Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-01-15
THE CHRONICLE.
For the Chronicle.
A STORY OF THE UNDERGROUND
RAILWAY.

leys, with their huge loads of freight
and carloads of passengers, another
species of railway was in vogue, which
: served its day and generation with
, less noise and hustle, and without the
iron track or iron horse ofour modern
road. Trains were usually run at
night, except in rare cases, and at ir-
: regular intervals, as the necessities of
the patrons of the route might require.
: Travelling was not rapid, nor ALWAYS
safe for passengers or conductors; but
was subject to a different class of acci-
dents, however, from ordinary rail-
way travel, which occasionally put a
stop to all business for time on these
, lines.
They are said to have always run
toward the north star, from whatever
point they may have started. An
other peculiarity being that the travel
always appeared to be tending in one
directiOn-the southwark bound cars
seldom, if ever, containing any pass
: engers.
Near the period mentioned, train
containing a sable son of Africa, with
his wife and child, was approaching a
new made station on a line of the
road running through No. 3, First
Range.
These natives of the "OId Domiu-
ion" having tasted the bitterness of
unrequited servitude, and being soon
to be sold to the southern traders, hav-
ing heard of Canada, the land of Ca
naan to the bondsman of the South at
that time, with many fears and anx-I
ieties b4de adieu to the scenes of their
childhood, having no knowledge of
the world save what little was con-
tanned within the visible horizon
which formed the boundary of their
late homes, had succeeded in eluding
their pursuers, crossing the river, and
had found friends who were aiding
them in their journey to the north
ward.
The farmhouse, bathed in the soft
moonlight of an autumnal midnight,
was surrounded by orchards heavily
laden with the fruitage of the wear.
whose fragrance was even noticeable
to the passer-by. In the neighboring
field, the long rows ofplethoric shocks
of corn, standing like grim veterans
ready to repel the onslaught of hun |
ger and cold from the farmers herds. |
when they should be called into reoui- |
sitiOn during the following winter. |
The nodding of the trees as they |
swayed in the midnight breeze was |
all that seemed to detract from the |
stiffness of the hour. The farmhouse |
with its surroundings formed q quiet |
rural picture not unpleasing to the |
eye.
Soon, however, the barking of the
house dog gave notice of intruders at |
o. nnr1znol hour The ~,
aroused, the password "For Liberty.' - |
was given, and the passengers were
soon safely slowed away in a loft of |
the barn, and the train returned to the
station from which it had started, The
day following passed as usual, the
household being engaged in the affairs
pertinent to farm life; close observ-
er might however have noticed some
hurried consultations at intervals dur
ing the day, and the disappearance of
eatables in an unusal direction might
have excited some surprise.
As the evening advanced, the in
mates of the farmhouse retired as
usual, and a look of quiet dtcorum
pervaded the place. A little before
midnight, however, q light in the
Kitchen might have been seen, show
ing that some one was astir, and the
sable inmates of the loft crept stealth
lily from their retreat. "Old Grav ~
meanwhile had been hitched to light
wagon and brought to the back door.
the bundle containing their worldly
goods was placed on board, and the /
travellers took their seats ready for an
other night journey toward the north.
A moment later a delicate maiden of
some fourteen summers appeared, and
took her seat on the train, of which
she was to be engineer, brakesman
and eonduetor-a new and untried
field of duty, which stronger arms
and older heads thought best TO avoid.
AT the word of command from our
little maid, "Old Gray" started. and
our train, with its load of passengers.
slowly and silently, but surely, moved
TO the noTthward. Our conductor col
lected neither fare nor tickets: the
" dead-head system prevailed on
these routes they paid neither cash
nor scrip dividends.
Our little train moved onward while
the Polar Star from his home in the
frozen North looked down in his clear,
cold way in mild approval, as be had
often done before, giving hope of lib
erty and freedom in other lands 10 ..
Afric's sons and daughters which was
not vouchsafed to them at that time
in this boasted land of liberty, The
home of the free, and the land of the
brave"
Low mutterings in the west soon
gave promise of storm of wind and .
rain, as a finale to the sultry days
which had preceded the night to
which we refer; louder and : Iond-
er grew the distant thunderi Z s in the
west; higher and higher rev the !
pile of dark and murky clouds, while /.
the Hghtning's fitful glare revealed
some OF the unpleasant features eff the !
task which had been undertaken. The
lash was applied and our train moved
rapidly toward another farmhouse
station, few miles to the northward.
The storm clouds still rolled onward
and upward, while Vulcan WAS dis. :
charging his heaviest thunderbolts,
as If TO deter our youthful conductor
from the line of duty laid out for her
self; chain lightning flashed from the {
zenith to the nadiF, revealing for a
moment surrounding objects, then fol-
lowed by darkness that could be seen s
and felt. The pattering of the rain j
drops, premonitoTy of the shower to 6
come, warned our conductor that no
time was to be lost. Faithful "Old I
Gray" was doing her best; the sta
ton was already in sight; moment {
later, and the farmhouse was reached; {
the painting, foaming, sweating horse !
had done.its duty, and done it we'll.
A slight rap at the door-from which
no fleeing bOndsman ever sought food
and shelter in EaiA-was quickly an
swered; all was explained in a word
in few moments, the conductor, the
passengers, and = Old Gray" were s
cared for, but none too soon to avoid {
the fury of the storm.
One hour later, the storm having I
passed away, the train started on its
return trip, without passengers or
freight. The weary miles wers passed I
over without adventure, without even
meeting a belated traveller on his !
homeward way.
Just as the golden orb of day was
gliding the east with rosy streaks of I
morning light, while Orion and other I
heroes of old, with their trophies I
around them, looked down from their
home in the skies through the cold I
damp and frosty air of a late autumnal I
morning, our little heroine, the con- ]
ductOr of cur train, passed in at the
familiar gate. Her place was vacant {
at the morning meal-something very
unusual-but no questions were n ked. {
A few hours later, however, our little c
maid was found at her household du- G
ties q Trcmol- / 9