The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-01-12
ROMANCE on" Il BOOI HEEL.
AN OLD RAILRoADER's THRILLING sToVY-
THE PERILS OF FROGS IN THE TRACK.

While two men, employees of the Ohio
and Mississippi railroad company, were on
their way to their work in the car shops of
the company at Aurora, 1ndiaui, their at
tenticn was attracted by boot heel. fresh
ly torn off, sticking in the frog of the
railroad track, a short distance from the
shops. They stopped moment tn exam
inc If. and found that the heel was So Sc
cnrely fastened in the ''frcg" that il re-
quired a smart blow with a cIutch-one of
the men had lost a leo-to remove it.
Long nails protruded from the heel. and
all the evidence went to show that il had
falsen considerable effort 10 tear IT, from the
boot. sit appears 10 me- said one of the
men, 'that some fellow has had narrow
escape from being run down by a train,
or else he has been badly frightened and
wreuchPd his boot heel off when there vas
no occasion for it, at reminds me, p"
replied his companion, in low tone, ''of
little adventure that happened to the
several years ago up on the Pan Handle
road. | was then young man, but iG
isn't likely that I'll ever forget it., and he
cast rueful glance at the empty leg Of his
pants. The ST ,ry l. Don told, he went
on, turning The hrnJ heel ,rcr in his hau.l as
II to lind inscribed upon it story similar
to his OVID. Il was walking on the track
near CadiZ Junction. in Ohio 1t was ore
dark and blustrv night in February, and a
heavy snow storm was prevailing at the
time. TIE snow and wind beating into
my face was almost sufficient to have
blinded one had it been in broad daylight.
| was walking briskly along. not dreaming
Of any harm-in fact, sir. | was then re-
turning from a visit To my sweetheart, who
had that evening prom i~cd To be nay vile
when suddenly found my foot fastened
between two rails where Il side track inin-
ed the r'ain track. just as this heel Was fas-
tened here in the frog at our fceu. At
hat moment heard the sbrill whistle of
locomotive. and looking up the track |
saw, through the binding snow, a light
bearing down upon me. | had passed the
depot a few minutes previous aud Lad no.
iced several persons standing on the plat
form. The persons we're waiting for
train, and here was one coming 1t was
an unusual hour for train aud the idea
of meeting one had not occurred to me be-
fore, but now the awful truth flashed upOn
me. | made desperate eiior. 20 release
my foot, and the horror of the situation
was increased a hundred fold when |
found that it was securely Fastened between
the ails. The Fight was So close that lis
reflection upon the new fallen snow blind
Ell me. As man will in 4 like situation,
thought nf Thousand things in an in>
slant. Thought of my aged parents, of
events of my past life, of my promised
bride aud the thought that | should be
torn from her. or what was woIse, TO be
manned for life, was Infinitely more drcafl-
full than the thought Of dearh. But I'llnot
trouble you with ,hcse painful details.
What / supposed to bc The headlight of
locomotive was blazing right in my face.
Ii was this leg that was fastened he said.
swinging his stump back and forth" and
I lust threw myself-r '.Ees. yes.' inter
rupted his companion, with blanched
cheeks. lyon threw yourself to one side
and the engine severed your leg from your
body ~
"Not exactly" returned tie story teller,
smiling blandly upon his victim "Tbe
truth IS, sir, | am almost ashamed to say
hat the light did not proceed from loco
motive, but from the lantern of n watch
man who happened to be coming down the
track"
:sAnd the shrill whistle that you heard?'
"That, | presume, came from one
horse sawmill not far of"
"But your leg-how did you lose that ?'
CAS- many another brave man has lost
his" came the answer, accompanied by a
heavy sigh. and far-away look as if to re
call the scenes of some field of battle Il
fell under moving machine and had it
chopped off"
"Wen. all I have to say" replied his
companion, somewhat disgusted at the
turn the romance had taken against him,
s'an have to say is that | hope your girl
went back on you and married an AK han
die maker or some one else who could
make her happy"
ssShe stuck to me-" said the rOmancer,
''stuck to me through good and evil report,
and married me-maTried me one raptuT-
ous evening in the merry month of May.
and now" and his voice grew husky with
emotion. "aud BOW I'd give the top of this
bald and beetling pate if she hadn't :"