St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-03-03
Ercry ddU Heroes.

Two simple little incidents come TO Us
in our exchanges, which seem to us at
| least as well worth the telling as the
latest history of adultery and murder.
One is the story of Il poor acrobat out
West, who was dashed from his giddy
hight to the ground; and who, when the
crowd gathered about him, raised him
self, mangled and bleeding, to gasp out
cntrcatlcS for them to save the two urls
left unsupported on the trapcze. lie re-
fused to be lifted until they were rescued,
and in the agony of his fall and shattered
limbs was the only man in the large au-
dicncc who forgot bis own necessities and
had the cool presence of mind to direct
how they should be brought down.
When they were safe, pain got the bet
ter of him, and he was carried as dead
oil the stage. The women were stran-
gers 10 him.
The other story is of Il little girl who
wandered on to the track of the Della
ware railroad as n freight train of nine
teen cars was approaching. As it turn
ed the sharp top OF the grade, opposite
ST. Georges, the engineer saw the child
for the first time, blew ''down brakes"
and reversed the engine. But it was too
late TO slackcn It's speed in time, and the
poor baby got up, and laughing, ran to
meet il. Il told the CONDUCTOR" says
the engineer, .'if he could jump off the
cnainc, and, running ahead, pick the
child up before the engine reached her,
he might save her life, though it would
risk his own, which he did. The engine
was within one foot of the child when
he secured it, and they were both saved.
| would not run the same risk of saving
a child again by way of experiment for
al Newcastle county, for nine out of ten
might not escape. He took the child TO
the lane, and she walked TO the house,
and little Girl was coming after it when
we left" The honest engineer, having
finished his days run, sits down the next
mornin" and writes this homcly letter TO
the father Of the child, Sin order that it
may he mere carefully watched in fu-
ture," and thanking God ''that himself
and the baby's mother slept TRANQUILITY
last night, and were spared the lifelong
plugs of rcmorsc." 1t docs not occur
TO him TO even mention the conductors
name, who, he seems TO think, did no
uncommon thing in rl>king his own life,
unseen ami unnOticed, on the solitary
road, for child whom he would never
probably see again. The moral of the
story to him and to the @ooL clergyman
who publishes it was, apparently, tlat
mothers should keep their children oil
the tracks.
1t seems To us TO have Il different mean
ing, which every man can read for him
self. We give the simple little story a
place, therefore, among the histories of
the war, and murders, and records of
the police court, for no practical lesson,
bu: Just as one would hang a bit of green
landscape on his wall on winter day.
After all, i'll spite of the transient rain,
there is under all summer and God.
1t is worth while TO remind ourselves Of
that now and then. We believe, too,
with the plain-speaking cnglne-driver,
that the conductor did nothing more than
eight out of ten manly young fellows
would have done in his position Pol.
ice reports and the daily press bring the
murders and mcannes>es of the world SO
constantly TO the surface on week days,
and the clergy open our eyes to human
depraviiY so clearly on Sundays, that we
are apt TO overlook the actual honor and
integrity in the mass of ordinary people
about us. We grow 50 bilious in our
reforming zeal that it is worth while TO
be shaken into Il more Christian charity,
and convinced that it is not matter OF
wonder to fnd Il Bayard in the poor
conductor of II lrcght train, or man in
a circus rid,r.
". Y. TiiJme.