The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-09-11
"BILL,n THE ENGINEER.

All 'boardr' Sphee-ee-chee- -sphee-ee-choof!
And the iron horse moves his steel-rimmd hoof
With a quick ming pulse and warning scream;
Moves out with his freight of human lives
sinuous chain of humming hives.
Anon the hum is a rattling din.
As the bright steel arms fly out and in,
Till naught is heard save a deaf ming jar.
As the train speeds on like shooting star.
With . lengthening trail like a smoky pail
Whose writhing folds envelope all.
" Stoke upr' shouts Bill, the engineers;
:. We must rush this grade and the bottom clear
And the coal went in and the throttle out.
shout
They swiftly glide fiying-shuttle-
ne TMsesv1ng IN d ssreass f OF m gTeehh AND AND gray gray:
While steam snd smoke and dust behind
Form mottled clouds in the tortured wind
Through the cut, and into the vale,
Across the trestle that spans the swale,
There the willows swirl, and the rank weeds
And the heron starts. with a shrek away
Mid the whirlins gusts Of the flying train.
Beyond the curve. this side the hill,
There runs the creek-by the old saw-miH---
A covered bridge and a water tank;
With the watchman's shanty on this bank.
A quiet nook, Tor the mil Is done
With crippled Jennie it ceased to run.
,Tis just round the curve. in the shady wood
Where Jennie, the watch, spent his useful life,
With . lovely child and a LOVING wife.
Maueht now came their peace to mar
To fame unknown. but to roadmen dear;
For Jennie had watched from year to year
And more than once did his vigil save
A train and its lives from q watery grave,
He worked on cratohes..a good watch stiIl.
Bark! "'Tis the trainr' The mothers ear
Leans to the sound; then a mortal fear
Freezes her yeins-she sees not her child!
She starts from the hut-now feeling the why,
Keep Maggie In phen the trains go by"
She strains her eyes towards the creek,
Where mp the track, with ashen cheek,
Hobbled the wstch-one pointing erutch
The whiting flowers across her breast,
She. d wearied to sleep in their eager quest.
Save her, Maryl For Gods sake runr'
Came Jemmie's voice like signal gun;
The mother sprang like startled deer,
But the rushing train was now too near
She saw, she swooned with piercing shrek
That echoed afar o'er the winding creek;
Aye, pierced the boom round the curve near.
And smote on the ear of the engineer;
Great God! Down brakes! Quick! Reversed
And Bill was out on the iron horse
Treading his thills o'er the roaring fires
With his nerves strung tense as electric wires.
AlasI the engines speeds too great;
The baby dreams in the path of fate!
Yet Bill knows the force and just the brace
To lift pound in such . case;
With rushing train and the child asleep,
'Tis q giants power his place must keep.
Still, reaching forth, with an iron grasp,
He does with his might this God like task;
Bearing the startled child on high
So happy to hear its friQhtened cry
Then, crushing it to his manly breast,
More brakesr' calls Bill, for the mothers seen,
And the crutches and form of Jennie between
His wife and the train-thAt's crush d the life
From his child, he thinks-"rn die with my
wifer'
But the train now slackens and stops apace-
Hard by pallid, upturned face.
"Savedr' cries Bill from the engines front;
Saw dc, shout the passensers- Sawed from
"savedr' queries Mary. with q conscious breath.
Then helped to her feet" God bless you, sirr'
And Bills grimy hand wipes back . tear
:" All 'boardr' "Sphee-ee-chee-sphee-e
And the iron horse moves his steel rimm'd hoof;
Heroes @ have been.and heroes are
OF battle and State, of travel and skill,
of letters and art-but give US Billr'
At the end of the road they gave him purse;
" 1 don't want thatr' and he mutter'd q curse;
But finally took il and slowed il away,
And threw it to Mag he pass'd next day.
1t whirled through the air and struck by the
Where the three stood to greet him, joyful
NJ T. Graphic.