Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-04-15
THE HEROIC ENGINEER,
The Story Told by n Railroad HInn of n
Young Lady on his Train,

-| -
One night about four years ago, said
an engineer, telling the story to cor
respondent, 1 was coming down this
hill with considering the season. pret-
ty heavy train. At Wilkesbarre young
lady had got aboard of my engine. She
wanted night ride and was put on by
the superintendent. She was a perfect
lady, and her mother was in one of the
cars, back. To tell the honest truth, /
never saw a more beautiful or game
looking girl. She was very small sized,
dressed in what my wife calls complete
taste, and her figure was so good, and
her hands so small, and her ways SO
frank and artless, that almost wished
she was my daughter. Her face, though,
was what l can't give you an idea of. 1t
was the most beautiful face 1 ever saw.
1t had all the intelligence of woman's
and the simplicity of child's. And she
was so sprightly and lovable altogether,
and asked so many questions, that, al
though L had never had q woman on the
engine but once before, I invited her
over here to my seat, and explained to
her all about how locomotive is run. l
showed her how to manipulate the lever
which admits more or less steam to the
cylinders; how the reverse lever is
worked; how the tests of water and
steam are made. l showed her how to
blow the whistle and ring the bell, and
explained how the brakes were blown
down, and how warnings were given on
the approach to crossings. She took it
all in, and it was the best lesson I ever
gave. Right up around yonder about
two miles from here, just as 1 was hand
ling the reverse lever, we struck stone
or something on the track at nine o'clock
at night. was attending down at the
time, and quicker than lightning the
lever flew back and struck me in the
eye andknocked Newell, I don't know
where. Any way, it didn't make much
difference for a minute or two, for was
just stunned. AS we were on the down
grade, with no need of fuel, the fireman
back in the baggage Car, and when
came to, this young girl was holding on
to my head and tanning me with her toy
of hat. 1t wasn't two seconds before
l knew what was to pay. The engine
and the whole train had started down
this hill at the rate of sixty miles an
hour. I tried to spring up and reach
the lever. My right arm and side and
right leg were numb. My face and even
my tongue were so paralyzed by the
blow I had received that I could hardly
speak. was so desperate that (more to
attract the girls attention to the danger
than for anything else) I grabbed her
hat with my left hand and threw it out
side of the locomotive, and then man.
aged to beckon her ear down close to
my lips, and say:
"Train's going too fast. Well go to
destruction if you don't turn the lever!"
She understood me in an instant; and
it was time. The engine was rocking,
swaying, grinding and skurrying down
the track like beast with great bounds.
Every second expected it would leave
the rails; it certainly was descending at
the rate of seventy miles an hour. But
that little thing sprung up here, clutch
ed thu lever, motioned which way she
should shove or push it, got my nod,
and reversed the wheels like a little
man. Then she whistled down brakes
there was no need of that, for the boys
had put on every brake already. Inside
of mile and half she stopped the
train; and then she knelt down all trem.
bling and crying-and tainted dead
AWAY,