Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-08-05
woman closer under his ann.

]
denly, as they were nearing the railroad
bridge. John stopped and clutched hi
/ wife by the shoulder. Look aheaC
there. Mamie My God the draw /.
open, and no signal shown for the four
forty train, due here in five minutes. n
The words fairly Kissed through hi,
teeth.
''Oh. John = gasped the little woman
as the awful danger flashed across her
its the night express, isn't it, with al
we save them ? Oh, we must Whai
/ is that lying up there on the track"
''Old Sam, the 1agman, dead drunk
swear! Them scoundrels," using an
adjective not common to his lips, zen
ticed him into The Vice l must drag
the poor wretch off the track. For
Gods sake, Mamie, look round and see
if you can find his lantern and signal
flag. He most likely dropped them
hereabouts' -
Mamie scrambled up the embank-
ment. hardly knowing how. I've got
the lantern, John, she said, in kind OF
quick pant
Are there matches" ?" John asked,
rolling the lumpish heap over by his
great strength.
mo, no."
wait here are some in Sans vest
pocket" he said fumbling away in the
dark, while the old fellow gave forth a
sound between grunt and a snore.-
Steady, now. little woman, steady.
Draw it across the rail. The lives of a
hundred human beings hang on a
spark. He spoke coolly; but Nancy
knew how terrible the excitement was
within
damp
Take another"
She took three.
This is the last, ," he said.
A sick, faint feeling came over her
The monster train could be heard thun-
dering far off on the track. God have
pity on them - she murmured, with ash
en- lips.
The fourth match struck fire. A fzz,
and faint blue smoke told the story
The lantern was Lit. And John seized it
and dashed wildly up the road, waving
it aloftlike a mad will-o' -the-wisp. There
was still time save the great express
train. 1t slackened speed then back
ed, with many snorts and screams from
the engine, as if baked by its mad, wild
plunge into the dark river, while the un-
conscious sleepers in the close cars little
dreamed of the terrible danger they had
escaped.
You are coming round all right, amt
you, little woman 2" said John anxiously,
dashing some water in Nancy's face,
who did not rightly know what had hap
Pened.
"Oh, yes; God be praised!'' and she
looked up with great tears in her eyes.
"You never will speak against mothers
warning again will you, John p
In twenty minutes time John was driv-
ing his own train through the dim, pearl
colored dawn. He could not keep the
thought of those sleeping people so near
the brink out of his mind. Death and
eternity had brushed by him; and it made
his hand shake, and the big beads Of
perspiration start out on his forehead
As he looked ahead. with his eye on the
alert, the long lines of track appeared to
wriggle and writhe away like black ser
pents and he grew almost afraid to
touch the machinery with which he was
so familiar.
Before reaching the great terminus of
the road, John had made up his mind
what to do. So he turned directly into
the company's Office, and in five min
utes' time had been asked to walk up to
the directors room.
Good morning, Mr.. Merivale," said
the gentlemanly official on duty, ad-
vancing with considerable show of
warmth and emotion. ''Sit down. sir
sit down. The wires have just brought
news of the inexpressible disaster from
which your vigilance this morning saved
US. The loss of life would have been
too horrible to contemplate but I can
tell you, in confidence, Merivale, that it
would have been the death blow of the
company. That old wretch of a signal
man must be made an example of. We
mean to weed drunkenness off the line"
1t will be a mighty hard job. sir
and l wouldn't t be too severe on old Sam.
The other fellows enticed him into the
rum-shop, although they knew his weak
ness; and. as for my share of the work
it was no great matter The little wo-
man helped me, or it never could have
been done"
''Who is the little woman p the direc-
tor inquired, with interest
John told his story in strong, plain,
homely words; and then the high official
said:
"Well, Merivale, you are just the man
we want to tie to us-a man of principle,
sober and vigilant. We are ready to
raise your salary and advance you in
any and every way"
THAT is lust what am here for, sir,
said John. fdgeting on his chair. "I'm
come TO tender my resignation. You
have got a mistaken notion of me-
feel that am not fit for the work"
mot fit for the work !" repeated the
director, in an astonished tone
mo. sir. I don't drink; but there's
other things besides liquor that instead
les a man. He has no business to take
great risks if others are depending on
him.
Have you large family. Merivale p
mo. sir. There is only the little wo-
man and me-"
"No children, then?'
mot vet, sir; but"
"Oh, understand. Still you are de-
termined to quit p
"Quite determined. sir. You see l
have got afraid of the road, and I can't
do nv duty like a man.
'Well, I am sorry, very sorry to lose
you. But wait bit, Merivale. Here is
a piece of paper for the little woman"
When John got into the street again,
he unfolded the paper. 1t was a check
on the - Bank for two hundred dol
= ,