Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-04-21
Frern the Cleveland RsTiew.
Incident In the Life OF LOcopaot:s .
Engineer.

AmeA0e0t In the Life OF q LOc ODl Otsg< I
Engineer.
| In returning from Philadelphia abou
the middle Of August, 1858, the cars were
very crowded, aud my companion in The
same seat with ne, / found out to be q
Locom olive Engineer, and in the course o.
Our conversation he made the remark, be
hoped he had run his last trip upon Lo.
connective.
| Upon making bold TO ask him his rea-
sons, he gave me the following story, and
since then have found out to be strictly
| true:
"Fiye years since ] was running upon
the N Y G. II. n. Ny run wes from
B-------- TO r.. il was tho iit.hh..
ming Express Train, and it was what its
name denotes, for it was fast-a very fast
run, and if l do say it, the old Tornado
could go. have seen her throw her six
foot drivers 30 as to be almost invisible to
the eye. And let me here remark, it is
supposed by many that railroad engineers
are hard-hearted set of men; their lives
are hard, It's true, but do claim to have
as fine feeling, and heart that can
sympathlze with the unfortunate as any
man that breathes. But to my story.
About half mile from the village Of
i, there is nice little cottage, but
few feet from the track At that time a
young married couple lived there. They
had one child, little boy about four years
old, bright, biack-eyed, curly headed
little chap as you ever saw. | hai taken
great deal OF interest in the little fellow,
aud bad thrown candy and oranges 10 him
from the train, and was sure to see him
peeping through the fence when my train
passed.
One fine sunny afternoon we were be-
hind time and running fast, nor did not
stop st 3, and | was to make up
one hour before reaching R. We
came up at Tremendous speed, and when
sweeping around the curve, my eye fol-
lowing the track, not over two hundred
ieet 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, clapping his little hands in high
elee at the aArishted kitten as 1t ran from
the track. Quicker than the lightning
that blasts toe tall pine upon the mountain
top, | whistled down brakes and revers
ed my engine, but knew it was impossible
save him. he awful strainins and writh
ing 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 fash. The little fel-
low stood still; motioned him of and
shouted j; his little blue eyes opened wide
with astonishment, and a merry laugh was
upon his lips. held my breath as we
rushed upon him, made desperate at
tempt to catch him, but missed, aud as his
little body passed heard the feeble cry
Of "Mother." and the forward trucks
crushed his body to atoms.
Oh, God ! that moment! l may i've,
sir, to be an old man, but the agony Of
that moment can never be erased lrom my
memory. The cars stopped some reds
from the spot, aal ran back as soon as
possible. His mother saw the train stop
and fearful foreboding flashed upon her
at once. She came rushing trantically TO
the spot where We stood. Never shall
forget the look she gave me as she bsheld
her frs. born shapeless mass. ] would
have given ny whole existence to have
avoided that moment! 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 was killed almost in my arms -
it unnervea me, and from that day | made
solemn vow never to run locomotive
1 more.
That young mother is now in the Utica
Lunatic Asylum. From the hour her boy
was killed reason had left its throne"
lie stopped and wiped the tears from
his eyes, and said,
You may think It weak in me to shed
tears, but | cannot help it,"
NO" | replied, "but think it noble
and, sir, would to God every man had a
heart as large as yours
/ have often thought since how few those
who give one passing thought Of the mar
Of strong nerve and stout arm, who guides
them through darkness and storms, with
the speed Of the wind, safely to their jour.
ney's end. They do net for a moment
turn thec attention to the iron monster
that is dragging them forward with fearful
velocity to meet friends or relations, OF
home and all its loved ones. They do no
realize that the man who guides the fer,
monster holds ali their precious lives a
his command, and that the least negligenc,
upon his part could cause sorrow ans
mourning in thousand homes that ar
now waiting the return Of absent Loves
ones. 3, B. IL.
] YANKEE DopaEs.--A correspondent @
: the Homestead gives ,ha following:
II won't do to laugh at Connecticut an.
J longer for Wooden nutmegs. New llaml