The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-02-25
GclrGt GtnrD.
Life upon a Railroad.

ter-but mlNd, am not saving that have
no enemies. | undoubtedly have few. and
don't think there is man that lives hut
has more or less. A little kindness now and
then to the many needy ones a conductor will
find almost every trip over his road will not
be lost and he will, in many cases, find from
his 9 bread cast upon the waters" return
four fold. Yet he must use great deal of
Judgment in bestowng his charity upon even
those he thinks entirely worthy of such bes.
toWal. | will, in connection, relate n little
incident by which a little kindness saved my
life, and the lives Of all the passengers Oh
board of my train.
The Western division of our road runs
through very mountainous part of Virginia,
and the stations were few and far betwecn-
About three miles from one of these stations.
the read runs through a deep gorge of the
Blue Ridge and near tho centre is small
valley, and there, helnmed in by the everlast-
ing hills, stood small one and half story
cabin. The few acres that surrounded it were
well cultivated as garden, and upon the
fruits thereof lived widow and her three
children, by the name of Graft. They were,
indeed, untutored in tie cold charities Of an
outside world. | doubt much if they ever
saw the sun shine beyond their own native
iilIS' III tilC sunni Ct llHe the CnliurCn
brought berries to the nearest station to sell,
and with the money they earned they bought
few of the necessities Of the outside refine
ment
The Oldest Of these children should Judge
to be about twelve years and The youngest
about seven. They were all girls and looked
nice and clean, and their hcallhful appearance
and natural dcicacy gave them a ready well
come They appeared as if they had been
brought up to fear God, and love their hum
bile homo and mother. | had often stopped
my train and let them get off at their home
having found ticn at the station some three
miles from home, after 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 would be the
same with these fatnerless little ones They
seemed so pleased to ride, and thanked me
with such hearty thanks, after letting them
of near home. They frequently offered me
nice tempting baskets Of fruit for my kind,
ness. yet never accepted any without pay
ing their full value.
Now, if you remember the winter of 81
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 Goth of December Of
that year, it turned around warm and swept
the tops, and almost lied the valleys with
water. Upon that night my train was wend-
ing its way, at its usual speed, around the
bills and through the valleys, and as the road
bed was all solid rock, had no fear of the
banks giving out. The night was intensely
dark, and the wind moancd piteously through
the deep gorgcs Of the mountains. 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 without.
1t was near midnight, when a sharp whis.
tie from the engine brought me to my feet
knew there was danger by that whistle, and
sprang to the brakes at once, but the brakes
men were all at their posts, and soon brought
the train to stop. | seized my lantern and
found my way forward as soon as possible,
when what sight met my gaze A bright
fire OF pine logs illuminated the track for some
distance, and not over forty rods a head of our
train horrible gulf had opened its nav to
receive us !!
The snow, together with the in, had torn
the whole side of The mountain out and eter.
nifty itself seemed spread out before us. The
widow Graft and her children had found it out
and bad brought light brush from their home
below and built large fires to warn us, of our
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 ra in and
sleet, she grasped me by the arm and cried
" Thank God Mr.. Sherbourn, we stopped
you in time. | would have lost my life before
one hair of your head should have been hurt
Oh, prayed TO Heaven that we might stop
the train, and my God, thank Thee ~
The childten were crying for joy. l con-
TESS, don't very often pray, but did then
and there. | knecled down by the side of
that good old woman. and offered up thanks
to an All Wise Being for our safe d,iyerance
from most terrible death, and called down
blessings without number upon that good old
woman and her children. Near by stood the
engineer, fireman and brakesmen, the tears
STRAINED down their bronzed cheeks
l Immediately prevailed upon Mrs Graft
and the children to go back into the cars out
of the storm and cold After reaching the
cars, related our hair breadth escape, and to
whom we were indebted for our lives, and
begged the men passengers to go forward and
see for 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
trlghttul death we had escaped. The ladies
and gentlemen We'd with each other in their
thanks and heartfelt gratitude towards Mrs
Graft and her children, and assured her that
they would never, never forget her, and be-
fore the widow left The train she was present.
ed with purse of four hundred and sixty
dollars, the voluntary Offering Of whole train
of grateful passengers. She refused the prof,
felcd gift for some time, and said she had only
done her duty, and the knowledge of having
done so was all the reward she asked. How
ever, she finally accepted the money, and said
1t should go to educate her children.
The raiioad company built her new house,
gave her and her children life pass over the
road, and ordered al trains to stop and let
her of at home when she wished. But the
employees needed no such orders, they can
appreciate all snch kindncss-more so than
the Directors themselves.
The old lady frequently visited my home at
IL, and she is at all times welcome WISH
tor at my lircside. Two of the children are
attending school at the same place.
SO you may see that little kindness cost
me nothing and saved my life
- -
" The Sheriff of Tioga county, n. Y,
recently took a prisoner he held. from the
prison to the election polls to vote, and then
returned him to prison. Governor Morgan
did not take the same view Of the case as the