The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-07-21

black face My head seemed about to
burst my hand trembled; [ looked at
my watch; [ had only just five minutes
to reach the depot.
JOS words came to my mind. Was l
fit to take charge of the engine ? l was
not fit TO answer. ought to have asked
some sober man. AS it was / only caught
my hat and rushed away. I was just in
time.
The San Francisco glittered in the
morning sun. The cars were filling rap
idly. From my post I could hear the
people talking, bidding each other good
bye, promising to write and come again.
Amongst them was an old gentleman /
knew by sight-one of the shareholders
he was bidding two timid girls adieu.
Goodbye, Kitty-good bye, Lue," /
heard him say; don't be nervous. The
San Francisco is the safest enine on the
line, and Guelden is the most careful en-
gineer [ wouldn't be afraid to trust
every mortal I love in batch to their
keeping. Nothing wonld happen wrong
with the two together.
said, I'll get through it somehow,
and 10. shall never talk to me again.
After all it was easy enough. | reeled
as L spoke. heard the signal-We are
off.
Five hours from L. to D. +; five hours
back. [ saw red futter, and never
guessed what until we passed the down
train at a wrong place. Two minutes
more and we should have had collision.
Somebody told me. laughed. 1 heard
him say respectfully:
Of course, Mr.. Gueiden you know
what your about?
Then | was alone and wondering
whether should go slower or faster.
did something, the cars rushed on at q
fearful rate.
The man who had spoken to ne before
Was standing nearer to me, heard some
question.
How many miles an hour were we
making [ didn't know.
Rattle, rattle, rattle [ was trying now
to slacken the speed OF the San Francis
CO. | could not remember what [ 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. 1t was
into The water. BY 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 splinte,s dead and dying and wound cd
were strewn around-men and women
and children-old age and tender youth.
There were groans and shIieks of de-
spair.
The manned cried out in pain; the un-
wounded bewailed their dead and a
voice, unheard by any other. was in my
ear. whispering murderer
The news had gone back to A, and the
people come thronging down to find then
friends The dead was stretched on tie
grass. I went with some of the distrac-
ted to find their lost ones. Searching fol
an old mans daughter came to this, q
place under the tlce and five bodies lying
there in all their rigid horror-an old wo
man, young one, baby and two tiny
children. 1t was fancy, born of my an,
guish-the looked like-oh great Heav
en-they were my old mother, my wife,
my children all cold and dead
How did they come on this train Wha,
chance had brought this about? No one
could answer. / groaned, [ screamed, ]
clasped my hands, tore my hair.
gazed on the good old face OF her who
had given me birth, on the lovely feat
dren. I called them by name; there was
no answer There never could be-nevel
would be. As l comprehended this on
ward up the track Numbered another
train. Its red eye glared upon me ]
flung myself before it; felt it crush me
to atoms
His head is extremity hot said some
body.
| opened my eyes and saw my wife,
How do you feel, she said, little bet
ter?
I was so reioiced and so astonished by
the sight of her, that [ could not speak
at first. She repeated the question.
| 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. Itwas in
my own room opposite me crib il
which two children were asleep, beside
me tiny bald baby head. My wife and
children were safe Was [ delirious, OF
could it be?
10, cried |, tell me what has happen
ed.
It's nine o'clock, said 10. You came
home in such dreadful state from the
club that | couldn't awake you. You
weren fit to manage steam and risk
peoples lives. The San Francisco is
half way to A., l suppose, and you have
been friehtning me to death with your
dreadful talk.
And 10 began to cry.
1t was a dream-only an awful dream.
But | had lived through it as though it
was reality.
Is there abiblein the house, Jo., said |.
Are we heathens? asked 10.
Give it to me this moment, 10.
She brought it. and [ put my hand On
1t and took an oath (too solemn to be re
peated here) that what had happened
never should occur again. 1t never has.
And if the San Francisco ever comes to
grief, the verdict will not be, as it ought
to be sc oftch-The engineer eOas dIatlahc.