The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1878-08-28
now JOHNNY sAvED TEE TRAIN.

don't suppose, mother, little folks like
me can do very much In this world. It don't
seem as if could do much good" and Mrs.
Tomkins' eight-year old Johnny planted his
chin on the palm of his chubby little hand
and looked up into her face.
She smiled and gave Johnny pleasant look
as she suspended the play of her bright knit
ting-needles. ~ shouldn't agree with you
there" she said, "Johnny, little folks can't
do so much in themselves, but add Gods
strength to little boys weakness, and |
think one can do q great DEAL"
Johnny sat in silence little while, looking
into the cracking, open wood-fre, and then
said his prayers and went to bed.
The next day, on the edge of evening,
Johnny sat down at the railroad station.
Boom, boom-rattle, rattle-ding, ding
choo, choo-Oh they had a noisy time, the
cars and the locomotives dashing about whist
ling and ringing Trains were coming and
going at great rate. In little while it was
quiet, and then came the train of which John
ny's father was conductor. Johnny called out,
Here am, father!" and glad enough was
man wearing blue cap, deoked with gilt
stars, to get hold of Johnny's hand. Mr..
Tomkins, when the passengers had left STEP
ped back into the cars, and Johnny went with
him.
Stay here, Johnny, in this seat, and will
come after you," and Mr.. Tomkins placed
Johnny in a warm seat near the stove in
rear car. The train stopped over night at
that station, and Mr.. Tomkins thought he
could safely leave his little boy in the car
moment or two.
From that station down to the next at
Rowe's factory, it was down-grade all the
way. Start car at the station above, and it
would jog along itself, going more and more
rapidly, till it reached Rowe's factory, where
the grade changed. And what should John
ny's car conclude to do but start off for lit
tie trip on its own account to the factory p
The brakesman had carelessly unshaokled it,
not understanding an order given him, and
when the locomotive ahead happened to back
the train little it went bump against the
rear car, and started it on an undesirable
journey.
saw that the car vas in motion, and a good
deal frightened when, seeing nothing before
or behind the car, he knew it was loose, and
cruelty running away with him in the dark.
just then he caught the flash of sharp red
light away down the track
His heart gave such jump He knew
enough about the trains to understand what it
all meant. "a train a train " he thought,
"and we shall surely go Johnny hardly
dared finish the thought. If he had he would
have been Ego crash into one another "
What could he do?
Then came into his mind the words of his
mother about little boys weakness and
Gods strength. He dropped on his knees
there in the aisle of the car. and asked God
to help little boy in runaway car.
He opened his eyes, and saw away down
the track the sharp fiery light. One light
made him think of another. There was his
fathers red lantern oil lighted near the stove.
Why couldn't he wave it at the car-end to-
ward the approaching train Wouldn't the
engineer see it?
He snatched the light, ran to the end of the
car, and there he stood on the PLATFORM
waving the lantern.
"What is that ?" said William Marston,
looking from the cab window of the locomo-
tive that was laundering along, bringing on
the evening express. 4" A warning ahead ~
said he to Jones, the fireman. At the same
time he shut off the steam, reversed the en-
CINE, put on the air-brakes, and whistled the
danger-signal. What sharp, shrill cry?
"What is the matter ?" said the passeng-
ers and lot of black heads went bobbng
out of the car windows, like turtles coming
to the top of the water.
Changer " called one to another, as they
saw the light ahead waving.
The express came to a stop, then COM
menced to back going faster. faster, trying
to get out of the way of Johnny's car, that
was now rapidly dashing forward, the red
light swinging steadily.
Away went the express train in safety be-
yond the station at Rowe's factory, and
Johnnys car was switched on the side track
by station hand, and came at last to a stop,
as the grade changed at the factory and slant
ed up again.
When the passengers of the express, step
ing out, saw a little fellow with red light
on the platform of the runaway car, and
heard his story, cheer after cheer for him
went up in the stiffness of the night.
A purse of money for him was quickly
made up, but that was little to Johnny COM
pared with the comfort he took in thinking he
had saved perhaps hundred lives, that might
have been lost had the express train dashed
into the runaway car, and everything pitched
down the steep bank.
So much for adding Gods strength to a lit
tie fellows weakness.
AS we gaze westward from the upper end