The Van Buren press., 1859-11-04
Misfella,lg.
The Brave Engineer.

AT the. railroad station in Syracuse, n.
Y. there is assigned to MIR. Glenn the duty
of arranging, each day, to which of the en-
gines the several trains are to be assigned,
SO that. as the hour Of departure for each
one comes, the engine will be ready to take
its burthen:
He was for number of years an engineer
in active service, distinguished for courage
and prompt resolution. There are some
instances of this, which by their incidents
ought not to be omitted from the roll of the
truly brave deeds done by men.
He was at his bar, his engine careering
on with the speed that only steam's strength
can give; the road was clear the busy
wheels kept their regular roll; the huge dri-
vers beneath his feet made swift circling,
and they who in the cars were borne on
ward, knew no obstacle in their Journey.
Everything moved on according to the card,
and they who were by the roadside, found
the car marking, by its passage, the mo.
mcnt as accurately as if it was the hand OF
q great dial. Suddenly he discovered q
small object near the rail. The human Wis.,
ion grows sharp beyond the opticians art
in such an instant. The object moved, as
sumed form, became only too apparent. 1t
was little girl playing with the dirt be-
tween the rails.
One may in the race pull the blooded
horse to his launches, and in brief space
control his movement; that springing mus
Gle has but d light weight to control; the
backward paddle soon changes the course
of the steamer; but this large engine. with
its rather rush than roll, ponderous, pow.
erful, so earnest in its motion that it must
have great space for rchange-how shall this
stop before it shall crush out Of all form oi
life the feeble child? The play with the
soil is Of such Importance that the little one
does not hear the roar of the wheels, or if il
does, it is the child of the cabin proximate
to the rail, and the sound is familiar one;
it continues its play, and nearer by an ad.
vance that is the very step of death, the
train comes toward it. Mr.. Glenn deter.
mined in test of accuracy Of judgment that
his train could not stop in time What il
it was checked, and the speed that was meas
uring the mile by the very few minutes, di.
minished. the death blow by the swiftel
would he the more merciful-destructio
was certain-the little one must meet the
force that would crush it from the record O
the living. and its play went on as If il
were at its mothers feet.
The brave man read the realities Of tn,
scene in an instant. He left the bar. Th'
freman's heart forgot to beat. AS for tn
passengers, they were acting out the every
day scenes of a common place, peaceabl
journey; perhaps the checked speed causet
somebody to lay down his newspaper. O
the intense scene without he knew nothing
He left the bar. and walked firmly owe
the top of the locomotive, over the boiler
past the smoke stack; he climbed over tn,
front, and down the step-like frame worl
of the pilot, and grasping that with . des
perate strength he leaned over! The bar
Of iron seemed to glide dizzily away beneatl
him, and now the struggle for the child wa
one between death and bravery. and as eve
in this mortal time. the King of Terror
seemed to have ell the might in his skeleton
band. He leaned over. He reached for
ward. and at the instant. at that period 9
time (moment is too long word TO ex
press this J that the cruel edge Of the pilo
lwAs about to crush the little ono, be strucl
the child; IL ever there Was . bold Low
touch, this was one; and the child laid Be