Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-03-08
Everyday 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 a poor acrobat out
West, who was dashed from his giddy
height to the ground; and who, when
the crowd gathered about him, raised
himself mangled and bleeding, to gasp
out entreaties for them to save the two
girls left unsupported on the trapeze.
He refused to be lifted until they were
rescued, and in the agony of his fall
and shattered limbs was the only man
IN the large audience who forgot his
own necessities and had the cool pres
ence Of mind to direct how they should
be brought down. When they were
safe, pain got the better of him, and
he was carried as dead off the stage.
The women were strangers to him.
The other story is of little girl who
wandered on to the track of the Della
ware Railroad as 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 HDown brakes, "
and reversed the engine. But it was
too late to slacken its speed of time,
and the poor baby got up, and, laugh
ing, ran to meet it. 81 told the con
ductor," says the engineer, eff he
could Jump off the engine, and run
ming ahead, picked 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 I would
not run the same risk of saving a child
again by way of experiment for all
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 he left" The honest
engineer, having finished his days run,
sits down tie next morning and rights
this homely letter to the father of the
child, Gin order that it may be more
carefully watched in the future" and
thanking God "that himself and the
baby's mother slept TRANQUILITY last
night, and were spared the lifelong
pangs of remorse." It does not occur
to him to even mention the conductor
name who he seems to think, did nc
uncommon thing in risking his own life,
unseen and unnoticed, on the solitary
road, for a child whom he would never
probably see again. The moral of the
story to him and to the good clergyman
who publishes it was apparently, that
mothers should keep their children of
the tracks.
10 10 ~
meaning, which every man can read fol-
himself. We give the simple little
story place, therefore, among the
histories of the war, and murders, and
records of the Police Court, for nc
practical lesson, but Just as one would
hang a bit of green landscape on his
wall on a winter day. After all, in
spite of the transient rain, there is I'M
der all a summer and God It is worth
while to remind ourselves of tnat now
and then, We believe, too with the
plaln-speaking engine-driver, that the
conductor did nothing more than eight
out of ten manly young fellows would
have done in his position. Police re-
ports and the daily press brings the
murders and meannesses Of the world
50 coHStantly To the surface on week
days, and the clergy open our eyes to
human depravity SO clearly on Sundays,
that we are apt to overlook the actual
honor and integrity in the mass of ordi
nary people about us. We grow sc
bilious in our reforming zeal that it is
worth while to be shaken into more
Christian charity, and be convinced tha
it Is not a matter Of wonder to find 8
Bayard in the poor coductors of {
freight train, or a man in a circus II
der-NeaU York Tribune.