The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-08-17
door and put in the last sticks of wood


they possessed.
The woods gone, Jim. How far yet
can we 90 at this rate of speed ~
about fifteen miles," the boy answered
twenty Of EN- if we must do it
Then we'll catch him. Colby must he
nine miles away yet, and the gulch is six
miles further on-fifteen miles Jim, can't
you hear him yet ~
mo, guess was mistaken awhile back,
the boy said, and Drucie's countenance
fell
That's the sound again." he exclaimed
a minute later. Listen for yourself,
girl"
Drucie went to the window and put her
head out.
That's Tom ~ she cried. ''Oh, Heaven,
let me 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
lily over the track, and when Druce looked
1t Jim again she found him staring at the
gauge.
What the matter, Jim ~ she asked.
\ little more fire and well blow up :"
he graspcd.
Tom might hear the explosion and
stop his train. That might prevent the
collision" was Drucie's reply.
1t WAS now evident that the sound ahead
was that of Tom Gray's train, aud the girl
The tracks were quite close, aud she told
the ire boy 10 watch the machinery while
she attended to that part of the warning,
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 deci-
sive moment.
The sound of the train on the other
track grew momentarily more distinct, and
the daring girl fancied that she heard num-
Der six coming through thesvalley below
Colby.
the boy at the lever, 81 Sc, his light.
Now ~
Then she leaned out of the window and
shouted at the top OF her voice:
Switch at Colby Switch ut Colby,
Colby, six. Colby, six.'
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
Colby :" and heard the shrieks that told
her that he would obey.
Saved saved, Jim ~ she cried with
Joy, turning upon the breathless boy who
was already checking the Bellies speed.
"Golly- Drucie, they ought to
give us a train he said, laughing. "If
we can ever stop the Belle, we'll so back:
but the girls got her spunk up aud would
run on forever ~
Drucic Miller returned to the window
with heart filled with thankfulness, for
Tom had heard, and already was running
on to the switch at Colby.
control and backed with lesscned fires.
- Listen ~ suddenly cried Jim.
Yes, number six is coming, but We
doa't fear her now ~ said Drucie, with
smile. " Tom and his passengers are safe
on the switch ~
The next moment number six dashed by,
and Druce laughed and actually clapped
her hands.
The meeting between Tom Gray and
his love cannot be described.
=" our head light seemed meteor" he
said 10 her, land | knew your voice,
don't know why. | guess you made time
coming down"
Time :" cried Jim II don't think
the wheels touched the rails more'n half
the time. If it had been day, the mile
stones would have looked like rake
There was a laugh at the boys exag-
geration, and when Tom took Drucie aside
he kissed her.
1t was not the only kiss she got that
night, for all the women on the train kissed
Tom Gray said he wouldn't get jealous
when the mushtached passengers bent over
Drucie, blushing like a rose.
The story of Drucie's feat crept into the
papers, and though my story may be old
to some of my readers, | have told it be-
cause | believe it will bear repetition.
Dick Lambert forgave Drucie for run
ming away with his engine, and Jim, the
lire boy, never grows weary of telling about
that run"
Tom Gray is still on the road, but Drucie
does not listen to the clck-click OF the
souuder any more. Every night at eight
o'clock shs holds little boy up To the
window, and he cries papa. ~ and claps
his little hands As the engine dashes by.