Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-02-16
Snow-Bound in a Car.

THE DILEMMA OF A ERpE-EXPECTAST.
I don't mind telling you about an I'M
cident connected with one of those
snow blockades. | didn't think much
OF it at the time, but I've since though
it worth remembering. One day |
found myself at Smethport, the county
seat of Mexican county, Pa, waiting
for train to Bradford. The only train
! could get was on the Bradford, Bor-
dell and Kinzua railroad, and as bust.
ness was somewhat pressing had to 60.
1t had been showing steadily for some
hours when I went TO the station late in
the afternoon, and / had fears that the
train might not get through to Bradford
before morning, for the road runs
through a mountain forest all the way
and there are some pretty steep grades
a few miles out. Well, as | couldn't
do any better, determined to run the
risk. There were only q few passen-
gers, all Of them oil men but one, and
that one young lady. She sat alone
in the ladies' car, for the men wanted
to smoke and so kept themselves in the
smoker, There were only two pas
senger cars, baggage car and an
engine in the whole train, for you see
a narrow-gauge engine can't drag very
many cars up the side If a mountain.
Well, down in the valley, where the
road was level, we made good headway,
but as soon as we got into the woods
and struck the first grade We crept
along like q snail. 1t began to snow
harder than ever, and such snow | never
saw before. 1t came down in flakes rs
large as al egg and as soft as feathers
Just the kind OF snow to stick and
block things. 1 was beginning to wish
| hadn't started when | felt the train
come to a standstill. The railroad men
began to swear and the engineer tried
to go ahead. The train jerked and
iostled, and dragged itself hundred
yards up the grade and came TO a stand.
still. The trainmen and the oiImen
neld a council aud decided to run back
to Smethport, but that was easier talked
about than accomplished. The rear car
hadn't been backed three hundred feet
before it ran of the track, and there We
were. We couldn't telegraph for help,
because we hadn't an instrument, and
even il we had the wires were already
broken with the weight of snow and
falling limbs OF trees.
By the time we came to a staudstill
for good it was pitch dark and showing
as though all Greenland had moved
down on US. There was nothing to do
but to sit down and wait for morning.
We pulled mp the seats and made beds
Of them and were about to make our
selves comfortable for the night when
Judge" Cowan, driller, jumped up
with a half yell. "Well," said he,
"we're selfish wretches- going 70 bed
here and never once thinking Of the
woman alone in the other car" 18th
that he bolts thorough the door and goes
into the other car. The young lady
was in there in the dark, the trainmen
even having forgotten to ligh. the lamps.
The minute the Judge came through
the door she calls ont, "Uow long be.
fore the train will get to Bradford, con-
dnctorT" MADAM" says he, "Pm
not the conductor, and came in to
say that we're stuck fast in the snow
and will have to STAY here all night and
perhaps Ion ger" With that she give,
q little gasp of disappointment, ant
probably had little cry all TO hersel
while the Judge was lighting tn,
lamps. You sec. she had come all th'
way from some Eastern city i Phila
delphia, tbink-to meet her lover
and by the delay OF snow Blockade
she might miss her wedding day. Wher
the truth was known the boys wer'
sorry enough, and would have don
anything in their power to help he
out OF the difficulty, but what ooald
handful of men do against mountain
OF snow?
After her first disappointment tn
young lady was brave enough and wa
not ct all afraid OF staying in the car al
night. provided there was a FIRE, so this