New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-11-08
Ea1s Upon . Railroad.

Ia ~ CAPACITY as railroad conductor, have fonnt
~ 6b0ve 70 ~ true to 4 letter-but mind, Ian
have few, and don't think there is man tina
lives but has more or less. A little kindness nov
I md then 10 the many needy ones a conductor vii
Rd almost every trip over his road will not be lost
md be Will, in many cases, find from his g brea,
cast upon the waters return fourfold. Yet b,
must use great deal Of judgment in bestowins
his charity upon even those he thinks entirely
worthy of such bestowal. I will, in connection
saved ny LIFE and the lives Of all the passengers
on t0ardlly tram.
The Western Division Of our road runs througha
& very m61nk ainons part Of Virginia, and the sta
foIs we're feW and far between. About three
miles nom one Of these stations. the road runs
thros9 deep gorge Of the Blue Ridge, and near
IT'D center y small valley and there, hemmed in
by ~ everlasting hills, stood small one and a
hall tf0ry log cabin The few acres that sur
rounded II were well cultivated as garden, and
up0n I'D fruits thereof lived widow and her three
Gfill4Reu, by the name of Graf. They were indeed
untaSed II the cold charities Of an outside world
doubt much # they ever saw the sun shine be-
yond their own native hills. In the summer time
the dFNn brought berries to the nearest station
- ~, and with the money they earned they
bought feN Of the necessities of the outside re-
NJ Oldest 81 these children / should Judge to
be shout twelve years and the youngest about
seven. They are all girls and looked nice and
elesn, md their healthfnl appearance and natural
deliGscy gaye them ready welcome. They APP
Z reared III II they had been brought up to fear
God, ma love their humble home and mother he ~
had often stopped my train and let them get off at
their home, having found them DIT the station some
three miles from home, after disposing of their
berries
had children at home, and knew their little
feet would be tired in walking three miles, and
therefore felt that it would be the same with those
fatheFless little ones. They seemed so pleased to
ride ~ thanked me with such hearty thanks,
alter letting them OF near home. They frequently
onefy4 me nice, tempting baskets of fruit for my
EnSllss9. vet never accepted any without paying
theif tlM valne.
NQW,M you remember, the winter of '54 was
very c0ld IN that part Of the State, and the snow
wassnesrly three feet deep upon the mountains.
~ the night Ut the 18th of December Of that
yeat, turned around warm and the rain fell in
torrents terrible storm swept the mountain
tops, md almost filed the valleys with water.
Upon that night my train was winding its way, at
if usual speed, around the hills and through the
syalleys and As the road bed was all solid rock,
had n0 lear OF the banks giving out. The night
was Intensely dark, and the wind moaned piteously
through the deep gorges Of the mountains. Some
81 my were trying to sleep. others were
talking e low voice, to relieve the monotony of
the scelle Mothers had their children upon their
knees N if II shield them from some unknown
danger without.
" ~ near midnight, when a sharp whistle from
Me engine brought me to my feet. I knew there
brakes At once, hut the brakesmen were all at
tneir post and soon brought the train to a stop
seized my lantern and found my way forward as
seen g. possible, when what sight met my gaze
bright nre OF pine logs illuminated the track for
some distance, and not over forty rods ahead of
or train horrible gulf had opened its nav to re-
ceiye us
The snow, together with the rain, had torn tile
Wnole slde "a We mountain out and eternity itself
seemed spread ont before us. The widow Graft
ana ner children had found it ont, and had brought
lghf brush nom their home below and built large
i nres to warn ~ Of our danger. They had been
~ aele MqIe taan two hours watching beside that
ons0f safety. AS went up where that Old
lazy ana children stood drenched through by the
I ra.as snd sleet she grasped me by the arm and
e Thank God! Mr.. shcrbourn, we stopped Won
81 yonE head should have been hurt Oh. / PRAYED
God thank Thee! n 800 = '-'.u ~
Ine children were crying for joy. / confess. /
aOnL very often pray, but / did then and there
kneeied down BY the side Ct TINT good old woman
ana ofered PIP thanks to an All Wise Being for our
saie deilyeralce from most terrible death and
called down blessings without number upon that
gooa oia woman and her children. Near by stood
me engineer, tremen and breaksmen, the tears
streaming down their bronzed cheeks
immediately prevailed upon Mrs. Graft and the
cnldren 70 30 back into the cars out of the storm
a sna COG. Alter reaching the related our
NJ
debted for our lives, and begged the men uassen.
gers 20 30 forward and see for themselves. They
needed no further urging, and a great many of the
ladies' went also, regardless Of the storm. They
soon returned, and their pale faces gave full eyi
dence Of. the frightfnl death we had escaped. The
iadies and gentlemen We'd with each other in their
tnanks and heartfelt gratitude towards Mrs Graft
eng her children, and assured her that they would
never never forget her, and before the widow leit
we nain She was presented with purse Of four
nehdred and sixty dollars, the voluntary Offering
e.. wnole train Of grateful passengers, She re-
iussa ne profered gift for some time. and said she
haa onty done her duty, and the knowledge Of
nasing done 80 was all the reward she asked
However, shc finally accepted the money. and said
IL should &c 70 edncate her children
Ing fallfoad company built her a new house.
gave her and her children life pass over tho raaS
and ordered all trains to stop and LET her n n;
home when she wished But the employees neada5
no such orders they can appreciate ali such kna'
ness more SO than the Directors themselves anu
The old lady frequently visits my home n II
and she is at all times welcome visitor at NV fire
side. Two Of the children are attending school q,
the same place.
So you may see that a little kindness cost M
nothing and saved my life, H.
CIDEa-MAkno WITHOUT PREssIsG.--It is state