The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-03-22

now it was time to stop my train.
Hurrying up the grade she turned the end
of the lantern to the wind in a gust that
nearly threw her down. the rush, straight
into the top air holes of that old pattern,
with drop Of rain blew 1t out. She found
shelter and struck the last match. The
head of 1t broke off and went out and the
lantern was of no use.
1t was so bad, Nelly's umbrella and wa
ter proof would be of no use, aud | didn't
look for her. In fact my head was full of
a threat had warning of at the last passen-
ger station where our special express had
stopped,
rebelled against the order to let all passen-
gers through, and had sworn they would
wreck train and rob the Adams express
car and get some funds for stakes that
way.
1t was probable enough, and as like to be
my train as the next one. My conductor
was reading his newspaper in his comforta-
BILE car and l had to make my schedule
| time, and see in the midnight and storm, if
| could Train wreckers don't advertise in
capitals on the rocks like the sensational
papers, and they don't go to the top of
long grade and set red light. There was
dangerous curve on the down grade,
mile out from where Nell might then be
listening for my whistle in the dark, and /
was trying to see over hill and woods
top of that, a hundred feet high, to see what
was in my way beyond it. Then 1 thought
| | heard a scr ,am like my name in the midst
of the roar of the rain and the storm, and
something broke the glass right at my side
and rolled at my feet. 1t was round and
fell face up, and saw it was framed i'm
peral photograph, by Estabrooke, that l
had given her last Sunday.
l did not stop to pick it up, for under
stood that it was life and death when she
threw that as a message to me in the storm.
To reverse my engine at full steam, and
whistle continuous "down brakes" and set
my men at the air-brake, was quickly done
but thought it was taking all night at it.
Our slowing was nothing for second, and
little for two of them, for the rush rolled
the wheels in spite of the brakes, and then
they sid on the wet rails like sled on ice.
The side. grip of the rails of the curve did
US some good. At last we were slowing
and then near stop, and then l saw the
pile of cross ties and stones spiked together,
and with a slant of the face of the pile to-
wards the culvert in the cut. forty feet down
The engine struck hard and gave the train
an awful jolt, but nothing left the rails
! The reverse of the engine and the jolt CAV,
, me power over the train by this time, and
, paid no attention to my conductors bell
) but Just ran back the whole machine 70
r Nelly.
5 was not mistaken there she was. on
projecting rock, with the lantern in he
r hand, that the wind and rain had put Ou
4 down the air holes, before she got half way
and staring in the darkness as if her in
a tense desire could stop a train or make
5 light of that washing storm.
+, leaned out and caught her off the rock
# as she staggered in peril of falling unde
e the wheels when she saw me, and then
# carried her to sleeping car, while my as
if sistant slowly ran down again and the hand
f got out to clear the obstruction. The brav
o girl didn't faint at ALL but l had to set
1t guard to keep three doctors, five preachers
e and three hundred passengers out, VIII
l. thought she was hurt by the collision
h When the obstruction was moved well o
, the track was standing on my engine wit
,s the conductor, when Mcguire and some
If them came out of the bushes, innocent
r lambs and calling out. "What's the ma
$. ter We heard the train stop and came
ne see what was up. Hello, jest look look
". that !"
1T "Liar!" l shouted; show could you he
We the traiI in this storm? You knew OF
n. time, and came to pick our bones. Tai
wv that" and my revolver took up the co
nd versation.
,lf will swear that | marked three of the
in so that | can identify them in a Cou
house. Then we ran the train right o
We and finished the trip in depot Of gent
n men strikers, who helped our passengers
he if they were of glass, and no man had
hide watch nor any lady to tu:n the d
Az. mond of her ring out of sight Nellie "
ia. as bright as my engine, and as fresh, wher
It took her in the dry clothes that the la
ut. passengers gave her. Then d. d., who
,bt lite she had saved, married us without
ice and am proud of my actress who saved
es. from the dance of death.