The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1867-01-30

all it was easy enough. reeled as ]
spoke. heard the signal. We were
off.
Five hours from L. to d., fyc hours
back. On the last should be myself
again, | knew now. | saw a red hutter
and never guessed what it was until we
passed the down train at the wrong
place. Two minutes more and we
should hayo had a collision. Somebody
told me. l laughed. l heard him say
respectfully
'Ot course, Mr.. Guelden, you know
what you are about 2
Then l was alone and wondering
whether should go slower or faster.
did something, the cars rushed on at a
fearful rate.
The same man who had spoken to me
before was standing near me. | heard
some question.
How many miles an hour were we
making? didn't know.
Rattle, rattle, rattlo was trying now
to slacken the speed of the San Francis.
co. | could not remember what to do.
Was it this Or that Faster--only fas-
ter. l was playing with the engine
like a child. Suddenly there was hor-
rible roar--a crush /; was flung some
where, 1t was into the water. By a
miracle | was only sobered, not hurt.
gained the shore; / stood upon the
ground between the track and the
rivers edge, and there gazed at my own
work.
The engine was in fragments, the
cars IN splnters dead and dying and
wounded were strewn around-men
and women and children-old age and
tender youth. There were groans and
shrieks of despair, The manned cried
out in pain; the unlujured bewalled
their dead, and voice, unheard by any
other, W, S in my ear, whispering 'mur-
der =
The news had gone back to A., and
people came thronging down to find
their friends. The dead were stretched
on the grass. went with some of the
distracted to find their lost ones.-
Searching for an old mans daughter, l
came to place under the tree, aud five
bodies lying there in all their rigid hor,
ror-an old woman,a young one, a baby
and two tiny chiaren. 1t was fancy
it was pure fancy, born of my anguish
they looked like--oh! great Heaven
they were my old mother, my wife my
children, all cold and dead @
How did they come on the train9
what chance had brought this about p
No one could answer. l groaned, l
screamed, | clasped my hands, | tore
my hair. Igazed on the good old face
OF her who had given me birth, on the
lovely features Of my wife, on my limo,
cent children. l called them by name;
there was no answer. There never
could be-never would be. And as |
comprehended this, 'cnward up the track
hundred another tram. Its red eye
g'ared on me- l flung myself before it; /
felt it crush me to atoms
Ills head is extremely hot said
somebody.
L opened my eyes and saw my wife.
How do you feel she SAID, "a little
better?
was so rejolced and so astonished
by the sight of her, that 1 could not
speak at first. She repeated the ques,
ton. ..
Il must be crushed to pieces | said,
tor the train went over me; but feel no
pain
There he goes again about the trainp
said my wife. why, Ned
tried to move--there was nothing
the matter with me; sat up. was In
my own roomi opposite me CRIB in
which two children were asleep, beside
me tiny bald baby head. My wife and
children were satel Was l delirious, or
could it beY
Jo,' cried l, tell me what happened
Its nine O'clock said 10. You
came home in such dreadful state
from the club that could not wake you.
You weren't fit to manage steam and
risk peoples lives. The San Francisco
is half way to A., suppose, and you
have been frightening me to death with
your dreadful talk .' u. I
And 10 began to cry.
1t was dream--only an awful dream.
But l had lived through 1t as though it
" ere reality.
is there o Bible in the house, Jo,'
said !,
Are we heathensr asked 10.