The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-05-12
PUT YOURSELF IN HER PLACE.
An Incident of woman's Heroism.

An Incident of Woman's Heroism.
The long summer day had crept slowly
away, and it was nearly 5 o'clock. The
hours at the railway station were marked
as by some gigantic clock that told the lag
gard minutes by screaming whistle and
changing bell. The 4:50 accommodation
had gone east, the western express, due
there at 4:55, had Numbered through the
village gone on over the great viaduct, and
disappeared round the vast curve beyond.
SO one counted the hours by the trains,
Lydia by name, girl of the best New Eng
land type, quiet, and yet with an immense
capacity for doing and daring should love
and the occasion demand. The local freight
would come next, and then-then she would
see him again. She laid aside her work,
put some split zephyr vanity upon her
head, and went out toward the railroad.
As she approached the station she saw her
brother, the station master, opening the
little freight house on the farther side of
the track. BY this she knew that the To-
cal freight would stop this time. Her heart
beat the faster and she quiekened her step.
On reaching the passenger station where
the village street crossed the railway, she
looked up and down the line, and then
crossed over and turned to the left and
WdlhCu UCSltC IlNS tldIh WV TIC
house.
To understand all that took place on this
occasion, and to fully appreciate her con-
summate skill in controlling the events so
quickly to crowd upon her, we must study
the construction of the road at this point.
The main line for more than mile to the
right, or toward the east, was perfectly
straight and comparatively level. To the
left, or the west. 1t crossed a deep valley
by lofty stone viBduct, and beyond the
valley it curved toward the north and
mounted the hill by a long grade. just
east of the passenger station branch road
entered the main line, and there was, as
might be supposed, cross over switch.
Beyond the passenger station, on the west,
was short siding ending in small freight
house. and directly opposite WINS another
siding with freight shed and coal yard.
At this point there was also another cross
over switch.
Lydia walked on past the freight house,
and, crossing the side track, found a large
fiat rock beside the way, and there, under
the shade of an ancient apple tree, she sat
down to wait till her lover should come.
He comes She heard the three long
whistles sounding far down the line, and a
bright blush mounted to her face. The
train would stop. That was the signal for
the station-master. Her brother came out
of the freight house. spoke pleasantly to
her, and then walked on toward the switch
at the head of the siding.
Suddenly the main line track before her
began to sing in sharp metallic murmurs.
The train had entered that section of the
road, and he was near. Then there came
the sound of escaping steam. The engine
was slowing down, and the steam, no long
er employed, was bursting with loud
roar from the safety valves as if impatient
of delay.
With jar that shook the ground the i'm
mense freight engine rolled past her, and
the engineer, leaning out of his window,
nodded to her as he slid past. Then the
cars in long procession came into sight and
moved past with slowly decreasing speed.
Four brakemen busy at the brakes went
past, and still he came not. AT last, the
rear car appeared, and young man swung
himself down from the iron ladder on the
car and sprang to the ground at her feet.
A sooty man, clad in blue canvass, now
black with smoke and dust. Only brake
man No trihe better-the conductor of
the freight train. A year ago he had been
glad to take the place of brakeman, and
already he had been promoted. Love did
1t. He had met and loved Lydia in the
days of his foolish idleness, and she had in
sisted that he do some manly work, or she
could not-yes, she could and did love him;
but he must show himself worthy her love.
Already he advanced, and she was well
| pleased with his progress, and they had be-
come engaged.
| A grimy dusty man in unlovely garments;
| but, In her eye, he was man made tor bet
| "a ba ctnC6 hapida har
| could see in his clear eyes and sensible
face that he had good stuff in him, and was
| worthy Of her love.
1t becomes US not to linger while they
| talk quietly together beside the track. The
train moved slower and slower till, finally
| 1t stopped with the last car just beyond the
switch. The iron horse was moved on, the
station master signaled with his arms in a
| curious fashion, and each of the four brake
men repeated the motion in turn. White
puffs of steam rose high in the air from the
farther end of the train. A curious rafting
sound spread through the train, and the last
| car backed down, turned aside and entered
| the siding. The station master left the
switch and came hastily toward the low.
| ers.
"Good day, Alfred. Light freight to-
day, only one car--by the way, the brake
chain is broken, and you had better drop
the car at the repair shops. The freight
can be thrown out without leaving the
car"
30 saying, the station master went on
into the freight house, followed by the rat
thing and rumbling cars. They gradually
| lost their speed, and then came to a stop
| with the end of the train lost in the dark
cavern Of the freight house. There was Q
shout from the building, and then one Of
the brakemen began TO move his arms as .