Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-06-01

! One cold night, as l was dressed to go,
10 stood before me.
Ned, said she, II never had fault to
find with you before, I'll say that. You We
been good, and kind, and loving always !;
but | should be sorry we ever met if you
were to go on in this way Don't ask me
what [ mean. You know"
10, said ], ''its only on club nights.
''It viii grow. said she.
Then she put her arm around my neck.
Ned said she, do you think thing
so much like bottled-up and strapped
down demon as steam is, is fit to be put
into the hands of drunken man? And
some day, mark my words, the time will
come when not only on Thursday night but
all the days of the week will be the same.
I've often heard you wonder what the feel
! ings of an engineer who has about the same
as murdered train full of people must be,
and you Il know if you don't stop where you
are. 4 steady hand and clear head have
been your blessings all these years. Don't
throw them away, Ned. IF you don't care
for my love. don't ruin yourself
My little 10. She spoke from her heart
and [ bent over and kissed her
Don't be afraid, child [ said; TN
never pain you again"
And | meant it but at twelve that night
| felt that | had forgotten the promise and
my resolution.
[ couldn go home to Jo. I made up
| my mind 10 sleep OH the club sofa and leave
;he place tor good nextday. Already | felt
my brain reel as 1t never had before. In an
| hour | was in kind of stupor.
| II was morning. y waiter stood ready to
| brush my coat | saw a grin on his black
face My head seemed about to burst my
! hand trembIcd Looked at my watch /
] l,I ~ 4iy-a. To
! pot
! JOS words came to my mind Was [ fit
| 10 take charge Of the engine? ] was not fit
! TO answer. | ought to have asked some
/ sober nan. As it was | only caught my
/ nat and rushed away. / was just in time.
! The San Francisco gIittered in the morn
| ing san. The cars we're filing rapidly.
| From my post ! could hear the people talk
| budding each other good bye, promis-
! ing to write and come again. Amongst
| them was an old gentleman / knew 10y sight
one Of the shareholders; he was bidding
| t.go simid girls adieG.
| Good I,ye, Kitty-good-by Lue," !
| heard him say; don't be nervous. The
| San Francisco is the safest engine on the
line, and Guelden the most careful engineer.
| wouldn't be afraid 10 trust every mortal |
love in batch to their keeping. Nothing
could happen wrong with the two togeth-
er.
said, '.I'n get through it somehow, and
10 shall never talk 10 NE again. After all
1t was easy enough. I recisd as / spoke.
heard the signal. We were OF.
Five hnnrs from L. 10 y. five hours
back. [ saw red fiutter, and never gncs
sed what uHiil ae rasSed the down train at
a wrong place. Two minutes more and We
should have bad a coli ion. Somebody
told me. | laughed | heard him say re
specially:
"Oi course, Nir, Guelden, you know what
you are about p
Then was alone and wondering whether
| should go slower or faster. | did some
thing, the cars rushed on at Il fearful rate
The same man who had spoken to ne be-
fore was standing near to Eie. L heard some
question.
How many miles an hour were we max
ing? | didn know.
Rattle, rattle, rattle [ was trying nov
TO siacIca the speed of the San Francisco.
| could not remember what | should do
Was it this, OF that? Faster only faster
| raF playing with the engine ike 4 child.
Suddenly there was 4 horrible roar-a
crash | was flung somewhere. 1t was into
the water. BY miracle l was only sober
ed, 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
splinters; dead and dying and wounded
we're strevn a,ound-men and women and
children-old age and tender youth. There
were groans and shrieks Of despair. The
manned cried out in pain the unwounded
bewailed their dead and voice, unheard
By any other; was in my ear, whispering
murderer !"
The news had gone back to A., and pee
pie came throneiug down to find their
friends. The dead were stretched on the
grass. | went with some o. the distracted
To find their lost ones, Searching for an
old man S daughter | came to this, aplace
Uuder the tree, and Ave bodies lying there
/ IN ali their rigid horor-an old woman, a
young one, baby and two tiny children.
Il was fancy-it was pure fancy, born of
my anguish-they looked like-ohl ! great
Heaven-they were my old mother my
wife, my children! all cold and dead.
How did they come on this train What
chance had brought this about? No one
could answer. | groaned, | screamed, |
claSpcd my hands, tore my hair. [ gazed
on the good old face Of her who had given
me birth, On the lovely features of my wife,
on my innocent children. | called them by
name there was no answer. There never
could Oe-ncyeI would De. As L compre-
/ hended this, onward up the track thundered
another train Its red eye glared upon me;
flung myself before it; i felt it crush me
| to atoms
His head is extremely hot, said some
body.
| Iopeued my eyes and saw my wife.
How do you feel, she said, "a little
! better p
was so reioiced and so astonished by the
/ sight of her. that | could not speak at first.
! She repeated the question.
81 must be crushed to pieces, | said,
Tor the train went over me but feel no
pain"
There he goes about the train again, y
said my wife. why, Ned
| tried to move-there was nothing the
matter with me satup. L was in my own
room opposite me crib in which two
children were asleep. beside me tiny bald
baby head. My wife and children were
safe Was [ delirious, or could it be?
''Jo,'' cried 1, "tell me what has hap
pened.
Its nine clock, " said 10. "You came
home in such dreadful state from the club
/ that couldn't wake Won Nou weren't ft