The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-12-20
thinking of the days when they were

the cinder walk, following magnet
which would have drawn her from the
center of the earth. To the road, Of
course. How often had she watched
the rails covering horizonward until
they sharpened themselves to needle
point. The railroad had fascination
for Madgie. When baby she used
to follow her grandfather to his work,
and hide among the bushes TO see tho
big freigh,s numbering by, and the ex-
press trains go wheeling into town
like screaming land demons. She had
heard OF the sea, and the spell IT bad
upon sailors, but she saw the railroad
and felt the spell, which nobody
seemed to remark, that it cast over
inland labors. She saw her boy play
mates sucked up by 1.-THE road;' heard
her grandfather tell of hairbreadth es-
capes from collisions, of cool courage
in whic men placed themselves
between the people they car
ried aud most horrible death
She had learned the power of mission
OF the road In short, she was rs
loyal daughter of the rail rs any
Maine skipper's child is Of the sea
Madgie had affinity for an engine. To
this day her throat swelled, her eye
kindled, when the great iron animal
swept past her. Charley drove an en-
gine, and his engine was, in his eyes,
Il fitting exponent of the strength and
beauty OF his manhood. Such was
the romance OF her little dry lite.
Everybody must have his enthusiasm.
She had been To the towns great de-
pot at night returning from holiday
"Trip, and laughed aloud to see some
busy engine hurrying up and down,
picking up freight like hen gathering
her chickens, now breathing loud
enough to deadcn multitude, now
concentrating his streng Ii and painting
slowly away at the head OF its charge.
She had walked from sleep 10 hear
them calling 10 each other through
the darkness, aud translated TO herself
what they said.
1t was proper thing for Madgie to
be an engineers wife. She thought II
fitting To be Charleys wife under any
circumstances, | assure you. There
was now only little strip OF time be-
tween Nadgic aud Charley. She
looked over that little strip, and saw
Just how it would be. They were To
have cottage OH clean street; her
grandparents il they became iniiTm,
" ere To- have home with her; "and
these two little hands," said Charley,
will make me the dearest nest: | ii
be 50 glad TO run into it at nig.it =
Aadgies pink face took Oh rose As
she thought of all these things, looking
up aud down the cut to see II the
track was clear. She telt relieved aud
foolish about coming out there
through the twilight 10 spy tor Char
lcy's welfare, aud much inclined 10
hide from the smoke rising lar OIL
But those unstable sandy walls
towering over this way; Madgc
watched them .jealously. just as the
thunder OF the train could be heard,
her heart stood still 10 see them dis.
solve, like pillars ground down by
s.,ine malicious Samson, and piled up
on ahc track nntil nothing could be
seen for yards but one long hill OF
earth and stones.
Now, little Madgie, if there is any
heroism III you, IL must meet aud las
so that iron beast whlrliug hundred
people upon death. A hundred! The
Dcisote rortd was in the engine house.
lie wouldn't try To save himself when
he came upon the liie-trap. She saw
he would set his lips, bend nerve and
brain TO the emergency; she saw how
car would crush into Car, the wreck lie
over a burning engine. and Charley
be ground and charred under them
all
Oh, sublimely selfish woman! She
few over the track like thing on
wings. 1t was life and Charley, or
death with Charley The headlight
dashed up through the dusk. There
were matches III her pocket; she
scraped them on the rail and tore
off her apron. Oh, they won't ignite,
and the cotton would but shoulder.
1t is rolling down on her swift as air.
Bless the loom which wove the cloth
which made the cotton apron! She
tossed it, blinking and blazing above
her head, walking slowly backward.
The red-eyed fury roared down at
her, but you can't terriiy 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
were on-her lasso had caught tit
could now be stopped in time. She
darted aside, but the current was too
strong for her. She was dizzy; fell
and clutched in the wrong direction.
Poor little fingers.
Now the people pour out; they
run here there. Women are crying
perhaps because they wern't hurt
The engineer darts along like mad.
man, looking under the train. There,
dozen feet before the engine, rises a
sand hill. Everybody wants to know
how they were stopped before they
rounded the curve.
'Here she isw shouted Charley,
striding up with limp bundle, like
king who sacrificed his. son tor the
good OF the State. "She showed the
ignal, and stood mp until / saw her
we almost run her down! There's
half the fingers cut off her hand =
There, what do you think of that now,
far the woman who saved YOU all Z"
holding up the mutilated stump.
"God bless it," prayed an old gen.
tleman taking off his hat.
''Amenp' roared the crowd. With