Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-06-07
MISCELL A N Y
A Thrilling Incident in the Life Of LO-
cOmOtvve Engineer.

A. Thrilling Incident in the Life Of LO-
comOtIve Engineer.
In returning from Philadelphia, about the
middle of August, 1858, tie cars were very
crowded, and my companion in the same seat, l
found out to be a locomotive engineer, and IN
the course of our conversation, he made the re-
mark he hoped he had run his last trip upon
locomotive. Upon making bold to ask his reas-
ons, he gave me the following story, and since
then have found it to be strictly true:
'sFive years since | was running upon the
New York Central Railroad. My run was from
B. to r.. 1t was the lightning ex-
press train, and was what its name denotes, for
it aoas fast have seen her throw her six foot
driver so as to be almost invisible to the eye
But to my story.
About half mile from the village of -,
there is nice little cottage but a few feet from
the track. At that time young married cou
ple lived there. They had one child, a little boy
about four years old, bright black. eyed curly
head little chap as you ever saw. had taken
great deal of interest in the little fellow, and
thrown candy and oranges to him from the train,
and was sure to see him peepiDg through the
fence when my train passed.
One fine sunny afternoon we were behind
time and running fast; we did not stop at Is
-, and was to make up one hour before
reaching r. We came up at tremen-
dous speed, and when sweeping around the
curve, my eye following the track, not over two
hundred feet ahead sat the little fellow playing
with kitten which he held in his lap at the
sound of our approach he looked up and laugh
ed, clapping his little hands in high glee at the
affrighted kitten as it ran from the track
Quicker than the lightning that blasts the tall
pine upon the mountain top, | whistled down
brakes" and reversed my engine, but knew it
was impossible to stop. Nobly did the old en-:
eine try to save him. The awful straining and
writhing of its iron drivers told but too plainly
of the terrific velocity we had attained | was
out of the cab window and down on the cow
catcher in a flash. The little fellow stood still.
motioned him off and shouted; his little blue
eyes opened wide with astonishmont, and mer-
ry laugh was upon his lips. held my breath as
we rushed upon him. made desperate attempt
to catch him, but missed, and as his little body
passed | heard the feeble cry OF Mother and
the forward trucks crushed his body to atoms.
o, God; that moment | may live, sir, to
be an old man, but the agony of that moment
can never be erased from my memory. The
cars stopped some rods from the spot, and ran
back as soon as possible. His mother saw the
train stop, and fearful foreboding flashed upon
uST ~ OUC6. Du0 Cdlu0 iuuoiu6 iohuO"Ay -"
the spot where we stood. Never shall forget
the look she gave Inc as she beheld her first born
shapeless mass. would have given my whole
existence to have avoided that moment! l
have seen death in all its forms upon railroads
| have seen men, women, and children, mangled
and killed. have seen all this, but that little
innocent boy, as he looked up in my face, and
died almost in my arms, it unnerved me- and
from tha. day l made a solemn VOW never to
run locomotive more.
That Young mother is now in the Utica Luna
tic 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 shed tears, but l
cannot help it." NO." replied, shut think
it noble; and, sir, would to God every man had
a heart as large as yours" have often thought
since, how few are those who give one passing
thought to the man of strong nerve and stout
arm, who guides them through darkness and
storms, with the speed of the wind, safely to
their journeys end. They do not, for moment,
turn their attention to the iron monster that is
dragging them forward with fearful velocity to
meet friends or relations. They do not realize
that the man who guides the fiery monster holds
all their precious lives at his command, and that
the least negligence upon his part would cause
sorrow and mourning in thousand homes that
are now waiting the return of the absent loved
oue.- Cleveland ReUieao.