Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-02-21
n

IL was morning. A waiter stood ready
to brush my coat. / saw grin upon his
face. My head seemed ready to burst
my handtrembled; 1 looked at my watch;
] saw that had only just five minutes
to reach the depotl
JOS words came to my mind. Was
fit to take charge of an engine? / was
not fit to answer. i ought to have asked
some sober man. AS 1t was, / only
caught up my hat and rushed away.
was just in time.
The San Francisco glittered I'm the
sun. The cars were filling rap
idly. From my post 1 could hear the
each other goodbye,
promi sing to write and come again.
Among them was an old gentleman /
knew by sight--one of the shareholders;
he was bidding two timid girls adieu.
"Good-bye, Kitty.good-bye, Lue,m
heard him say, "do MT be nervous. The
San Francisco is the safest engine on the
line, and Guelden the most careful engi-
neer. would MT be afraid to trust every
mortal love in the batch of their keeping.
Nothing could happen wrong with the
two together"
said, "I I'll get through it somehow,
and Jo. shall never talk to me again.
After all it was easy enough. / reeled as
/ spoke. / heard the signal. We were
off.
Five hours from l.. to D., five hours
back. On the last / should be by myself
again, knew. l saw red fiutter, and
never guessed what it was until we were
past the down train at q wrong place.
Two moments more and we should have
had collision. Somebody told me. I
laughed. heard him say respectfully /:
"Of course, Mr.. Gueloen, you know
what Won are at0ut?p fff
Then, / was alone, and wondering
whether should go slower or faster. l
did something and the cars rushed on at
fearful rate.
The same man who had spoken to me
before was standing near me. l heard
some question.
How many miles an hour we were
making did not know.
Rattle, rattle, rattle, I was trying now
to slacken the speed of the San Francisco.
could not remember what L should do.
Was it this or that? Faster-only faster.
was playing with the engine like a
child.
Suddenly there was horrible roar--a
crash; was flung somewhere. Tt was
into the water. BY a miracle was only
sobered-not hurt. / gained the shore.
l stood upon the ground between the
track and the river edge, and there gazed
upon my own work. 'i
The engine was in fragments, the cars
in splipters; dead, dying, and wounded
were strewn around-men, women and
children, old age and tender YOUTH
There were groans and shrieks of despair.
The MANNED cried but in pain the unin-
jured bewailed their dead; and a voice,
unheard by any other, was in my ear
whispering Murderer"
Tho naxyS IN aH pOpa hocly tn A and
people came thronging down to find theil
| lost ones. Searching for an old mans
daughter, / came to place under the
trees, and five bodies were lying there in
\ all their rigid horror--an old woman, g
young one, a baby and two little chill
dren. Itwas fancy, born of my anguish
they looked like-o1l oh great heav-
ems they were my old mother, my wife
my children, all cold and dead.
How did they come on the. train?-
What chance had brought this about?
gazed on the good old face of her who had
given me birth, and the lovely features
of my wife, on the innocent children
I called them by name: there was no an
swer. There never could be-there never
could be. And as l comprehended this
onward up the track Numbered another
train. Its red eye glared on me; / flunl
myself before it; felt it crush me tt
atoms! ..s.r
"Hishead is very hot, " said somebody
Iopened my eyes and saw my wife!
How do you feel9" she said; "a lit
tie better?'
1 was reioiced and so astonished by tn,
sight of her, that could not uspeak Il
first. She repeated the question.
4 81 must be crushed to pieces, said
"for the train went over me but l fee
no pain" eH
"There he goes about the train again,
remarked my wife. "Why Ned"
tried to move--there was nothing tn
matter with me; sat up. / was in m.
! own room, opposite me crib in whicl
two children were asleep, beside me
tiny bald baby head. My wife and chill
dren were safe! Was delirious, orcoul'
it be?" .D
40, y cried 1, "tell me what has hap
4 pened? ,l .r-
at IS nine O'Clock. F" said 10. Yov
came home in such dreadful state iron
the club that could MT wake you. 4o
were not fit to manage steam and risl
peoples lives. The San Francisco is hal
way to A., Isuppose, and you have beel
frightening me to death with your dread
full talk. y =t4a .a LG -. .ii
And Jo. began to cry. @ 81
1t was dream--only an awful dream
But had lived through 1t all as though
We're reality. iuo in .Lt.. -. ~
a Is there Bible in the house, 10 ?'-
said l., p-o8 tYg ial p ji8iUiitJ
care we eheathens9n said 10.
She brought it, and put my hand o.
it and took AN oath (toO solemn to be n
peated here) that what happened neve
should occur again. 1t never has. An
. If the San Francisco ever comes to grit
the verdict will not be, as it ought
so often-the engineer Wds drunk. p"
An Obscure Passage in Garibaldfs Lif'
Translated for Ecey Saturday from u Epoqae.
During Garibaldi's short and brillian
campaign in Northern Lombardy, i
1859. he marched on Como, to,drive ou
, General Urban and the Austrians unde
: his command. But when Garibalcc
, drew near the town he was extremei
embarrassed to decide upon his next NOV
for he knew neither theenemy's strengt
: nor positions. While he was in tn
J midst of this perplexity, a most beaut
full young girl, and brilliant horsewomaI
entered his camp. She came to speak
c,l-- 10 lxr hx