Mower County transcript., 1871-07-27

RUNNING A TINE TABLE.
A DRAKEMAN'S STORY.

| RUNNING A TIME TABLE.
DRAKEMAN's STORY.
I have been "railroad man" for a great
many ycars-have, as the expression goes,
grown gray in the service. | am certain,
however in all my experience, never saw
the equal of the Valley Air Line, upon
which | was, at the timc Of the incident
about to be related, a brakeman.
The engineer of our train-tho Light
ming Express one of the most sober,
careful, thoughtful and industrious men
that ever handled throttle. He possess
ed more than the ordinary share of thought
ful prudence OF his Glass; and it was owing
to this fact that so great degree Of good
fortune came to u.s.
A few moments before the train was to
start one morning, Gardiner, the engineer,
called me to his cab. He appeared unusu,
ally downcast that morning, though at best
he was by no means gay" fellow.
onds' talk about general matters, "}ob,
want you to be very careful to day. l
know you're a good fellow and always do
your duty we'll; but to-day want you to
do more | want you to stand by your
brake every second of the tril-not to
leave it for a moment-and W hen + signal
[ want you to set them up as you never
did before, and promptly too. know you
will do it for me, won't you, Bob?"
was too astonished to speak for sec
ond. and then said:
"Why, what under the sun is the matter
with you, Gardiner? You know the brakes
are SO nearly worn out that it is impossi
bic to set them up, and you know, too"
| on p,1> hot 10
son want you to be careful. am going
to try and make the time table to-day, and,
if possible, will do so. feel just as if
something was going to happen, and am
more than half sorry that | promised, but
I'll do it, though. Now promise me, Bob,
and Oft to your brakes"
/ promised, and took my post, not lit
tie mystified by GARDENERS looks and ac-
tiOns.
We left the depot and went ratt]ing on
over the iron. Passengers looked ut each
other i'll surprise, and wondered what
under the sun was the matter with the
Valley-if it had suddenly awakened from
its long sleep and now proposed to be a
railroad III earnest.
! When the conductor came through the
| train and came along to Inc, asked:
What is the matter with Gardiner this
morning?"
60, he and the old man had blow out
this morning. You see our train never
makes connections-passenger always lay
morning the old man called us into the
office and the whole thing was out Gar.
diner talked like father to them, and as
he grew excited he said that it was Grim
inal running the road in the condition it
was He told them that the time. table, as
made up, was fast enough even for a, first
| class road, and if VIC undertook to run it
a frightful accident could hot be avoided.
When Gardiner said it was criminal to
run the road AS it was, Superintendent
Brown was very hot. lie fairly
! boiled over. He declared that there was
no better road in the country, and that
Gardiner was 4 coward who ought to go
on a gravel train, and if he didn't make
time he'd have him there, too. The road
Mas losing its business, and there had got
to be Il change. Brown also said that in
Valley Creek, where he lived, he had no.
lost time enough there to lose the con-
nections. Gardiner replied that at the
Greek there was down grade. the bridge
was unsafe, and he was obliged to slack
up for safety. More than this, the track
passed through the playground Of the
Creek school. which was not fenced in,
and that they could not go through at
rapid speed without danger to the chill
dren. Then Brown burst out with an
oath, that if the parents did not want their
children run over they must keep them off
the track. 1t would be good thing to
run over one or two of them, as it would
teach them lesson. OF course, he didn't
mean this, but he was hot you see, and
bot I Ia oHl l.l
that GARDENERS family lived near the
track, and that GARDENERS sole reason for
slowing was to have chat with them as
he went through. This set GARDENERS
anger on fire, aud he then and there de-
clared that he would make time, let the
consequences be what they might, and if
disaster happened Brown must assume the
responsibility. You see he is keeping his
word, but the old fellow feels bad enough"
We dashed over the frail iron at fright
tul speed You could almost hear the
bars crackle as we went. Tho cars surged
from east to west, forcing passengers to
fairly cling to their Seats Not second
did | leave my brake.
We were nearly down to Valley Creek
On time. AS we approached the long
stretch Of down grade, l felt by the shaking
that Gardiner had slackened up, as if the
promise had come fully upon his mind,
had again opened his trottle. Down the
valley we went, our speed startling the
birds, the cattle, and even the staid old
forest trees into new and strange ideas.
grasped the brake firmly; the engine
whistled and screamed, warning all to
keep clear of it. l held my breath, we'll
knowing that if it left the track it would
be to 60 to destruction. Suddenly the
| whistle ceased, and there came three un
| earthly yells from it; they pierced my
ears and made them ache. How set up
the brake, for I felt there was danger
| ahead. knew this when Gardiner sud-
denly reversed his engine. The shutting
of, the reversing, and the brakes set up
SO tight that l feared the chains would
break, did not seem to have the slightest
| effect upon the train. On, on it went at
| my neck out as far as possible, clingiDg
nervously to the railing. I could sec that
Brown was at his post, looking out as l
did, and moving his hand energctically,
/ ;Slile whistle and bell were uniting their
protest.
What was the matter I could not con-
| lecture, but was anxious to know. Spring.
ing upon the rail, made MY way 10 the
| top OF tho car and the mystery was re-
vealcd. There on the track was sight
that sent thrill of horror through me
Only a few feet ahead of us, on the track,
stood mere child-unconscious Of its
danger-paralyzed 80 that i, could not
move. Just clear Of the track lay woman,
evidently hopeless. l looked tor Gardi-
ner to sec what nc was doing, ere | closed
my eyes to shut out the horrible sight.
The poor fellow had not been idle Plainly
seeing that he could not drive the child
from the track, and that it's companion
was helpless, he left his cab and climbed
forward Oh the engine, on to the extreme
end of the cow catcher, leaned over, and
while clinging with one hand, reached out
with the other. There did not seem one
chance in q million to save the chiid-not
one-but anxiety overcsnc horror, and |
looked, and shuddcrtd as looked.
How NY heart leaped into my throat as
| saw the train dash on, but saw that, as
it did so, Gardiner, with almost SUPER
human effort, raise the child by its arm
from the track and clasp it to his bosom
Then he sat tdown upon the cow-catchcr,
faint and powcrlcss. Ills fireman camb-
cred out to his side, and you may rest as
surcd was not long in getting to their
assistance. The unusual noise of the
steam had brought every person in the
village out to witness the sight, and as
they realized it they shouted their joy until