The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-04

dropped Tue j AXE IA left I'm Crazy
ana thei's the name be alters went
by. So be ses 10 me, Boss, gu-ss
you re right there" Crazy Was pae
of them boys thet was never feared
u nothin'. I've seen i'm in de-per-
ate tight places, bu, never knowed
i'm to show the white feather |
don't believe man or devil could
scare i'm, but this night be seemed to
be sorty uneasy like.
Sometimes there's something
makes you think beforehand thet
something's goin to hsppen-a kind
Misrepresentation? Yes thets it,
Presentiment. You can't tell ex-
actly how it is, but if there is spe-
rits in accidents or disasters. seems
like they were tryin' some way to
let folks know in time, and couldn't
quite do it. Everything seemed to
go wrong with us tbet night. The
passengers was all growlin' COS we
hurried them up at supper and when
| pulled out my machine she had the
very old boy in her No 80, as l
was tellin' We. was one Of the surest
engines on the road, but when she
did get into her didos she was more
obstreperous n government mule.
Ingines is like sewin' machines or
planners, and them things. They git
out o. kilter without no reason, and
yer can't tell what's the matter with
'em, only they jest won't and thet's
all there is about it. She wouldn't
ste lm, she fretted, snorted, and foam
ed, and wouldn't do her work no
ways at all Me and Crazy fused
with her, and coaxed and eussed her,
but it wasn't no use We kept run
MIN behind all the time instead OF
making up, n the conductor swore
like pirate. He was an engineer
himself, and he came out into the
cab and for Eve or ten miles be fus-
sed and worked and coaxed and
cussed. i believe the engine knew
Just as well tibet Satan was out
loose tibet night as if she'd been a
real human. Ingines is like women
they can't tell you why q thing is
so, and can't give no reason for it,
but they just know it is so.
Mebbe we'd made thirty miles, or
sich matter The rain. and hail, aDd
sleet, and snow was comm down
fearful. Water was pourin' down the
mountain and film the bitches and
runuin' much as you saw it las; night.
The wind was blowin' tornado,
and come tearin' through the passes
-gulches they call 'em in this coun-
try-in gusts; they would strike the
locomotive like q big wave striking
the ship, and almost throw her over.
1t was so dark, too, tibet couldn't
hev seen Crazy on the other side Of
the cab but for the lantern, aud
when be opened the furnace door
But he'd to get along all | could.
1t wouldn't do to show up, / was
runnin' for meetin' point
Just before you get to the curve at
DEVILS Run, there's a short stretch
of straight track. Soon as | struck
tibet began to look for The light in
Charley's window, which was the
other side of the Run. Strainin' my
eyes through the dark, just at the
point of the curve | saw a light
swinging backwards and forwards
slowly across the track. You know
l was tellin' you everything went
crooked that night. Soon as | saw
thet light knew what it was all
in a mint. 1t came on me with q
rush like My hair stood on end.
| blew the brakes. / screamed to
the fireman, "Crazy, DEVILS Run
culvert's gone, by the livin' Godl'
He jumped 70 sot the tender brakes,
and slid the wheels 10 flash. The
brakemen behind didn't answer !;
they were dozin' in the cars Ireckon.
| blew brakes agin, with a blast tc
wake the dead, and threw her open.
The drivers grosned and grosned
under me, but the rails was sleety
and slippery, and l went forging
ahead to gulf 500 feet square down,
and $50 lives behind me. l was tel
lin ye as No 80 that night was dead
square agin' goiu' ahead; but when l
threw her back, seems like she
knew her biz, 'nhow much laid on
her doin' oft we'll Women, agin, is
ingines. Grabbed. crooked. can
tankerous eusses, wen they don't
want to, but where it's works of
goodness or mercy, call on 'em n
they're right there. No 90 took
holt on tibet reverse with grit |
never see in no ingine afore. She
put all tibet was in her to every turn,
and the whole affair took less time
than l'm tellin' of it till the danger
was by.
When we stopped within twenty
feet of the light. which was swing
in still, backwards and forwards,
slowly across the track, | ses to Crs-
zy, Who's got tibet lantern p |
knew iI couldn't be the trackmsn,
for we'd just met i'm three miles be-
low, N 'eept him there was nobody
nearer'n ten miles 1t thet time of
night. So I gifts down from the ma
chine and runs up the road. As |
comes up | sees a little figure in
white. Ii was still swingin' Of the
light, backwards and forwards slow
ly across the track. He was in bis
night gown, just as he got out OF he'd,
hadn't no hat, and was barefoot The
sleet had froze in his hair, aud bis
nightgown was stiff with ice, comes
up to 'im-well, | was took thet way
| coulda't speak An be KEEP swing
IN the light, backwards ard for
wards sl)wly across the track, and
be ses to me, be ses, "You q mes
oards, isn't we ?" looked at i'm a
mint. His eyes was open and look
ID queer. He was dead fast asleep.
Crazy ketehed me or I'D gone over.
which it was my knees seemed
weak like Then l sets down on the
all, and Crazy picked up the child,
o hugyin' Of i'm but be busted out
'ry in-he did.
The conductor and some Of the
men got out OF the cars and come
Were be was. IL was sleetin' still,
N Drowio, hitter cold The h.,va