Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-07-22

not to bruise 1t, intending to show 1t
to his mother. He Iisped out that
pretty blue ones grew further down,
and begged to go aud get one of them;
but as 1t was almost time for the train,
refused my permission, and taking
him ten of fifteen yards from the
track, sat him down at the foot of a
tree--the maple wonderland babe
him remain there Till called.
"The time for the train came pnss-
ed, and still no signs Of 10. ! grew
nervous and did not notice my boy.
Minute after minute passed away,
and ut last when / began to be GER
tain that some accident had occurred
It hove In sight Just five minutes be-
fore the express was due, which
knew could not be more than two
miles behind. l saw at once the
cause of the delay; the train was un-
usually long and heavy, and the en-
CINE number forty-two, which the
fireman had christened "Old Rick
city," was the worst on the road.
The switch was all ready, but the
train moved so slowly that the last
car had hardly left the main track,
when heard the whistle of the ex-
press, and the next moment she
rounded the bend at full speed. I
knew that didn't have any too much
time to get the switch In POSI-
ton, and went Mt my work with
will, when suddenly heard child's
scream, and turning around / saw lit
tie Willie struggling In the water.
For an instant the sight of my child's
danger overpowered every other con-
federation and ] sprang for the river,
hut before got half the distance the
hoarse whistle Of the approaching
train rang In my ear like trumpet,
and the thought Of my duty, and the
hundreds of lives that would be sac
riticed II deserted my post, went
through my brain like a flash Of
| lightning, while all the time there
was a feeling about my heart I can't
tell In SO many words-I only knew
1t was worse than -beseechlng
me to save my boy.
1.-THE whole thing couldn't have
lasted more than two seconds, and
how the one feeling got the better Of
the other never knew. I have no
recollection of turning back, but the
next thing remember I was ut the
switch working away like mad. +
never had such strength. / felt that
I could have wrenched up the solid
iron rails In my agony, and bent them
see anything about me distinctly,
neither rails nor ties-but dimly and
vaguely, as II in dream, or at a
great distance. What did see rs
plainly as do now, although it was
behind me, was .the clear and beauti-
full river flowing on in the morning
sun, and in the midst of 1t little VIII
lie weakly struggling for help, while
the bright, cruel waves smOte him In
the face and laughed. had no ear
for the nearing train, but all l heard
--or seemed to, for cant't rightly
say-were his cries 10 his father for
help, growing fainter and fainter !;
and then the horrible bubbling sound,
as he sank finally, and his last breath
found its way to the surface.
Eat length the switcl, was in posi-
ton, and although its short job at
hest, aud I must have accomplished
1t ut that time with u quiclxness can
never again equal, yet it seemed
longer than the longest summers
day; but it was done, and I rushed
to the river and gazed eagerly around
for some sign that might tell me
where to plunge In to rescue my child;
but there was nothing, nothing but
the sunlight that glistened brightly
on the little wavelets that smiled
mOckingly in my face as they hurried
onward. Idon't remem Der anything
further. There was a great choaking
in my throat, huge weight of lead
seemed to fall on my brain, and all
was black. When came to my sem
ses it was three weeks afterwards,
with my old wOman-God bless her
-sittin' along side of me holdin' my
hand in hers. The doctor said had
made close miss of 1t, and ut first 1
felt sorry that had lived at all but
that did not last long, for 1 knew
there was another One-she sat be.
side ine-who had suffered more than
/ had and stood it nobly, so tried tn
get better In order to console her. 1t
was two weeks more before got out
Of bed, and quite two months more
before was able to go around. Twill
never lie the same man again.
1.-THE company pensioned me, and
didn't want me to do any more work
at all. But 1 couldn't bear to be
idle-you see, sir, wasn't brought
up to 1t, and strange as 1t may appear
didn't feel like working anywhere
save I'm the old place; 1t seemed to be
closer to my boy there. 1 found the
lily he had gathered, just as l had
placed it In my jacket pocket, and
gave it to his mother. She has it, yet
all withered and colorless, I'm little
glass on the mantle-piece, and there,
sir, it shall remain in sight of us both
until our time comes to join him."