The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-10-24
miscellaneous.
The Brakeman's Story.

by the stove warming his numbed hands, after
coming in from brakeing. "People think as
they sit here in their warm seats and only
hear us call out the different stations, that we
have n nice, soft, easy time But we know
better. Imagine yourself out on flat car all
night with the snow dashing into your face
your hands on q cold iron brake, and think if
that's easy; or up on top of freight car run
ming along, the wind cutting like knife, dark
as pitch, and watching for fear you may rush
suddenly under n bridge and be swept of, and
perhaps left to die in the snow Is that easy?
Does that look like a soft job? To be sure
when we are transferred to passenger cars, the
work is nice enough, but the dangers we have
to go through flor generally we have to go on
freight cars tirst) entitlc us for something bet
ter on passenger car and we amt sorry
when we get orders to take the head end of
such regular train.
"There are very few brakemen who can't
tell some never-to-bc. forgotten incident con-
nccted with their life on the rail. To explain,
let me tell you story of my own experience.
II remember one night, it was fearfully cold
right in the middle of winter and showing
hard, / was brakeman in the middle of a
freight train 1t was running along on slow
time that night, and we were two or three
miles from the station. ] was standing by
the brake of flat car trying to get warm by
stamping, wishing we were at the depot so
that l could go back to the caboose out of the
bitter cold when suddenly | felt the train
humping and jumping as if wheel had
broken, and l knew something was wrong
The whistle pew l0r brakes ana In mighty
short tinc we mad the Tram stopped
with the rest OF the men l went PACK TO
see what was the matter, thlhRinG lhat might
get a chance at the stove, Tor | was nearly
lrozen' cong pack ABOUT ll.ree hundred leet,
we 1ouhd that one Oh 'ne IaiIs haa got loose
gong slow, we haa run over the spot saieiy'
Our conductor looked ana seeing me, SAD,
hurricdly- -.-..
Jim gct nlck ana sighal inc passenger
train. she WIZ DC along ma snort tlmc, now;
and take tins, he SAID, handing me area ilght
lantern; wen go on. You can come along
with tle othcr tralh.
with that all hands got on board, ana soon
there was nothing put myself and the lantern
lett. "A cold gust Drought me 10 myself WIN
Il quick turn, ana lhcn rcncmDcrcq what
iiad 10 40. lioidlnS tllG lantern up, saw lilc
light lllckerlng, ana shaking IL found IL almost
empty.
"Ihcn began TO 1ecl the responsibility OF
my posltlon' "A lamp WllhouI OIL Ill IL, inc lrllh
due in ten minutes, with the chances OF beng
many people killed OF wounded! IN u case
OF this KIND, SIR, every brakeman VIII DO his
best TO save human lltc, although he some
times loses his own IN the attempt, and all he
gets for 1t IS having his name III Tie paper ana
being brave fellow.
"Quicker than l tell 1t, made up my mind
that the train must be signaled, lamp or no
lamp. But how TO do 1t was the question:
Ii ran ahead without light, the engineer
might THINK L wanted 10 stop the tram Tor
| robbery-for such things have often been
| done, you know-and would not only dash
right on faster than ever, but maybe try to
IL tell you felt like praying just then
| but brakemen are not selected for their rell-
| gious feelings, SO didn't pray much, but
looked around and saw q light shining IN
| window some distance Off. laid down my
| lantern carefully on the track, made bee line
| for the house, and soon brought woman to
| the door, who looked more frightened than
was at my excited appearance. ltwas useless
to ask for sperm oil-the only sort we used
| SO cried out
| "'For GODS sake give me some straw.
"She seemed to realize the position, and
| quickly brought bundle. Feeling in my
pocket, found three matches and grabbing
the straw, made my way back to the track.
Laying the straw between the rails, struck
match and showed 1t INTO the bundle. 1t
| tlickered an instant, and then went out. l
felt and found the straw damp. just then O
dull, faint, rumbing sound came down on the
wind, and knew she was comlng-the train
would soon be there.
81 struck the second match, and 1t touched
| of the straw. A blaze, little smoke, and ii
was dark again, and, raising my eyes, l saw
| the headlight OF the approaching train away
in the distance. But trains don't crawl, and
| the buzzing along the rail told me to be lively
| m;n,,toa moro ond II uouid oo ont For ~,