The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-08-13

fairrhsired girl-of three or faprr q gee- IL
% splaikly NOW as saw ~ sAen, 4 hakaly
know why, but little things that occur
red that night seem burnt into my me-
mory in .ealofaiof -fte. IA T. lie. back ,no@,
herS on this Bed, whefs / have met, ut
strangers hands, more true Kindness and
Christian courtesy, than i had believed
in before; and shutting my eyes, i see
that sweet child's face smiling in its pure
dreams, the mothers beautiful face
broodingi above sc with q 1ooklof thea.
venly tenderness and love. 7 feel the
heave of the hurling train, feel the car
sway and spring with the terrible speed.
I remember all. as I saw it hurrying
through the car. I passed out on the
platform. It wanted three minutes of
10. 1 knew we could not make it,
though Morris was driving on with
every pound of steam. saw him stand
ing ut the levers, brawny and stalwart
against the glare of the headlight, flying
ahead on the track, one arm raised and
grasping the lever, looking steadfastly
forward, never turning his head to right
or left. I knew what he looked for
OulJ tOO, WCIll l. huQ SICK TO
think Of it now.
out there in that rushing whirlwind,
clinging as for your life in that swaying,
hurling flight; to stare forward into that
awful darkness; to strain yonr sight until
you were dizzy and blind, and your eyes
were fire; and yet not dare to close them
or turn away-deafened and stunned by
that terrible jar and roar; heart and pulse
faint with n horrible fear-the fear of
sudd-l death!
Was l coward-who says it? May
he be tried alike! God forgive me-what
do say? Pray heaven, no-that were
fiend's prayer. L do not say did not
care for myself. I did-who cares not
for his life that is man? I Thought of a
little humble home sixty miles behind
of little brown-faced boy, smiling in
happy sleep; of dear heart bending
over the crib, perhaps; sewing by the
lonely lamp; praying for me, it might
he, out of her pure, true heart. I thought
of these, and I prayed to Heaven to
spare me to life and love. But more
than OF this, say and know, I thought
of the hundreds that trusted to me for
their lives-looked to me to see to it that
they encountered no needless peril. To
strain ahead into that awful gloom-to
think and think of those poor souls in
my charge-I swear it was torment.
lost oil sense of time and place, in
the intense strain of sight and thought.
L could not cay where we were; it seemed
we were running for hours. I knew
what 1 looked to see-what I feared
with horrible dread knew only that.
Morris never slackened the pace; he
drove his engine on with every pound of
power. They tell me we made five miles
in half minute more.
Suddenly, we lcaped through belt of
deeper gloom; heavy roll of thunder
struck my ears with stunning crash I
level through the plain to Climmerley
Gap beyond. Half of the way was
passed; we hurled on, terrible as fate.
Suddenly, out of the blackness of
Climmerley Gap, there Hashcd-oh God!
q great, white light.
went i'll then and shut the door,
They must have seen it in my face.
When turned and looked forward again,
the lady with the child stood at my side.
1 shall never forget the look in her face;
the child was clasped to her heart.
"What is it?" she said
She spoke in whisper, more awful
than any cry. The two engines screamed
like charging demons; wheels reversed,
and every brake hard down. we went
staggering, shuddering, grinding on to
our doom. But, through all that terri
BILE din, I heard that awful whisper from
those beautiful, bloodless lips.
!pointed forward to the great, white
light, glowing down the line straight
upon us.
"Ns death," I said.
She answered me not word. She
lifted the child to her face, then clutched
it to her heart. 'Louise, Louise! she
moaned. and sank back out of my sight.
1 stood and looked ahead. At the
first alarm, the fireman had jumped.
Morris stood to his post. saw him
whistle down brakes, reverse his engine,
eet his bell ringing, do all that mortal
could do. Then he stepped back, stea-
died himself. and leaped out into the
dark. I saw it all; it was only mo-
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