Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-07-02
INCIDENT IN THE LIFE OF a LOCOMO
TIVE ENGINEER.

In returning from Philadelphia about the mid
die of August, 1858, the cars we're very crowded
and my companion in the same sea: with me, |
found out to be a Locomotive Engineer, and in
the course of our conversation he made the re-
mark, he hoped be had run his last trip upon a
Locomotive.
Upon making bold to ask him his reasons, he
gave me the following story. which since then l
have found out to be strictly true:
"Five years since l was running upon the N. re
c. r. R. My run was from BIO R.. 1t was the
lightning Express Train, and it was what its name
denotes, for it was fast a very fast run, and if 1 do
say il, the old Tornado could 60. l have seen her
throw her six foot drivers so as to be almost invisi-
BILE to the eye. And let me here remark, it is sup
posed by many that railroad engineers orc q hard
hearted set of men; they are hard It's true, but I
do claim to have as fine feelings, and a heart that
can sympathize with the unfortunate as any man
that breathes. But to my story.
About o mile from the village of B., there is a
nice little cottage, but q few feet from the track.
At that time n young married couple lived there.
They had one child, a little boy about four years
old, a bright, black-eyed, curly-headed little chap
as you ever saw. l had taken a great deal of in
terest in the little fellow, and had thrown candy
and oranges to him from the train, and 1 was sure
to see him peeping through the fence when my
train passed.
One fine sunny afternoon we were behind TINT
and running fast, nor did we stop at Band as
| was to make up one hour before reaching R,
we came up at a tremendous speed and when swee.
ping around the curve my eye following the track,
MI oror krro b,od,oJ co,k l.y ,.nt = ,
low, playing with a kitten which he held in his
lap. At the sound Of our approach he looked up
and laughed. clapring his little hands in high glee
at the affrighted kitten as it ran from the track.
Quicker than the lightning that blasts the tall tree
upon the mountain top, I whistled down
brakes and reversed my engine; but knew it was
impossible to stop. Nobly did that old engine try
to save him. The awful s~traiuing and writhing Of
its iron drivers told but two plainly of the ter
rife velocity We had attained. / was out of the
cab window and down on the cowcatcher in q
flash. The little fellow stood still; 1 motioned him
off and shouted his little blue eyes opened wide
with ast~onisbment, and merry laugh was upon
his lips. held my breath as we rushed upon him,
made a desperate attempt to catch him, but missed
and as his little body passed | heard the feeble CRY
of "mother !" and the forward trucks crushed bis
body to atoms.
Oh, God, that moment! / may live, sir, to be
an old man, but the agony of that moment car
never be erased from my memory. The car stop
ped some rods from the spot, and I ran back a,
soon as possible. His mother saw the train atom
and a fearful foreboding flashed upon her at once
She came rushing frantically to the spot vber,
we stood. Never shall l forget the look she cav,
me as she beheld her first born a shapeless mass
l would have given my whole existence TO hay,
} avoided that moment haV seen death in al
its forms upon railroads; l have seen men, womer
and children mangled and killed. have seen al
this, but that little innocent boy as he looked u,
/ in my face, and was killed almost in nv arms ::
unnerved me, and from that day 1 made q solemn
VOW never to run a locomotive more.
That young mother is now in the Utica Lunati,
. Asylum. From the hour her boy was killed reason
had left its throne"
, He stopped and wiped the tears from his eyes
and said, you may think it weak in me to shet
tears. but l cannot help it." "No," l replied. .sbu
t | think it noble and sir, would to God every mar
had a heart as large as yours"
have often thought since how few are tbos,
who give one passing thought of the man of stronr
nerve and stoutarm who guides them through dark
a to their journeys end. They do net for a momen
turn their attention to the iron monster that 4
dragging them for ward with fearful velocity I,
meet friends or relations, or homo and ali ID
loved ones. They do not realize that the man VIII,
guides the fiery monster holds all tho preston,
lives at his command, and that the least neelirene,
upon bis part could cause soriow and mournioI
in q thousand homes that are now waiting the re
turn OF absent loved once. Clege!aHa Rss,ew.