Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-08-10


when Drucie told Jim TO listen for the
sound of Toms train ahead the boy
poked his head out of the window and
held his breath.
"'Pears to me heard a sound" he
said, without turning his head. "Mcbbe
I'm mistaken so many things pear to
me just now"
"Thank Godp' calculated the girl.
Listen with all your might, Jim. Oh,
for the speed Of bulletp
Her face was glowing with heat, and
while Jim listened she opened the fur
mace door and threw in the last stick Of
wood they possessed.
"The woods gone, jim. How far yet
can we go at this rate of speed?"
"AbOut fifteen miles," the boy an
swered-" twenty of 'em, if we must
do it,"
"Then we'll catch him. Colby must
be nine miles away yet, and the gulch is
six miles further on-fiftecn milesl jim,
can't you hear him YETI"
"No; guess / was mistaken awhile
back" the boy said, and Drucie's coun-
tenance fell.
"There's the sound again" he ex.
claimed, minute later. "Listen for your
self, girl"
Drucie went to the window and put
her head out.
That's Tomr' she cried. 80 Heaven,
let mo save him and all the other precious
lives tonight"
With this prayer she turned to the fur
mace again and smiled at the red-hot
doors. The engine and its empty tender
seemed to fly over the track, and when
Drucie looked at Jim again she found
him staring at the gauge.
"What's the matter, Jim?" she asked.
He came forward with his hand ex-
tended toward the little instrument.
ga little more fire and we'll blow up"
he gasped.
Tom would hear the explosion and
stop his train. That might prevent the
collisionl" was Drucie's reply.
1t was now evident that the sound
ahead was that of Tom Grays train, and
the girl prepared to warn her lover of
his danger The tracks were quite close,
and she told the fireb boy to watch the
machinery while she attended to that
part of the warning work which she had
allotted to herself.
With pallid face and almost throbless
heart she took up her station at the win
dow, needing not the drizzling rain that
beat into her face, and awaited the de-
Cisive moment.
The sound of the train on the other
track grew momentarily more distinct,
and the daring girl fancied that she heard
No. coming through the valley below
Colby.
Yes, it is Tomp she cried, to en-
courage the boy at the lever. " / see his
light. Noww
Then she leaned out of the window and
shouted at the top of ner voice:
"Switch at Colby Switch at Colby
Colby, sixl Colby, skip
Many times she repeated her cry, and
all at once she dashed by the heavy train.
Right into her lovers face as he leaned
from his engine she shouted Switch at
Colbyp and heard the shrieks that told
her that he would obey.
"Savedl saved, JIM" she cried with
joy, turning upon the breathless boy,
who already was checking the Bellies
speed
Golly-whizl" he said, laughing. al
we can ever stop the Belle we'll go back
but the girls got her spunk up and would
run on forevcrr'
Drucie Miller returned to the window
with heart filled with thankfulness, for
Tom had heard, and already was running
on to the switch at Colby.
After awhile the Belle was got under
control and backed with lessened fires.
+" Listen" suddenly cried Jim.
Yes, No. @ is coming; but we don't
fear her nowp said Drucie, with smile
tom and his passengers are safe on
the switch"
The next moment No. dashed by, ant
Drucie laughed and actually clapped hel
hands.
The meeting between Tom Gray ant
/ his love cannot be described.
Your headlight seemed meteor" hi
said to her; "and knew your voice.
don't know why. guess you made time
coming down"
" Time" cried Jim. "I don't think
the wheels touched the rails morn hall
the time. If it had been day, the mile.
stones would have looked like rake"
There was laugh at the boys exag
geration, and when Tom took DruciC
aside he kissed her
1t was not the only kiss she got tina
night, for all the women on the trail
kissed the girl who had saved their lives
and Tom Gray said he wouldn't get jeal
GUS when the mustached passengers ben
over Drucie, blushing like a rose.
The story of Drucie's feat crept into
the papers and, though my story may b(
old to some of my readers, have told /
because believe it will bear repetition
Dick Lambart forgave Drucie for run
ming away with his engine, and jim, tn,
fire-boy, never grows weary of telling o
that "run."
Tom Gray is still ON the road, but Dru
Gle does not listen to the click click o
the sounder any more. Every night a
eight she holds little boy up to tn,
window, and he cries "papap and clap
his little hands as an engine dashes by
Capt. Charles Hoi0drd.