The Lincoln County herald., 1872-10-16

was often there looking up the road.
The two old people sat inside thinking
Of the days when they we're young
She vas restless, and fitted over the
clDder Sidewalk, following magnet
VIII ch would have drawn her from the
center of the earth. To the road of
course. How often had she watched the
rails converging horiznotally until they
sharpenei themselves to needle point!
The railroad had a fascination for Madge
When baby, she used to follow her
grandfather to his work, and hide among
bushes to see the big freights numbering
by, and see the express trains whirliug
into town like screaming land demons
She had heard Of the sea- and the spell it
had upon sailors, but she saw the raj!
road and felt the spell. which nobody
seemed to remark, that it cast over inland
laborers. She saw her boy playmate.
sucked up the "the road !" heard her
grandfather tell of ir.bradth escapes
from collisions, of cool courage IN the
men who placed themselves between the
people they carried and most horrible
death She had learned the power and
mission Of "the road" In short, she was
Us loyal a daughter Of the rail as any
Name skipper's child is of the sea
Madge had affinity for an engine. To
this day, her throat swelled and her eye
kiudlej. when the great iron animal
swept past her Charley drove an engine,
and his engine was, in her eyes, fitting
exponent Of the strength and beauty Of
his manhood. Such was the romance of
her dry little life. Everybody must
have his enthusiasm. She had been in
the towns great depot at night, arrived
from q holiday trip, aud had laughed
aloud to see some busy engine hurryiug
up aud down, picking up fregh,s like
hen gathering her chickens; now breath
ing loud enough to deaien multitude,
now concentrating his strength and pant
ing slowly away at the head of its charge
She had walked from sleep to hear them
calling each other through the darkness.
aud translated to herself what they said
1t was proper thing for Madge to be
an engineers vile. She thought it
fitting thing to be Charley's vile under
any circumstances, l assure you, There
was now only u little strip Of time between
Madge and Charley. She looked over
that little strip and saw just how it would
te. They we're to have cottage on
clean street; her grand parents, if they
became n6rm, were to have home with
her land these two little hands," said
Charley, "will make me the dearest nest !;
I'll be SO glad to run into it at niyhtv'
MadSe's pink face took on rose as she
thought Of all these things, looking up
aud down the cut to see it the track was
clear, as her grandfaihe- had said II
was clear. She felt relieved and foolish
al out coming out there through the
twilight to spy for Charley's welfare, aud
much inclined to hide from the smoke
rising far off. But these unstable sandy
walls towering over the way? NJ ,dse
watched them jealousy. Just as the
thunder of the train could be heard, her
heart stood still to see them dissolve
like pillars ground down by some mali.
cious Sampson, and piled upon the track
till nothing could be seen for yards but
one long hill of earth and stones!
Now, little Madge, if there is heroism
in you, it must meet and lasso that iron
beast whirling hundred people upon
death A hundredl The whole world
was IN the nglue.housc, driving down
first upon that fate He wouldn't try to
save himself when be came upon the
life trap. She saw ho~ he would set hi,
lips, bend nerve and brain to the emer-
gency she saw how car would rush into
car, the wreck lie over a burning engine,
Charley be ground and charred under
them all !!
o sublimely selfish woman! She flew
over the track like thing Of wings. 1t
was life and Charley. or death with
Charley The headlig flashed up
through dusk. There were matches IN
her pocket; she scraped them on a rail
aud tore off her apron. Oh they
wouldn't ignite. and the cotton would
but smolder. 1t is rolling down on h.r
as swift as air. Bless the loom which
made that cotton apron She tossed it
binding and blazing above her head.
walk ing slowly backward. The red eyed
fury roared down at her but you cam
terrify a woman when her mind is made
up. 1t should run over her before it
should reach the sand heap.
She was seen. The engine rent the
evening with its yells the brakes we're
on--her lasso had caught tit could
now be stopped 1t time. She dsrted aside
but the current was too strong for her
She was dizzy fell, and clutcbed in the
wrong direction. Poor; poor little
fingers
Now the people pour out; they run
b, ,ro there. Women urs crying perhaps
because they weren't hurt. The engineer
darts along like q madman look ny under
the train. There, a dozen feet before
tho engine rises the sand hill. Every
body wants to know how they were
stopped before they rounded the curve.
"Here she is |" shouted Charley, s'rid
ing up with limp bundle like king
who had sscrafcod to tho good of the