Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-04-25

mitted the man to come in and stand
behind the stove to warm himself, for
he was nigh perishing with the cold,
and then the conversation lapsed into
whispers.
Suddenly there came the sound of a
distant whistle. The station-master
looked at the switch bars to see that
the line was clear, and Samson Glider
rose and said: That's Williams train.
I'll go out and wave him o friendly
light as he passes"
The sound of the approaching freight
train came nearer, and the engineer
took the lantern from the desk and
went out. The others fell into silence
as the rumbling train crept past the
door. The young girl stared at the
great headlight in sorrowful silence,
thinking, wishing and hoping.
Taking advantage of the noise, the
tramp shuflled away toward the door,
just as he reached it he looked hastily
round the room, and then slyly picked
up the track-layer's bar and disap-
peared. His presence had been bur-
den; he had happily taken himself off,
and they paid no heed to his departure.
A moment after the door opened, and
Semson Glider entered. "The special
is in sight, boys. We must be off"
The men reluctantly went out to their
train, and the lovers met to part at the
door. Her eyes were bright with ILL
suppressed tears.
1t seems so long to wait--and all
for little money"
"I know it, dear; yet, when the COM
pany do pay up we shall have all the
more"
Nearer and nearer came the great
yellow star that had sprung up on the
horizon. From far came the long, wall
ing sound of the express whistle. The
lovers heard it, and held each tighter
clasp. The tracks before the door be-
gan to "sing." The monster came on
in frightful fury. Sparks shot up in
fountains from its stack. The ground
quivered, the windows shook, with its
tread.
All! despairing scream from the
whistle.
An earthquake.
Some one rushed past the girl. She
clasped the door for support, not know
ing what had happened. She looked
out into the night, stunned and terri
fed.
There was nothing-nothing, save a
vast cloud of dust, white and ghostly
in the night. All! a CLEAN, flare of
light. 1t shone through the curtain of
dust as it drifted away before the wind.
There were hurrying footsteps, shouts,
cries for help, and groans. The dust
disappeared, and the end of an over
turned car stood out in the bright light.
The flames shot up higher. The wreck
grew in horrid proportions. All! twas
on fire.
1t is peculiar feature of American
life that new and unexpected circum-
stances are always met and controlled
by spirit of organization that creates
out of the men and materials at hand
the mastery of events. In half an hour
after the first crash, as the train left
the metals, the frightened passengers
were comfortably housed in the empty
cars of the freight-train. A carload of
lumber had been despoiled to make
seats for the whole and beds for the
injured. The freight-engine on the
siding was used to drag the wreck
away from the up line, and its tank
water and steam had been used to put
out the fire. In an hour the freight
engine in charge Sist Sf th ifs ed8FsEaafFys 1884, Bs9
the well in the forward cars, the in
jured, on beds of hay robbed from the
freight, in the next cars, the dead be-
hind.
Darkness and silence fell on the
lonely wav-station, and save where the
black wreck lifted its mangIeu uunu,
against the sky, there was nothing to
mark the disaster except the pale faces
of the men who gathered round the
stove in the switch-house. For long
time nothing was said. There are
times when speaking seems imperti-
nent. Events become too big for
words. Then one of the men spoke and
said:
"They did say it were the President
who were killed in the forward
sleeper"
Mary Britton glanced at Samson
Glider, he was silent and self-absorbed,
and his face gave no indication that he
needed this remark. AT that moment
the door opened and Jack Cinder came
in, bringing in his hand a new track
layers bar. He brought it to the light
and held it before them all.
Do you see that boys? / found it
under the smashed sleeper. It's new
bar, and" The men looked at the |
bar for a moment in apparent indiffer-
ence, and said nothing. The keener
feminine mind sprang to intuitive con-
clusions. Her thoughts leaped from a
terror to a defense.
"It was the tramp. He stole the |
bar and wrecked the train"
"Mebbe he did, and mebbe he didn't. |
This l do know: Samson Glider was a.
Wishing the President into the ditch.
This is his bar, and he was out on the
inc just before it happened"
The Coroner's Jury called to consider
he death of Thomas StarmOn and 9TH
'rs, killed at Barstow's Siding on the
hight of the 25th of February, met at
he switch-hOuse and heard the evil
ience of the persons who were known
o have been present at the time of the
disaster. Even the tramp had been
captured. He was seen prowling in
he woods near the line, and had been
'aught by the section-master and his
men. Every one at once said, 1.-THE
ramp did it." But the tramp had in
lis hand another bar just like the bar
ound undor the train. He admitted
Iaving stolen the bar. He had seen
he disaster from the woods, and had
men men run ai away lest he be caugnC, AsCe.
ONE time he had come back to find
he bar he had dropped in the woods
n his flight. He had the bar with him
Ehen caught. He could prove all this,
ecause the bar was rusty from lying
n the snow.
The reporters of the Centreville pa
ers who were present called Mary
'ritton to the telegraph that message
light be dispatched. One of them
laced paper before her: "a tramp
as been found who admits having
tolen the bar, but it is plain that he
id not use it. All the evidence goes
show that the engineer wrecked the