St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-05-11
Put Yourself in Her Place.

AN INCIDENT OF wOMAN'S HEROISM.
GChares Barnard, in the Golden Rule.l
The long summer day had crept slow
ly away, and it was nearly 5 O'Clock.
The hours at the railway station were
marked as by some gigantic clock that
told the laggard minutes by screaming
whistle and changing bell. The 4:30 ac-
cOmmOdatiOn had gone east, the western
express, due there at 4:55, had thunder
ed 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 England type, quiet, and yet with
an immense capacity for doing and dar-
ing should love and the occasion de-
mand. 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 fleight-hOuse on the farther
side of the track. By this she knew
that the local freight would stop this
time. Her heart beat the faster and
she quickened 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 walked
beside the track toward the freight
house.
To understand all that took place on
this occasion, and to fully appreciate
her consummate skill in controlling the
events SO quickly to crowd upon her,
we must study the constructions of the
road at this point. The main line for
more than a mile to the right, or toward
the east, was perfectly straight and
comparatively level. To the left, or
the west, it crossed a deep valley by a
lofty stone viaduct, and beyond the val
| ley it curved toward the north and
mounted the hill by long grade. just
east of the passenger station Il branch
road entered the main line, and there
was, us might be supposed, clOss-over
switch. Beyond the passenger station,
on the west, was a short siding ending
in Il small freight-house, and directly
opposite was another siding with Il
freight-shed and coal-yard. At this
point there was also another cIoSS-OVer
switch.
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 walk
ed on toward the switch at the head of
the siding.
Suddenly the mainline track before
her began to sing in sharp metallic mur-
murS. The train had entered that sec
ton of the road, and he was near. Then
there came the sound of escaping steam.
The engine was slowing down, and the
steam, no longer employed, was burst
ing with loud roar from the safety
valve as if impatient of delay.
With jar that shook the ground the
immense freight engine rolled past her,
and the engineer, leaning out of his
window, nodded to her as he slid past
Then the cars i'll 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 appear
ed, and young man swung himself
down from the iron ladder on the car
anu W thO SiOuhu tte hSi iSSt'
A soOty man, clad in blue canvas,
now black with smoke and dust. Only
brakeman No; a tritie betteI-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 it. He had met
and loved Lydia in the days of his fool
ish idleness, and she had insisted that
1, Il ,,I- ,ha al
not-yes, she could and did love him :;
but he must show himself worthy her
love. Already he had advanced, and
she was we'll pleased with his progress,
aud they had become engaged.
\ grimy, dusty man in unlOvely gar
ments bot. IN her eyes, ,rr was mau
n...:;ie ior better things. As he stood
beside her one could see in his clear
eyes and sensible face that he had good
stuff in him, and was worthy of her
love.
ii becomes us not to linger while they
talk quietly together beside the track.
The tain moved slower and slower till,
finally, il stopped with the last car just
beyond the switch. The iron horse was
moved on, the station master signaled
with his arms in curious fashion aud
each of the four brakemen repeated the
motion in turn. White putis of steam
rose high in the air from the farther
eud of the train. A curious, rattling
sound spread through the train, and the
last ear backed down, turned aside and
entered the siding. The station master
left the switch and came hastily toward
the lovers.
Good day. Alfred. Light freight to-
day, only one car-by the way, the
brake chain is broken, and YOU had bet
ter drop the ear at the repair shops.
The freight can be thrown out without
leaving the car
so .aying. the station master went ou
into H. freight house, folloaed 10y the
ruttling and rumbling ears. They grad
ually lost theiI speed. and thea came to
stop with the end of the TRAIN losi iu
the dark cavern 81 the freight bou-s
There was "a shout fiom the building
aud ihcu one ~ th. l.s..aa- r-Iiiea begnu To
NOV" irTH a1ms a. a signal o. ~ on.
Again the white puff "f steam shot -
iu the distance, aRd Nth a igf aud
quis - the train started again.
Car after car rolled past them. Thstr
w~fs hurricd ehi-,srs, = warm baud
shaks iind pCft-p- = tis1. -.s.l ti,ea the
rftflnr lfnu suufSg fsfn AID fFrssft.s,l 80.