The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-11-29

cussed her, but 1t wasn't no uSe. We kept
runnin' behind all the time instead Of
maxim up, N the conductor swore like n
pirate. He was a engineer hisself. and he
came ont into the cab and for FIVE or ten
miles lie fused and worked and cuaxed
and cussed. | believe that ingine knew
just well that Satan was ont loose that
night as if she'd been a human. Ingines
is ike women-they can't tell you why
thing Il so. and can't give no reason for it,
but they jest know it is so.
Mebbe we'd made ihiIty miles or sich
matter, The rain aud sleet and hail aud
snow was comm down fearful. The va
ter was pouriu' down the mountain and
:ilin' Tie bitches AID Iunnin' much as you
saw it last night. The wind was blowiu'
a tornado, and come teariu' through the
paSses-gulches they call 'em in this
country in guests that would strike the
locomotive like big wave striking n ship,
and almost throw her over. It was
dark, too, that / couldn't hev seen Crazy
ON the other side Of the cab but for the
lantern and wen he opened the furnace
uoor. But had To get along all could.
1t wouldn't do 10 slow up, as | was runnin'
for meetin' point.
just before yon ges to the curve at Devils
Run there's a short strelc ch of staigbt
track. Soon as [ struck that l began 10
look for the light in Charley's window,
which was the other side of the run.
Strainin' my eyes through the dark Just al
the point OF the curve | saw light swing
in, backward aud forward slowly across
the track. You know l was telliu' you
as everything went crooked :hat night.
Soon as | saw that light knew everything
in a mint. II came on me with a rush,
like. My hair stood on end. l blew
brakes. | screams 10 the fireman. Crazy!
Devils Run culveits gone, 10y he liviu'
God - He jumped N sot The tender
brakes, and slid the wheels in a flash. The
brakeman behind didn't answer. They
was doziu' in the cars, | reckon. l BILE
brakes agin with blast to wake the dead,
aud threw her over. The grinders ground
aud groaned under me, but the rails were
sleety and slippery, and | was forging
ahead to a gulf five hundred feet square
down. and a hundred and fifty human
lives behind me. l was tellinye as No.
20 that night was dead square g'in goin'
ahead /; but when threw her back seems
like she knew her biz and how much laid
on her doin' of il well. Women, agin, is
ingines. Grabbed, crooked, cautankerous
cusses wen they don't want to, but where
IT'S works of goodness or mercy call ON 'em
; and they're right tuere. No. 20 .Ouk hoid
OH that reverse with a grit never see in no
engine afore. She put all there was in her
into every turn, and the whole affair took
less time than I'm a teliiu' of IL till the
danger was 10y.
Wen we stopped within twenty feet of
the light, which was swingiu' still, back
wards and forwards, slowly ACROSS The
track, I seq to Crazy, who's got that
( lantern - Knew il couldn't be .be track
man, for we'd just met him three miles
| bclow. aud 'cepL him there was nobody
! ueai erin ten miles at that time of night.
! So gifts down from the machine and rIus
/ up the road. As | comes up l sees little
] figure in white. 1t was still swingin' Of
! the light, back wards and forwards, slowly
across the track. He was in his night
! gown, just as ho got out of bed, hadn'I no
/ hat, and was barefoot. The sleet had
! froze in his hair and his nightgpwn was
stiff with ice. | comes up 10 'im-well,
was took that way | couldn't speak. An
/ ke KEEP swngin' the light, backwards and
! forwards, slowly across the track. aud he
! sez 20 me, lie says, "Guu and mes pards,
/ isn't we ?'' looks at lin mint. His
! eyes was open and looked queer. lie was
! dead fast asleep, Crazy ketches me or d
gone over, which it were my knees seemed
/ we're ice. Then | sets down on the raj
and Crazy picks up the child, N hIggin oi
/ i'm up busted right out cryin', che did. y
The conductor and some of the men got
| out OF the cars and come where was.
! 1t was sleetin still, u CROWN bitter, bitter
! cold The boy carried the baby into the
baggage car where there was a stove, aud
took off ms night .lo,hes aud wrapped i'm
UP in blankets aud great coats. There was
| a doctor OE the train, and he Scd If We
can get i'm back to bed without wakIn' n
| i'm ND, D raps It wouldn't hurt i'm but j
he was to wake, what with the wet, N the
cold, n the fright, like as not 1t NIGH
kill i'm S. the boys takes IN up to carry
i'm To the house and lOllered along, bu
/ | cnuIdnIt hev carrie Il kitten. The doc
! tor he tells }em To be keelful and not wax,
i'm, for it was as much as lis life wa
| worth. So Crazy takes i'm, and two o
! 'em holds a blanket over 'im 10 keep ,h'
sleet off, IN one goes ahead with lantern
and two or three more about with lanterns
SOS to light the way. Wen we got to the
break il was Just as I expected. Track,
! road, culveIt, everything gone, clean as !
cut with a knife. The water was pitchin
| down the run six feet deep, carryin' 5il
rocks aud buulders that bounced anC
bumped from side 70 side aud up into th'
air. clear out of the water. Ii was awiu
! To look at. How :he child got over the
| GAP. which was at least twenty feet wide
| | dont't know. A tree he'd cume dow
aud lodged crossways, and suppose h'
| must Eev gone over that. Wen We com'
ID it we was most afraid to try IL, for !
YOU shipped off the log it vas all day Will
! Won. / didn't like to trust the boys, and
ses to Jake, Crazy You won't drop th'
baby, will ynu ," He points down int
the break aud ses, Latham, we q all beer
down there. every mothers son OF as, bu
for your little paid. 10 drop my SOU
first
Well we got sim home safe a. last
Mary was asleep when We got TO The house
and was scared as bad as me when sh
heard what vas M. We put i'm back i
his bed and sure enough he never wake'
, mn. Mex: morning they threw trestt
, over the break and Iaius was iunnln
, apin, But the doctor stayed with Us
, Jest out Of his own head, you know, bu
he seemed anxions. Seemed rs though ID
> took to The child. Dant wonder at that
neither. Most everybody did.
\ | watched by i'm all that night, aud 10
e wards day got out all his old Christina
n things and set .em on to table near III
bed where he could see 'em the inst Ihiug
{ But fever came on fim, N wen he woS
/ M he was out of lIis head. l-speaks :
r i'm and Ses, 'IIow goes it, pard ?'' Br
II he didn't know me That was Thanks
i giving day, you know, m sat there b
a him. bopin' every miuit rs he might con
A round an I could give i'm his things All