Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-11-14

>TIN, MOWER COUNT
enjoyment he wrapped himself in such
cloud that she could hardly SEQ the
clock.
Madgie slipped out to the gate. She
was often there, looking up tho road.
The two old people sat inside, thinking
OF the days when they were young.
She was restless, and fitted over the
cinder sidewalk, following a magnet
which would have drawn her from the
centre of the earth. To the road ol
course. How often had she watched
the rails convcrging horizonward until
they silarpened themselves to O needle
point: The railroad had q fascination
tor Madgle. When baby she used to
follow her grandfather to his work.
ana hide among the rushes to see the
olg freights numbering by, and the ex
press trains whistling into town like
screaming land demons. She had heard
OF the sea, and the spell it had upon
the sailors, but she saw the railroad
and felt the spell, which nobody seem
Ell to remark, that it cast over inland Ia
bors. Sho saw her boy playmates suck
ed up by "the road" heard her grand.
father tell of hairbreadth escapes from
collisions, of cool courage in men
placing themselves between the people
they carried and most horrible death.
Sho had learned thepower and mission
OF "the road" In short. she was M
loyal daughter of the rail as anv
Maine shippers child is of the sea.
Madgie had affinity for an engine.
10 this day her throat swelled, her
eye kindled, when the great iron ami
NAL swept past her. Charlie drove an
engine, and his engine was III her cyes,
fitting exponent of the strength and
beauty OF his manhood. Such was the
romance Of her little dry life. Every
body must have his enthusiasm. She
had been in the towns great depot at
night arrived from a holiday trip, and
had laughed aloud to see some busy
engine hurrying up and down, picking
up freight like q hen gathering her
chickens; now breathing loud enough
to deafen a multitude, now concentrat.
ing bis strength and painting slowly
away at the head of it's charge. She
had wakened from sleep to hear them
calling to each other through the dark
said.
1t was a proper thing for Madgie to
be an engineers wife. She Thought Il
fitting thing to be Charley's wife un-
Ger any circumstances, I assure you.
There was now only little strip of
time between Madgie and Charley.
She looked over that little strip, and
saw just how it would be. They were
to have q cottage on clean street
her grand. parents if they became in
firm, were to have home with ner
=" and these two little hands," said
Charley, will make me the dearest
nest; III be so glad to run into it at
Madgie's pink face took on rose az
she thought of all these things. look
ing up and down the cut to see if the
track was clear, as her grandfather had
said. 1t was clear. She felt relieved
and foolish about coming out there
through twilight to spy for Charlev's
welfare, and much inclined to hide from
the smoke rising far of. But those
unstable sandy walls towering over his
way; Madge watched them ieaiousIv:
Just as the thunder of the train could
be heard, her heart stood still to see
them dissolve, like pillars ground
down by some malicious Samson, and
piled upon the track until nothing
could be seen for yards but one long
hill of earth and stonesl
Now. little Madgie, if there is hero
ism in you, it must meet and lasso that
iron beast whirling hundred people
to death ! A hundredl The svlt0lc
World was in the engine house. He
wouldn't try to save himself when he
came upon the life-trap. She saw how
he would set his lips, bend nerve and
brain to the emergency; she saw how
car would crush into car, the wreck lie
over burning engine, and Charley be
ground and charred under them all
o, sublimely selfish woman! She
dew over the track like thing on wings.
It was life and Charley, or death with
Charley. The headlight flashed up
through the dusk. There were matci-
es in her jacket; she scraped them on
rail, and tore of her apron. Oh, they
wouldn't ignite, and the cotton would
but smother. It is rolling down on her
swift as air. Bless the loom which
wove the cloth that made the cotton
apron! She tossed it, blinking and
blazing about her head, walking SLOWLY
backward. The red-eyed fury roared
down at her, but can't terrify a woman
when her mind is made up. It should
run over her before il should reach the
and heap.
She was seen. The engine rent the
evening with it's yells the brakes were
on-her lasso had caught tit could
now be stopped in time. She darted
aside, but the current was to strong for
her: She was dizzy; fell, and olutched
n the wrong direction. Poor, poorit-
Now the people pour out; they run
here and there. Women are CRYING
perhaps because they wern't hurt. The
engineer darts along like o madman.
looking, under the train. There q doz-
en- feet before the engine, rises a sand
hill. Everybody wants to know how
hey were stopped before they rounded ]
the curve.
"Here she is! +" shouted Charlev
'triding up with limp bundle, like a
King who had sacrificed to the GOOD Of
The State. "She showed the signal.
md stood up to it until I saw her,
Until we almost run her down! There's
1alf the fingers cut off her left hand i!
There, what do you think of that now,
Tor woman who saved. you all2"
holding up the mutulated stump
"God bless it :" prayed an old gen.
tleman, taking off his hat. l.
':Amen!" roared the crowd. With
Dne breath they raised three shouts
which shook the sand hills until thew
came down handsomely second time.
Charley standing above their enthusi-
ism with the fainting child in his arms,
ike regent holding some royal in
[ant.
"Let me see her, sobbed first one
woman than another. So Charley sat
down and let them crowd around him ,
With ice water, cologne and linen for
bandages. He even gave the men a
el1mpse OF her waxy face, just unfold
ing to consciousness. Like all West
ern people they wanted to pour out
their heart in "a purse" Madeie hid !
her face on Charley's blouse. and ,
would take none of it." !
he carried her home at the head of n