Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-04-12
THE BRlKEMAN'S STORY.

from brakisg. People think. as
they sit in their warm seals and Only
l.tar rs call out the different sta,
tions, that We have a lice, soft, easy
time But we know better. Imag-
ise yaurseif out on a 1at ear al
hight, with the Snow uaSiling ia
your face. your hands ON IA cald non
brake, and think If that's easy or
up ON top cf Il freight car, running
along, the wind cutting like a knife,
IS dark as pitc',, and watching for
fear you may rush suddenly un,ier Il
bridge aad be swept off, ;,nd perhaps
be left 10 die in the snow. Is that
easy DaeS that hook like II Scft
jab To Ice saTe, when We are
transferred To passenger cars the
work is nice enmgh, but the dan
gers we have To 90 through for We
generally have To 20 OH freight ears
Grstl eatitle Us t0 something better
On Il passenger car, anu we ain { sor-
~ whee We Get Ordc,S 10 tako the
bead end of such regalar train.
.sThele are yerv few brakemen
Eflso rau;t tell never to-be-Gurgotttn
incidents connected with tlieir life
0n t,ie rail. To explain. let me tell
ynn story from mt o~H experience.
sememl.er me mig :, * MAS fear
fully coli right la tine middle of
winter, aud suoGng hard. L WAS
hr:.king ia The middle of a freight
tram. IL WAS running aleng on
sloM time that uight, aud we were
about two or three miles fyom the
station. WAS standing 10y fhe
brake of a fat car, trying To get
warm By stamping, wishing that We
were ut the depot, SO that | could !
On back 10 the ealeluse unt of tie |
hitter ccsd. when suddenly | felt the
train bunl ing ard jumping like as
IL Il wheel had broken, and knew
something as wrong. The whist lr
blew for brakes, aud in mighty
short time We had the train slapped. |!
with liz, rest of the men | went |
back 10 SEE what Was the matter,
thinking that / might get chance |
ut the stove, for WAS uearlY frozen. |
Going ack three hundred feet, we |
furhd one Uf the rails had got loose !
and WAS ont OF place. but, as We had /
been going slowly, we bad run over |
the spot safely. Our conductor
looked up. and seeing me, said
s.Jim. ge: lack an1 signal the
passer ger train. She will be along
in short time now +; and take
this, he said, handing me a red
light lantern we'll 90 or. You !
can come along with the other train
"With that all hands got on h,ard.
and soon there was nothing but me |
aud the lantern iefr." P"
"a cold gust brought me to by
self with 4 quick tariI, aDd then | |
remembered what mad 10 Go. Hold /
lag the lantern UP | say tie light |
vas fiickerii.g, ard shaking it, |
fo,,ul il almost empty. Thpn 1 he |
gan To feel the responsibility of NV (
position lamp with I'D oil III ii. |
tie train due in teu minutes with |
the chances Of lis being thrown off t
{ ;e track. and no telling how many |
poor people killed OF wounded. III
case of that kind. sir, even 4 brake
man viii do lis lest to SAKE human /
life, although lie sometimes loses his
own ih the'attem?t ard al he gets
for it is having his name in the pa
per and being called brave fellow
"Qnicker than | can tell, | made
ND nv mind that the train must br
signaIled, lamp on ro lamp. Bat
how to do it was the question. If
ian ahead without light the enli-
neer migilt think wanted To stop
the train for robbery, for such things
have been done. you know, and
would not only cash OH fi,stef than
before, itit tmay be- try To scald me
AZ tie .comotive rushed by. / tell
yen felt like praying i1st thea
but bfakemen are not selected for
their religious feelings, SD | didn't
pay much but looked around and
saw Il light shining in Il Window
some distance off. Laid down my
lantern carefully on the track, made
q bee line foi the house, and soon
brought "A woman tn the door who
hacked more frightened than [ was,
at nv excited appearance. 1t WAS
useless to ask for sperm oil (the only
kind We uspl. SO | cried out.
s..For Gods sake get me some
straw.'n
ssShe seemed to realize the posi-
tion, and quickly brought bundle.
Feeling in MY pocket, | found three
,~.o+oho. on.1 nrrahfin0 fine straw I