The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-05-07
wan short tug harness nu last faul aad
awi IN good condishun fur bisinss.
JANIS BAswx,
Ineidsnt Of Railroad 1,c.

| SAAB3 00OWI.
, incident OF Railroad Life.
: An OLD raiiroad>conducter relates th,
,0.Ho"ise touching incident Of his owr
"c .no .ne h.s' OF the passengers saved
! return 'or little acts Of kindnes,
bsstewed on the widow and f.tberje,..
The western division of oar road rr,.
} through q very mountainou. part of Vir.
gInia, and the stations were few and fa,
between. About three miles frem one o
these stations the road runs through a
deep gorge Of the Blue Ridge, and nea,
the centre is . small valley, aud there
hemnied in by the everlasting hills, stssd
asne-and-a half story log cabin The few
acres that surrounded it was we'll cultiya-
ted as . gsrden. aud upon The fruits
thereof lived . widow and her three child
rem, by the name Of Graft They were in,
deed, untutored in the cold charities OF
an outside werld-l doubt much if thew
ever saw the sun shine beyond their own
native hills In the summer time the
children brought berries to the neares,
station to sell, and with the money they
earned they bought few of the neces-
saries Of outside refine ment
| The oldest Of these children should
Judge to be about twelve years Of age, and
gir!s, and looked nice and clean and their
healthful appearance and natural dslicacy
gave them ready welcome They sp-
peared as if they had been brought up to
fear God, and love their mother and their
humble home
! had setea stopped my train to have
them set OF at their home, having found
them at the station, some three miles
from their house, after dispesing Of :heir
berr;ss
Il had children at home, and knew
their little feet would be tired in walking
the reniles, and therefore felt that it
would be tina same with those fathsrless
litt,e ones. They seemed so pleased to
ride, and thanked me with such lovely
thanks after letting them of near home
They frequently offered me nice tempting
baskets OF fruits for my kindness, yet ]
never accepted any thing without paying
their full value
Now, if you remember the winter Of
1854 was very cold in that part Of the
State, and the snow was nearly three feet
on Il c mountains. On the night of the
Goth of December it turned round warm
and the rain fell in torrents A terrible
rain swept the mountain tops, and almost
filed the valleys with water. Upon that
night nay train was winding Its way at its
usual speed around the hills and through
the valleys, and as the rsad-bed was all
sold rock, had 10 fear ef the banks
giving out The night was intensely dark,
and the wind m ,ansd piteously through
the deep gorge Of the mountain some
Of my passengers ~trc trying to sleep,
others were talking II a low voice to re-
lieve the nonotony of the scene. Moth
ers had their children upon their knees,
as If to shield them from somo unknown
oanret without
at Was near midnight, when sharp
whistle from the engine brought me 10 my
feet ] knew there was danger bv that
whistle, and sprang to the brakes at once,
but the trak kemen were all at their post,
and brought the train to stop. | seized
my lantern, and found my way forward a.
soon as possible. when wha. a sight met
my gaze, A bright fire Of pine logs illu-
minated my track for some distance. and
.et over forty rods ahead Of our t:aIa .
horrible gulf had opend itself to receive US.
Thank God Mr. Sherbourn, we top
ped you ia time would have lost my lie
before one hair Of your head should have
been hurt Oh l prayed to heaven that
we might stop the train, and, my God, l
thank thee
confess with SORROW ! had not very often
PRAYED. but did then and there. kneel-
ed down by the side OF that old woman,
aud offered up thanks 10 an All WISE Be
ing for our safe deliverance fion a most
terrible death, and called down blessings
without NUM- Der upon that good old womaa
and her children. Near by stood the en-
cineer, fireman and brakeman, the tears
streaming down their bronzed cheeks.
Immediately prevailed upon Mrs.
Graft and the children to SO back to the
| cars, related our hair-bread,h escape,
| aud 70 whom We vero indebted fer our lives,
! and begged the men passengers to go for-
ward and see for themselves. They need
ed no further urging, and great many
| Ia lie. went also. regardless OF the storm.
| They soon returned and their pale faces
gave full evidence of their conviction thai
we had escaped frightful death. The
ladies and gentlemen We'd with each other
| in their thanks and heartfelt gratitude to
wards Mrs Graft and her children, and
assured her that they would never, never
| forget her; and before the woman LEFT the
! tain she was pres 'nted with purse Of 70 ~
hundred aud sixty dollars, the voluntary
! Offering Oft whole train OF grateful pas
sengers =.
She refused the prcffered gift !o- somo
time, and said she had only done her du>
ty, and the knowledge Of having done SO
| was all the reward she asked. However
she finally accepted the money, and said
1t should go to educate her children.
The railroad company built her a neat
house, gave her and her children free
pass over the road, and ordered all train.
to stop and let her of at her home when
ever she wished But the employees need
ed no such orders; they can appreciate al
such kindness-more so than the direc'
tors themselves.
The old lady frequently visits my
home at IL, and she is at all times q
welcome visitor at my 6reside. Two o.
the children are attending school Mt tho
same place
Nova SCorIA GOLD MlxEs-The richness
of these mines compares favoraely will
those Of California They are quart
mines The latest information of an au
thentic character Is contained in = rePor