Smyrna times., 1859-07-21
MISCELLNAN EOU
A THRILLING INCIDENT,

In returning to Philadelphia about the mid
die of August. 1858, the cars were very much
crowded, and my companion in the same sea-
with me found out to be locomotive engi
nesr, and in the course of our converse ton he
made the remark that he hoped he had run hi:
last trip upon locomotive.
Upon making bold to ask the reason, he gave
me the following story, and since then l have
found it out to be strictly true:
"Five years since 1 was running upon the
New York Central Railroad. My run was from
B. to R. IL was the " lightning ex-
press Train" and il was what its name denotes,
for il was fast--a very fast run; and. If do
say it, the old "Tornado" could 90. have
seen her throw her six feet driver so as 10 be
most invisible TO the eye. And let me here
remark, it is supposed by many that railroad
engineers are ard hearted set of men. Their
lives are hard, it Is true, but do claim 10 have
as line feelings, and heart that sympsthizes
as much with the unfortunate as any man that
brea!hes. But to my story:
"About hafa mile from the village of B
there is a nice little cottage but few feet from
the track. AT that time young married couple
lived there. They had one child, little boy
a0Hut IOur years Olu--d DElsntt OldCh eyeus
cury.headed little chap as you ever saw. |
had taken a great deal of interest in the
little fellow, and had thrown candy and
oranges to him from he train, and | was
TO see him peepIng through the fence when my
tram passed.
"0ne fine sunny afternoon we were behind
time and running fast, and did not stop at
B. and was to make up one hour before
reaching R. We came up tremendous
speed and when sweeping around the curve,
my eye following the track, not over two hum
dred feet ahead sat the little fellow playing
with kitten which he held in his lap. AT the
sound of our approach he uoked up and laughed,
cappng his little hands in high glee at the
afrghted kitten as it ran from the track
Quicker than The lightning that blasts the tall
pine upon the mountain top. whlstled down
brakes,' and reversed my engine, but knew 1t
was impossible to stop. Nobly did the old en-
CINE Try to save. The awful s,ralning and
wrlthing Of its iron drives told but too plainly
of he terrific velocity we had attained. ! was
out Of the car window and down on the cow
catcher in fash. The little fellow stood still.
Imotioned him off and shouted his lttle black
eyes opened wide with astonshment, and
merry smile was upon his lips. | held my
breath as we rushed upon him, made desper-
his rlle body passed heard the feeble cry of
muther = and the forward trucks crushed him
Ia atoms
40 God, that moment! | may live, sir, to
be an old man, but the asOay OF that moment
can never be erased from my memory. The
cars stopped some rods from the spot, aud ran
back as soon as possible. His mother saw the
train stop, and fearful orebodiag flashed uFOn
her at once. She came rushing frauticaly to
the spot where we stood. Never shall forget
the looG she gave me as she saw her first born
shapeless mass. | would have given my whole
existence to have avoided that moment. |
have seen dealh in all Its forms upon railroads; /;
Ihave seen men, women and children mangled
and killed have seen all this, but that little
innocent boy, as he looked u in my face, aud
was killed almost in my arms-It unnerVed
me, and from that day ! made a solemn vow
never 10 run locomotive more.
1" That young mother Is now in the Utica Lu-
natIc Asylum. From the hour her boy was
killed reason had left its throne" lie stopped
and wiped the tears from his eyes, aud said,
"YOu NAV think it weak Of me to shed tears,
but cannot help it,
"No" replied, but think it noble; and,
slr, would to God every man had heart as
large as yours
have cften thought since how few are those
who give one passing thought to the man oi
strong nerve and a stout arm who guides them
through darkness and storms, with the speed oi
the wind, safely to their journeys end. They
DO not, for a moment, turn their attention to
the iron monster that s dra gging them forward
with fearful velocity, to meet friends or Tela-
tiVes They do not realize that the man who
guides the fery monster holds al! their precious
lives at his command, and that the least negli
gencs upon his part would cause sorrow and
mourning in a thousand homes that are waiting
the return of the absent loved ones.