The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-01-03
AFFECTING INCIDENT OF RAIL ROAD
LIFE

An old railroad conductor relates the follow
ing touching incident OF his own life and the
lives of the passengers saved-the return tor
little acts OF kindness bestowed on the widow
and lne iatherless:
tThe western division OF our road runs thro'
avery mountainous part oil Virginia, and the
stations are few and far between. About three
miles from one OF these stations the road runs
through deep gorge of The Blue Ridge, and
near the centre is small valley, and there,
hemmed in by the everlasting hills, stood a
small one and half story log cabin The few
acres that surrounded il were well cultivated as
agarden, and upon the fruits hereof lived
widow and her three children, by the name OF
Graf. They wsse, indeed. untutored in the
cold charities OF an outside world doubt
mnch if they ever saw The sun shine beyond
their own native hills. In the Fpmmer time
the children brought berries TO the neares: sta
ton to sell, and with the money they earned
they bought a few Of the necessities OF the out
side refinement
"The odes! OF these children should Judge
TO be about twelve years, and the Youngest a.
bout seven. They were all glrls, and looked
nice and ceao, and their healthlul appearance
and natural del;cacylgave them ready wei
come. They appeared as If they had been
brought up to fear God, and love their humble
home and mother"
~ had often stopped my train to have them
sel Oft at their home, having found thom at the
station some three miles from their home, after
dlsposing of their berries"
81 had children at home, and knew their lit
tie ieet would be tired in walking three miles,
and therefore felt that it would be The same with
those ialberless little ones. They seemed SO
pleased to ride, and thanked me with such love-
y thanks alter letting them off near home
They frequently offered me nice, tempting bas.
kes OF fruit for my kindness, yet never ac-
copied anything without paying them full value
SNOW, if you remember, the winter Of 1854
was very cold in that part OF the State, and the
snow was nearly three feet deep on the noun
talns. On the night cf the Goth of December
turned around warm, and the rain fell IN tor
rents. terrible rain swept the mountain tops,
and almost filled the valleys with water. Upon
'na' night my train was winding 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 out. The
night was intensely dark, and the Wind moaned
P'!eouSly through the deep gorge of the noun
" "y pussy hGN'' "N'N ~" "
aeep; others were talking IN low voice, to
te',eve the monotony of the scene. Mothers
uao their children upon their knees, as if 10
'"'eiu them from some unknown danger with
out.
IN was near midnight, when sharp whistle
,S uo,n Tue engine brought me to my feet. knew
,befe was danger by that whistle, and sprang to
-. .ae breaks at once, but the brakesmen were all
~. :. !aelI pnsis and saaa hssasA. .he- reis &c
,soP | seIzed my lantern, and found my way
,s.wa'd as soon as possible, when what sight
mss my gaze! A bright fire of pine logs ilu-
mua'ed my track for some distance, and not
s,,. . iorty rods ahead of our train horrible
e'm nl nad opened itself to receive US.
,h iae snow, together with the rain, had torn
W u' whoie side of the mountain out, and eterni-
y;. .'seil seemed spread out before US. The
''"'w draf and her children had found il out,