The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-11-16

IIclSut ithc uou kutUSAluS hOA /
chickens; now breathing loud
enough to deafen a multitude, now
concentrating its strength and
painting slowly away at the head of
its charge. She had walked from
sleep to hear them calling to each
other through the darkness, and
translated to herself what they
said.
It was proper thing for Madge |
to be an engineers wife. She
thought it q fitting thing to he
Charles wife under any circam-
stances, 1 assure you. There was
now Only little strip Of time be-
tween Madge and Chsrley. She
looked over that little strip, and
saw just how it would be. They
were to have a cottage on . clean
| street; her grandparents, if they
became infirm. were TO have T.
home with her; 'and these two lit
tie hands," said Charley, will make
me the dearest nest; I'll be SO
g!adto run into it at night"
Madgc's pink face took on rose
as she thought of all these things,
looking up and down the cut to see
if the track was clear, as her grand
father had said. 1t was clear.
She felt relieved and foolish about
coming out through the twilight to
spy for Charley'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 jealousy.
Just as the thunder of the train
could be heard, her heart stood
still to see them dissolve like pill
lars ground down by some malici-
GUS Samson, and piled upon the
track until nothing could be seen
for yards but one long hill of earth
and stones.
Now, little Madge, if there is he
roism in you, it must meet and
lasso that iron beast whirling 9
hundred people upon death. A
hundred The whole world was
in the engine house. He wouldn'
trip to cave himself when he wa:
come upon the life trap. She saw
how he would set his lips, benl
nerve and brain to the emergency
she saw car would crush into car
the wreck lie over burning en-
CINE, and Charley be ground ant
charred under them all.
, sublimely selfish woman! Sh
few over the track like a thing o
wings. 1t was life and Charley, o
death with Charley. The head
light flashed up through the dusk
There were matches in her pocket
; she scraped them on the rail, an
!, tore off her apron. O, they woaldn'
/. ignite, and the cotton would br
. shoulder. 1t is rolling down on he
swift as air. Bless the loom whic
. wove the cloth which made the CO
ton apron. She tossed it blinkin
and blazing above her head, wall
;, ing slowly backward. The red ey
cd fury roared down at her but 70
can't terrify a woman when b,
:. mind is made up. It should RI
over her before it should reach Il
- sand heap.
She was seen. The engine rel
~ the evening with it's yells; I'll
brakes were on-her lasso b.
- caught tit could now be stopp,
! in time. She darted aside but Il
- current was too strong for ht
Sac was dizzy, fell, and clutched
the wrong direction. Poor, po
!. little fingers!
:. Now the people pour out; tn
run here and there. Woman q
=, crying-perhaps because th
b. wern't hurt. The engineer da1
-. along like a madman, looking U
- der the train. There, a dozen Il
- before the engine rises the sa
~. hill. Everybody wants to KIN,
- how :hey were stopped before th
- rounded the curve.
-, "Here she is r. shouted Charlie
:. striding up with a.limp bundle, Ii
- king who had sacrificed to I
- good of the state. She showed
- signal, and stood up to it, until
=: saw her--until we almost run
down! There's half the finge
cut off her left hand. The
- what do you think of that DOW,
- the woman who saved you al
!. holding up the mutilated stump
-. "God bless it." prayed an ,
gentleman, taking of his hat.
-. "Amen - roared the crowd. w
one breath they raised three shou
which shook the sand hills III
-: they came down handsomely
"a second time, Charley stand
a. above their enthusiasm, like q