The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-11-06

together" ss
Joe shall never talk to me again" After all,
twas easy enough. reeed as spoke. I
heard the signal. We were off, z
Five hours from L to D five hours back
again. I knew now, that .son the last run
should be myself again., saw.a fiutter, and
never guessed what it wac until we had passed
the down train at the wrong place. Two
minutes more, and we should have had COLI
sion, somebody told me, and laughed. I
heard the shareholder say respectfully:
"Of course, Mr.. Guelden, you know what
you are about?"
Then I was alone, and wondering and Won
dering whether I should go faster or slower.
I did something, and the cars rushed on at q
fearful rate. TIE same man who had spoken
to me before was standing near me. l heard
the question:
GLOW many miles an hour are ne making?'
didn't know.
Rattle, rattle, rattle I was trying now to
slacken the speed of the San Francisco. I
could not remember what should do; was it
this or that-faster or slower?
I was playing with the engine like child,
Suddenly there was horrible roar-a crash.
/ was flung somewhere. was in the water;
By miracle was scbered, not hurt. gained
the shore. I stood upon Che ground between
the track and the rivers edge, and there gazed
at my work.
The engine was in fragments, the cars in
splinters; dead and dying and wounded were
strewn around-men, and women, and children
old age and youth. There were groans and
shrieks of despair. The manned cried out in
pain the uninjured bewailed their dead /; and
voice, unheard by any other, was in my ear,
whispering, Murderer"
The news had gone to A., and people came
thronging down to find their lost ones. Search
ing for an. old mans daughter, came to a
ing there, all in their rigid horro.-an old wo-
man. young one, a baby and two tiny chill
dren. Was it fancy-was it pure fancy born
of anguish They looked like-Oh, heavenl
they were my wife and children, all cold and
dead |
: How did they come on the train? What
chance had brought this about? I groaned,
screamed clasped my hands tore my hair,
gazed in the cold face of her who gave me
birth, on the lovely face of my wife, and on
my innocent children. ] called them by name;
there was no answer. There never would be-;
there never could be. - - .-,- -1e5sa
A whistle Great God Onward up the
track thIndered another train! Its red eyes
glared upon me threw myself before it;
felt it crush me to atoms.
u
1His head Is extremely Kotl" ssid some
body.
opened my eyes and saw my wife.
GLOW do you feelT' she said; "a little bet
ter?"
was so rejoiced and astonshed by the sight
of her that could not speak at first. She re-
peated the question.
81 must be crushed to pieces" said I, "for.
the train run over me but feel no pain"
'There, he fires about that train again !" said
my wife.
Why, tried to move; there was something
the matter with me. was in my own room
opposite to me a crib, in which my child was
asleep. My wife and child were safe. Was I
delirious, or what could it be
4"Joe," I cried, "ten me what has hap
pened."
"Its nine o'clock" said Joe. "You came
home in such q state from the club that l
couldn't wake you. You were not fit to manage
steam and risk peoples lives. The San Fran
been frightening me to death with your dread
full talk"
And Joe began to cry.
1t was only a dream-only an awful dream.
Butt had lived through it as though it we're
reality.
"Is there Bible in the house, Joe?" said
I. -,...
"Are We heathens ?" asked Joe
"Give it to me this moment, Joe."
She brought it, and put my hand on it and
took the oath, too solemn to be repeated here,)
that what had happened should never occur
again. And if the San Francisco ever comes
to grief, the verdict will not be, it has so
often been, "The engineer WAS drunk"