Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1860-02-18

Ridge. and near the centre Ia small valley |
and there, hemmed in BY tho everlasting hiils'
stood a small one and half story cabin. The |
few acres that surrounded it were well eulti-
waited as garden, ind upon the fruits thereof
lived widow and her three children, by the /
name of Graft. They were, indeed untutored
in the cold charities Of an outside world
doubt much if they ever saw the sun shine be-
You'd their own native hills. In the summer
time the children brought berries to the near
est station to sell, and with the money they
earned they bought few of necessities Of
the outside refinement.
The oldest ofthcse children should judge to
be about twelve years and the youngest about
seven. They were all girls and looked nice
and clean, aud their beautiful appearance and
natural deleacy gave them ready welcome.
They appeared as if they had been brought up
to fear God, and love their humble home and
mother. had often stopped my train and let
them get on at their home having found them
at the station some three miles from home, nj
ter dispensing of their berries.
had children at home and knew their
little feet would be tired in walking three miles
and therefore felt that it wonl be the same
with those fatherless little ones. They seemed go
pleased to ride, and thanked me with such
hearty thanks after letting them of near home.
They frequently offered me nice tempting bas-
kets of fruit for my kindness, yet never ac-
cepted any without paying their full value.
| Now, if you remember, the winter of "a was
very cold in that part of the State, and the
snow was nearly three feet deep upon the
mountains
On the night of the 26th of December of that
year, it turned around warm AID swept the
tops aud almost filed the valleys with water.
| Upon that night my train was vending its way,
at its usual speed, around the hills and through
the valleys and as the road bed was all solid
rock, | had no fear of the banks giving ont, The
aight was intensely dark, and the wind moaned
piteously through the deep gorges ofthe noun
tains. Some OF my passengers were trying to
sleep others were talking in a low voice, TO
relieve the monotony of the scene. Mothers
had their children upon their knees as if to
shield them from some unknown danger with
out.
| 1t was near midnight, when sharp whistle
from the engine brought me to my feet. !
knew there was danger by that whistle, and
sprang 10 the brakes AT once, but the brakes
men were all at their posts, and soon brought
the train to a stop. seized my lantern and
found my why forward as soon as possible,
when what sight met my gaze \ bright FIRE
of pine logs illuminated the track for some
distance, and not over forty rods ahead OF onl
train horrible gulf had opened its NAV TO re
ceiye us
The snow, together with the rain, had torn
: the whole side of the mountain out, andetorni-
ty itself seemed spread ont before ua The
widow Graf and her children had found tout
and had brought light brush from their home
below and built large fires to warn us, Of ON
danger They had been there more than two
hours watching beside that beacon Of safety
As went up where that old lady and chill
dren stood drenched through by the rain and
sleet, she graspcd me by the arm and crcd;--
"Thank God Mr.. Sherbonrn, we stopped
you in time. would have lost my life before
one hair of your head should have been hurt
Oh, prayed to Heaven flat we might stop the
train, and my God, ] thank Thce!n
The children were crying for joy. Icontess
| don't very often pray, but did then and
there. kncclcd down by the side Of that good
old woman, and offered up thanks to an All
Wise Being for our safe deliyerance from q
most terrible death, and called down blessings
without number upon that good old woman
and her children. Near by stood the engineer
liremcn and brakesmen, the tears sireamed
down their bronzed cheeks.
Immediately prevailed upon Mrs. Graf and
the children to go back into the cars out ofthe
storm and cold. After reaching the cars, re-
lated our hair-breadtli escape and 10 whom
we were indebted for our lives, and begged
the men passengers to go forward and see fol-
themselves. They needed no further urging
and great many ladies' went also regardless
Of the storm They soon returned, and their
pale faces gave full evidence of the irghttul
death We had escaped The ladies and gentle
men We'd with each other in their thanks and
heartfelt gratitude towards Mrs Graf and her
children, and assured her that they would
never never forget her and before the widow
left the train she was presented with purse OF
four hundred and sixty dollars, the voluntary
offering of n whole train ofgratcinl passengers.
She refused the profiered gift for some time,
and said she had only done her duty, and the
knowledge of having done so was all the re-
ward she asked However, she finally accept
4 the money, and said it should go to edu-