The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-06-03

of-the-Way lonely spot, there Was q
chap built himself a 1og-shanty close
to the line, where he had made bit of
clearing, and perhaps he thought it
would be a bit of company for his
wife and little ones to see the trains
go by with people in, besides being
a bit of protection from the wan
dering tribes about for you see, where
a man sets up his tent, as you may say
out in the wilderness, he's obliged to
run risks; SO any chance, however
small, of making it less risky is
snatched at.
| got quite TO know those people,
and nice, hard-working folks they
were. Why, before they had been
there six months, that bit of wilder
ness began to look like little garden
of Eden; and two more people came
and settled in the next bits. [ quite
knew those first folks, though we new
er spoke for ! always went by them
at twelve miles an hour but the little
ones used to stand at the shanty door
and Cheer, and as time went on, I'd
wave my hat to the wife and the hus-
band too, SO that they generally used
to come out, when they heard me
coming up or down; and more than
once minc has been an anxious Jour
ney when I've passed there and all has
been quiet, for I've thought that the
Inguns had been down, which would
have meant murder and fire !; but some
how I never had that to trouble me,
for the next time I'd pass there would
be some one at the door or in the
strawberry patch IN front. -9 u l
We got to be such friends at last
that used to buy candy and dough
nuts, and heave 'em into the garden as
went by, for the children to scramble
after, and that's what it was that did
it, and this is how it was. -
We were going comfortably along
one afternoon, till, as we got near the
clearing where my friends, as I called
them, were located, began to furrage
about my buckets for a couple of pa
pers of something I'd got, when my
stoker says: '-.-.-5 -.i-- -
f" Hollo! what's that on the line ?"
"Cow?" says I.
," Cow +; no, ".he says. )" "why-why
its three children!" 74
Sound the"-I did not stop to
finish, but opened the little valve my
self, making the still afternoon air
quiver with the hollow booming roar
it sent far and wide. A'74 t7H
"That's moved 'em!" says my stoker
laughing to see the little distant fig
ures scamper away.
81 thought it would" I says; and
then with my hand on the valve ]
made the thing scream and roar again
for there was one of the little ones
right in the middle of the track. ..--
In a moment I'd forgotten all about
the stuff in the papers, fora curious
sort of feeling came over me, one that
for few moments took all the nerve
from my limbs, so that I could not
move; and then, instead of reversing
the engine, I began to creep forward
while, as if from the same feeling my
stoker stood staring with all his might
right at the poor little child. Il -'-'' =
We were too near for 1t to have done
any good even if we had both done
our parts, and it was with a groan
seeming to force itself out of my breast
that I told myself that it was through
my encouraging the poor little chill
dren with presents that this was going
to happen, for there, seeing nc. danger
was a little. 'bright-eyed, long haired
thing dancing about and waving its
hands as we came swiftly on. iia
Tt takes me some time to tell it, but
it only took few nom ents; and there
it all is now like a picture that having
once seen lean never forget. It was
glorious, golden, sunshiny afternoon
with all looking bright and mellow
the hut, with its patch of flowers; ;; the
children by the side of the line, and
their. mother running out wild and
frantic like, but only to drop dowif' in
the track, half way between the door
and where her little one was dancing
and wavingits little hands as we gil
ded on s.Iiiz97a 2i - izz5ea
l felt like man doesin one of those
nightmare dreams, when the will is
there to do something, only dread
full kind of face holds you back, and
you can see danger coming nearer
and nearer, and yet not avoid it. We
neither of us spoke, but stood there
one each side, leaning forward as help
less as the poor little child in front
till, with almost a yell, fought clear
of the power that seemed to hold me-
and with a feeling on me thatsI was
too late, crept along the side Of the
engine, and lay down with arms ex-
tended in front ofthe cow-catcher.
Only moments, but moments thai
seemed like hours, with its strange
hurrying, jumping motion, the engine
dashed down, as I told myself, to
crush out the life of that poor little
innocent. I wanted to shut my eyes
to keep out the horrible sight, but. ]
dared not; and though now I seemed
to be doing what might save the child's
life, 1 could not think it possible
There it was just in front, and yet we
seemed to come no uearer. In an or
binary way, we should have passed the
shanty score of times, but now the
horror of those moments acted SO up.
on my Imagination that we seemed to
crawl slowly but surely, like the mo
ton Of some vast machine that hardly
seems to move, and yet forces its way
on with a power that there is no stop
ping. -''' -.' '.''