The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-08-22
THE LAW OF KINDNESS OR, THE
OLD WOMAN'S RAILWAY
SIGNAL.
BY ELIHU BURRITT.

kind, beastkind, and birdkind. From
time immemorial, music has wonderfully
affected all beings, reasoning or unreason-
ing, that have ears to hear The prettiest
idea and smile of ancient literature relate
to Orpheus playing his I've to animals
listening in intoxicated silence to its
strains. Well, kindness is the spontane-
Gus music of goodwill to men and beasts.
And both listen to It with their hearts
instead of their ears and the hearts of
both are effected by it in the same wAy,if
net to the same degree. Volumes might
be written filled with beautiful illustra
tions its effects upon both. The music
of kindness has not only the power to
charm, but to transform both the savage
heart of man and beast and on this harp
the smallest fingers in the world may play
heavens sweetest tunes on earth.
Some time ago we read Of an incident
that will serve as an illustration of this
beautiful law. It was substantially to
this effect {: A poor, coarse-featured old
woman lived on the line of the B altimore
and Ohio Railway, where it passes tn rough
wild, unpeopled district of Western Vir.
gina. She was poor widow, with only
one daughter, living with her in log
hut, near deep precipitous gorge. cross
ed by the railway bridge. Here they con-
trived to support themselves by raising
and selling poultry and eggs, adding Der,
ries in their season, and other little arti.
cles for the market She had to make
long, weary walk of many miles to town
where she could sell her basket of pro-
duce. The railway passed by her cabin
to this town but the ride would cost too
much Of the profits of her small sales, so
she trudged on generally to the market
on foot. The conductor came finally to
notice her walking by the side of the line
or between the rails and, being a good
natured, benevolent man, he would often
give her ride to and fro without charge.
The enginemen and brakemen were also
good to the old woman, and felt they were
not w1onging the interests of the railway
company by giving her these free rides.
And soon an accident occurred that proved
that they were quite right in this view of
the matter.
In the wild month of March, the rain
descended and the mountains sent down
their rolling, roaring torrents of melted
SNOW and ice into this gorge near the old
woman's hut. The flood arose with the
darkness of the night, until she heard the
crash of the railway bridge, as it was
swept from its butments, and dashed its
broken timbers against the craggy sides
Of the precipice on either side. It was
nearly midnight. The rain fell in flood,
and the darkness was deep and bowling
with the storm. In another half.hour the
express train would be DUE What could
she do to warn it against the awful de-
struction it was approaching? She had
hardly whole tallow candle in her house;
and no light she could make of talloW or
oil, if she had it, would live a moment in
that tempest Of wind and rain. Not a
moment was to be lost and her thought
was equal to the moment. She cut the
cord of her only bedstead, and shouIdered
the dry posts, side pieces and head piece.
Her daughter followed her with their two
wooded chairs. Up the steep embark.
ment they climed, and piled all their
household furniture upon the line few
rods before the black, awful chasm, CUR
Cling with the roaring flood. The distant
rumbling of the train came upon them
just as they had fired the well dried COM
bustibles. The pile blazed up into the
night, throwing its red swaling, booming
light long way up the track. In fifteen
minutes it would begin to wane, and she
could not revive it with green, wet wood.
The thunder of the train grew louder. It
was within five miles OF the fire. Would
they see it in time? They might not put
on the brakes soon enough. Awful thot
She tore her red flannel gown from her in
a moment, and, tying it to the end of
stick, ran up the track, waving it in both
hands, while her daughter swung round
her head blazing chair.post little be-
fore. The lives of hundred unconscious
passengers hung on the issue Of the next
minute. The ground trembled at the old
woman's feet. The great red eye of the
engine burst upon her as it came round
curve. Like as huge, sharp sighted lion
coming suddenly upon a fire, it sent forth
thrilling roar, that filled all the wild
heights and ravines around. The train
was at full speed but the brakemen wres-
tied at their leverage with all the strength
of desperation. The wheels ground along
on the heated rails slower and slower,
until the engine stopped at the decaying
fire. It still blazed enough to show them
the beetling edge of the black abyss into
which the train and all its passengers
would have plunged, and into death and
destruction too horrible to think of, had
it not been for the old woman's signal.
They did not stop to thank her first for
the deliverance The conductor knelt
dowa by the side of the engine; the en-
cine driver and brakeman came and knGlt |