Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-07-13
A Thrilling Incident in the Life Of a Lo.
comotive Engineer.

comotive Engineer.
In returning from Philadelphia, about
the middle of August, 1858, the cars were
much crowded, and my companion in the
same seat found out to be locomotive
engineer, and in the course of our couver-
sation, he made the remark he hoped he
had run his last trip on locomotive Up
on making bold to ask his reason, he gave
me the following story, and since then
have found it to be strictly true:
"Five years since, was running upon
the New York Ceutral Railroad. NV run
was from B to R. 1t was the
lightning express trairs and was what its
name denotes, Ios s;ssr FIT I aB Bbazs u q seen
almost invisible to thar eye. But to my
story.
About half mile from the village of
-, there is nice little cottage but
few feet from the track. At that time
young married couple lived there. They
had one child, little boy about four years
old, as bright black-eyed, curly-head lit
tie 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 used to see him peep.
ing through the fence when my train pass
| ed.
One fire sunny afternoon we were be-
hind time and running fast; we did not
stop at B, and was to make up one
hour before reaching R. We came
up at tremendous speed, ard when sweep
ing 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 laughed, clap
ping his little hands in high glee at the
afrighted 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. No
bly, did the old engine try to save him.
The awful straining and writhing of its
iron drivers told but too plainly of the ter
rife velocity we had attained. was out
of the cap window and down on the cow
t catcher in flash. The little fellow stood
still. motioned him off and shouted; his
, little blue eyes opened wide with astonsh-
, meut, and a merry laugh was upon his lips.
| held my breath as we rushed upon him,
!, made desperate attempt to catch him,
5 but missee, and as his little body passed |
S heard the feeble cry of "Mother," and the
forward trucks crushed his body to atoms
Oh, God! that moment may live
IS sir, to be an old man. but the agony oi
K that moment can neysttsbe erased from my
u memory. The stopped some rods
a from the spot, and ran back as soon as
possible. His mother saw the train stop
e and fearful foreboding flashed upon hel
at once. She came running frantically tc
e, the spot where [ stood. Never shall for
n get the look she gave me as she beheld
N her frst-born a shapeless mass. [ woulo
N have given my whole existence to havt
avoided that moment have seen deatl
TX in all its forms upon railroads. have seer
to men, women and children, mangled ant
ur killed. have seen all this, but that littl
innocent boy, as he looked up in my face
d, and died almost in my arms, it unnerve'
Is. me, and from that day made a solemn
elf VOW never to run locomotive more.
p That young mother is now in the Utic
lis Lunatic Asylum. From the hour her bo
od was killed treason had left its throne" y
us He stopped and wiped the tears from b
pt eyes, and said-"You may think it is wea
'as in me to shed tears, but cannot help it.
so "No," | replied, "but think it noble; ant
nd sir, would to God every man had hea1
De- as large as yours" have thought sine
TX how few are those who give one passin
ut thought to the man of strong nerve an
es, stout arm, who guides them through darl
at ness and storms, with the speed of IL
old wind, safely to their journeys end The
1ot do not, for momont, turn their attentic
He to the iron monster that is dragging the
ex- forward with fearful velocity to meet frien
Inn or relations. They do net realize that tt
tn, man who guides the fiery monster hol
= all their precious lives at his command, al
all that the least negligence on his part wou
cause sorrow and mourning in thousa1
uc- homes that are now waiting the return
her the absent one.-CIeaUeldnd ReUiew.
the