Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-05-16

and meet him.
II say no p said Saultcr peremptorily.
eff he choose to leave the companionship
of gentlemen, I shall not follow him.
talk to him. I talk to mechanics and
that sort of people who never had
chance to be anything better, but Knight
is social suicide, sir p
"That's true" said MCGEE. How
we'll Saulter puts things' he added,
aside-"Social suicide Well, I shall not
bring him to life"
Knight saw that the young man wished
to avoid him and turned aside with bow
and heightened color, while they hurried
into the train.
1t was yet five minutes until the time
of starting.
The train of passenger cars was on the
main track (tho engine still being de-
tached) and the people were hurrying in,
most of them coming direct from. the
theatres and other places of amusement.
Inside of the cars and in the depot there
were good deal of jesting and gayety
between acquaintance meeting on their
way home, the train being local one
running only through suburban villages.
Just then, short distance up the track,
there was hiss and cry, and voice
shrieked out in horror: "A runaway
train on the main track Passengers in
the depot! Out of the cars ! out Of tho
cars !"
A runaway freight train was on the
track. The fireman had started it for the
purpose of taking it into the freight depot.
BY some accident, before it had left the
main passenger track, the man had stun
bled as he was at his work, and had fallen
nearly upon the ground. Half stunned,
he had jumped up, but could not catch
the moving engine, which was gaining
speed every second, and had shrieked out
his warning.
1t so happened that the switch-tender
through fright or some unexplained cause,
did not move his switch to run the train
off the main track, and now the hugo
machine, with its train behind, was rush
ing toward the train in the depot with
speed that promised fatal disaster.
The new officials who were near had
time but to gasp with horror. At tho
moment when the cry Of danger was
shriekcd out upon the night air Dick
knight was attaching his engine to the
passenger train. From the cars and
platform rose yell of frantic terror, in
which Saulter's voice was the highest.
Death seemed rushing upon the people,
who had not time to get out Of the cars
before the driving train would be upon
them.
The officials in the depot watched
knight with blanched faces.
"He'll be crushed to atoms ~ NUT
tered one stout old man, standing by
Dr. Pomeroy.
But Dick had put up steam upon his
engine. Apparently he did not think
of leaving his post. There he stood
with his hand on the lever, calm and
determined.
His huge machine sprang forward.
1t met tho coming locomotive with a
crash that threw both monsters upward,
as if they had risen to wrestle and throw
each other.
Then Dicks engine was thrown one
side, but the force Of the runaway train
was overcome, and the machinery Of the
engine so injured that all movement was
stopped. Dick was buried scnscess sew
eral feet from the place of collision.
| The stout old man and DR.. Pomeroy,
with all tho other men in the depot, ran
to Knight, picked him up and carried
him into the wasbing-room, where no
was left with the physicians.
"Wcll, well" said the old gentleman,
impatiently, as DR.. Pomcroy came out,
chow is he will he live p
II think SO. God forbid that I should
have to take him home dead to his old
father p
"You know him then ? Who is he I?
Why, do you know that owe him p
and his voice broke. "My little girl is
aboard that train"
DR.. Pomcroy told Knights story
briefly, informing the old gentleman
that he was thoroughly educated, but
that be looked upon any work as better
than dependent idlencss.
"Hc's the true grit, SIR" was the ami
mated reply. "Thcrc's no work so hum
bic that he cannot show the best quail
ties Of manhood in it, rs VIC have seen
tonight. II is not the daring courage
| approve in him so much as the presence
of mind, the keen eye to see what to do
and how TO do it. Request Mr.. Knight
to call on me at ten Tomorrow" he said
TO the stationmastcr.
"Who is that ?" asked Fred Saulter,
breathlcssly, Of the official.
"Thc President Of the road. Dick
Kningt, if be lives. has an open road to
fortune now, and he deserves IT,"
Fred. Saulter crert into the car 10 20
homo. His lavender glover were soiled,
and the wired rose 10 his button-holc was
falling TO pieces with a silky, dccaycd
smell. Life itself was sickly and de-
cayed, no thought. with yawn, and he
threw the wilted rose out Of The window.
Yes, aud to all conceited, eicminate ma
lures like his, il is likely to prove what
Saultcr's imagination pictured it on