The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-06-13


the Repair Shop. The freight can be
thrown out without leaving the car"
So saying, the station master went on
INFO the freight house followed by the
rattIing and rumbling cars. They gradu-
ally 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 shout from the building and then
one of the brakemea began to move his
arms as signal to move on. Again the
white puffs of the steam shot up in the
distance and with jar and culver the
train started again.
| Car after car rolled past them. There
were hurried whispers, warm hand shake
and perhaps a kiss, and then the young
man swung forward. grasped the ladder
on the last car, climbed quietly to the top
and sat down. She stood gazing after
him as he was drawn away from her, and
smiled and waved farewell to him with
| her handkerchief.
Here, Lydia, you must help me"
1t was her brother who stood beside
her with a bunch of keys in his hand.
The passenger train follows this at
once and | must 60 to the station. Will
you please close the switch after them ~
She took the keys mechanically, and
then turned again to gaze after her lover,
seated on the last car of the retreating
train 1t had passed out of the switch
and was crossing the great viaduct and
moving more and more swiftly away
To close and lock the switch was
neither difficult nor dangerous, and she
quietly walked on towards the end of the
siding till she came to the switch post.
Here she leaned against the wooden frame
for little space, shading her eyes from
the sun with her hand and watching the
train. 1t had run around the valley and
was turning into the great curve that
crept upward into long grade over the
hill beyond.
1t was now Il mile away and she could
no longer distinguish any one on the cars.
She turned slowly away, seized the iron
bar of the switch and easily threw it over
into place so as to leave the Main Line
open for the next train.
| She looked back down the road and
saw that the passenger train had entered
| the line from the branch and was just
pulling up at the station to discharge
passengers. 1t may seem surprising that
a passenger train should be allowed to
follow a freight train so closely.
Bad engineering as this arrangement
was, it was not so serious as it seemed,
| for this passenger train did not follow the
freight except for three miles, when it
reached the end of its trip and was turned
off upon a siding.
She turned once more to look after the
retreating freight train. 1t was in full
view climbing the grade on the great
curve.
Suddenly she put up both hands to
shade her eyes, and leaning forward on
the switch frame. What had happened?
Two tinny pufs of steam rose from the
engine 1t was the signal to stop.
! All the train had parted Faint and
far away came the short, sharp danger
whistle. \ single car had broken loose
/ from the train, and had been left behind.
/ 1t was standing alone on the track.
No. 1t was moving backward. 1t
was beginning to roll down the grade. 1t
was moving faster and faster. There was
man upon it--her lover.
| InvoIuntarily she spread out her arms
/ and let them fall to her side three or
/ four times in succession-the signal to
put on brakes.
81 How foolish He cannot see me,
and. She leaned against the switch
frame aud shook with fear and agony
The brake was broken.
| Swift and swifter rolled the disabled
car. 1t was coming down the track gain
ing speed every rod.
She sprang to the middle of the track
and tried to shout to the engineer Of the
/ train at the station. She made the mo-
/ tons to back down out of danger. Her
! tongue Glove to the roof of her mouth,
/ and her cry became ali inarticulate groan.
/ Onward came the car. She could see
her lover upon it frantically waving his
arms from right to left What did it
mean Her brain seemed to be on fire.
She could do nothing but gaze on the
advancing car in dumb horror.
All The passengers Could she not
save them
With "a violent wrench she opened the
switch again and stood holding the bar
in both hands. Better so, better one life
/ lost than a dozen. Her feet seemed
bolted to the ground She must stay and
see him killed, and by her own hand.
All why had she not thought of it
before
The cross-over switch! Could she
reach it in time she might save him. She
snatched the key from the switch and ran
With frantic speed up the line. She never
knew how she opened that switch,
With means and cries she threw her
self across the line and began to run
down the other side. Could Il
/ tn at s,Oitab hafore ~ she IeaCH
s""t s"'.0" "04" .ne car? It's roaring
- IN her ears. Painting, with almost
bursting bosom, she reached the switch,
opened it and stood clinging to it as the
car came laundering over the viaduct
She looked up at her lover upon the
car. He had seen and understood the
change in the switches His car, help
less though it was, would cross over to
the down track, and roll harmlessly along
the level line till its force was spent. He
was saved, and by her ready wit and
skill. The passengers in the train were
| also saved.
She had saved him. Love had been
her inspiration.
Great heavens what's that! The
express. The down express was coming
All was in vain. He was lost. She
saw him throw up his arms in despair.
The very plan she had devised to save
him would be his destruction. Better fan
to have thrown him off the sidding al
she had intended. Now he would meet
a more dreadful death, and the destruc
ton would include scores of lives instead
of a dozen.
All this flashed through her mind like
lightning. She felt her knees give way
beneath her, and she chung to the switch
IN despair. She shut her eyes to hide the
coming disaster.