The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-08-09
Lie mon q Iii Roal.

There is an old saying tha, the friend
ship Of q dog is better than the ili-will, and
Tor MANY years in my capacity as a rail-
road conductor, have found tie saying
true to the letter--but mind, am not say
Ing that have no enemies. l undoabted
ly have few and | don't think man
livesswh ho has not more or less. \ little
kindness, pow and then, 20 the many needy
ones a conductor will find almost every
trip over his road, viii not be lost. aud
he will, in many instances. find lis bread
cast upon the waters, returned feur-iold.
yet be mus; use good deal of judgment
In bestowing his charity upon those lie
thinks entirely worthy Of his bestowal. l
WILL in this connection, relate an incident
By which little kindness saved my life.
and the lives Of all the passengers on lie
train.
the western division of our road runs
through a very mountainous part of Nir
ginia. and tie stations are few aad far be
tween. About three miles from one Of
those stati, as, tie road run through deem
gorge of the Due Ridge, and near tie
center is a small valley, and there, hem
med ii by the everlasting hills. stood a
small oneand a half story log cabin. Tie
few acres hat surrounded i, were well cul-
,ivated as garden, and on the fruits
! thereof lived widow aal hei three child
rem, by the name of at They were,
indeed. untutored in the cold charities oi
the outside world doubt much If they
ever saw the sun shine beyond their own
native hills
! In the summer time the children brought
berries TO the nearsss market to SELL and
with the money they earued they bought a
few of the necessities OF r.fnemsnt
| The eldest one of these children | should
Judge to be about Twelve years Of age, and
the youngest seven. They were all girls,
and their natural delicacy gave them a
ready welcome. l had often stopped my
/ train and let them of at their cabin, hav-
ing found them at the station some three
miles from home. after disposing of their
4 berries.
/ | had children st home. and I knew
their little feet would set tired IN walking
three miles. and | felt that il would Be-
the same with these fatherless little ones.
They seemed Sc pleased 10 ride, and thank
ed me so heartily, after letting them of
near home. They frequently offered me
nice. tempting baskets Of fruit for my
kindness, yet never accepted any with
ou. paying the full price for them.
Now, ii you remember the winter of
1854 WAS v-ry cold liz that part OF the
Slae. and the snow was nearly three feet
deep oh the mountains.
On the night of December Goth of that
year, it turned warm and rained torrents.
A terrible storm swept the moun,aiB tops,
and almost filed tie valleys with water
Upon that night my train was winding
its way with lis usual Ispeed around the
hills and through The valleys. and as the
road bed was all solid rock, had no fear
of the banks sivine out The night was
intensely dark, aud the wind howed pite-
ously through the deep gorges of the
mountains. Some of my passengers were
trying to sleep, others were talking in q
low tone, 10 relieve monotony of the time
Mothers held their children on their knees
as if to shield them from sone unknown
danger without. 1t was near midnight
when sharp whistle from the engine
) brought me to my feet. knew there wa:
some danger by that whistle. and spruns
to III brakes at once, bat the brakesmer
| were all at their posts. and soon broush
the train to stop. went forward a.
. soon as possible, when what sight me
) my gaze A bright fire of pine logs illu
minated the track for some distance, ans
not over forty rods ahead OF our train,
$ horrible gull yawDed to receive US
The snow together with the rain, haI
. loosened the whole side Of the mountain
and eternity itself seemed spread ont be
fore us. The widow Graft and her child
rem had found it out, and brought ligh
brush and wood, and built large fire. an,
: warned us Of our danger. They had bee
. there more than an hour watching besid
that beacon of safety. AS l went up t
where the good old lady stood drenche