The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-10-05
Five hours from L. to d.; five hours back,

Five hours from l.. TO d., five hours back.
On the last | should be myself again, knew
now. | saw a red tlutter, and never guessed
what it was until we were past the down
train at a wrong place. Two minutes more
4 and we should have had collision. Some
body told me. laughed. heard him say
respectfully:
| S"Of course, Mr.. Guclden, you know what
| you are about %
Then I ives alone and wondering whether
l should 60 slower or faster. J. did some
thing, and the cars rushed on at q fearful
rate
| The same man who had spoken to me be-
fore Was standing near me. heard some
! question. '- - ''' - --------''-----''-----'
How many miles an hour were we max
ing? l didn't know.
Rattle, rattle, rattle! was trying now
to slacken the speed of the San Francisco.
coutd-not remember what l should do.
Was it this or that? Fas.er--only faster.
l was playing with the engine like a child.
Suddenly there was horrible roar--a
crash; | was flung somewhere. was into
the. water. Ey miracle was only sobered,
not hurt. | gained the shore. l stood
upon the ground between the track and
the rivers edge and there gazod at my own
work.
The engine was in fragments, the cars in
splinters; dead and dying and wounded
were strown around-men aud women and
women and children-old age and tender
youth. There were groans and shrieks of
despair. The MANNED cried out in pain !;
the uninjured bewailed their dead; and a
voice, unheard by any other, was in my ear,
whispering Murderer
The news had gone back to A., and peo-
pie came thronging down to find their
friendE. The dead were stretched on the
grass. ! went with some Of the distracted
to find their lost ones. Searching for an
old maa's daughter, came TO place under
the trees, and Eve bodies were lying there
in all their rigid horror-an old woman. a
young one, . baby and two tiny children.
It was fancy--it was pure fancy, born of my
angush-they looked Lke--oh! great
Heaven! they we're my old mother, my wife.
my children! all cold and dead. =
How did they come on the train? What
chance had brought this about? No one
could answer. groaned, screamed,
clasped my hands, l tore my hair. gazed
on the good old face Of her who had given
me birth, on the lovely features Of my wife,
on the innocent children. called them by
name; there was no answer. There never
could be-never would be. And as COM
pretended this, onward up the track thun-
dered another train. It's red eye glared on
me; flung myself before it; feltit crusA
me to atoms
"His head is extremely hot" said some
body.
Iopened my eyes and saw my WIFE,
How do you teel!'' she said; "a little
better."
Twas so rejoiced and SO astonished by the
sight Of her, that could not speak at first
She repeated the question.
Il must be crushed to pieces" said /,
"for the train went over me; but feel no
pain"
"There he goes about the train again.
said my wife. "Why, Ned
tried to move--there was nothing the
matter with me; sat up. / was in my
own room; opposite me a crib in which two
children were asleep, beside me tiny bald
baby head. My wife and children were
safe. Was delirious. or could it be-
''Jo.," cried /, "tell me what has hap
pened ?"
Its nine 'clock, said 10. "You came
home in such dreadful state from the club
that ! couldn't wake you. You weren't fit
10 manage steam and risk peoples lives
The San Francisco is half way to A., sup
pose, aud yon have been frightening me to
death with your dreadful talk
And 10. began to cry.
1t was dream-only an awful dream
But had lived through it as though it were
reality.
Ills there o Bible in the houoo, ~. -
said 1.
Are we heathens?" said 10.
"Give it to me this moment, Jo."
She brought it, and l put my hand on it
and took an cath (too solemn to be repeated
here) that what had happened never should
occur again. 1t never has. And if the
San Francisco ever comes to grief, the YER
dict win not be, as it ought to be so often
the engineer was drunk.