River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-10-19

Z
ever. Poor Tom the blow was hard
one struck by her little hand, and the
| strong man bent beneath it, whether
he would or no.
| II was nearly winter when the end
| finally came, and that ending was in
deed terrible.
For several weeks heavy storms had
] been raging along the entire line of the
| road, and many fears were expressed
by railway officials about the safety OF
| the road-bed between Carlyle and
Farmersville, the next station east. All
along these few miles there were heavy
| grades and numerous small bridges
ard culverts already loosened by pre-
vlous storms. That night when | went
{, on duty it was raining hard-a cold,
bitter rain, half sleet, blown here and
there in gusts of heavy wind. The
night itself was intensely black from
swiftly scudding clouds, broken now
and then by vivid glares of forked
lightning that seemed almost to tear
them in twain. My instruments were
almost unmanageable, owing to the
electricity in the air, but about mid
night a message came through in jerks
from the division superintendent at
Balton:
"O,r., Carlyle,
| "send Bond with extra east. to report track at
FarmersyiLe for No. 2. Move cautiously;
''W. B. CT
Bond was Toms conductor, and
| handed the order to him Immediately.
An engine was ready at hand, and they
Sc on had the short train of ten cars
made up in the yard. Just as the en-
CINE backed down from the tank and
vas being coupled on, George Ballou,
muffi ed up to his chin, and holding a
small leather valise In his hand, came
hurriedly around the edge of the depot
building.
"Bond," he said to the conductor,
WHO stood there with his lantern raised
to give the signal for starting. "Iwant
to go down with you. Unjust be home
tonight"
Bond looked around rather surprised
at the request.
1--WE are likely to be wrecked before
ever we get there, Mr.. Ballou," he
said, quickly. "But, if you must go,
take your O Gn risk and get on. don't
care"
"Baliou, don't gol"-it was Toms
voice, speaking very low. 'Take my
| advice. for there's not one chance in
ten of cur going through tonight with
out trouble"
"But [ must CO." came the answer.
"My mother has been taken lila tele-
gram just received"
"Wait .or NO. q then-that will be
nearer day light"
eyes, and it might be too late. No,
| must go tonight, danger or not.
Surely may risk it if you CAM
81 have no one to think of but my
self" The words were almost lost in
the wind. "You have Kate, and it is
my duty to 60, not yours" And the
brakeman regretfully turned away.
Only moment did Ballou gaze after
his lantern, as it went Pickering down
the wet platform, and then as the short
train started he stepped into the Ca
boose, and ] leaned from my seat to
watch Tom swing up on the little iron
| ladder and mount to the top.
Just exactly how it all happened, to-
dag | do not know, but at the bottom
of the second grade the earth had been
washed away from beneath the rails,
and they hung almost unsupported just
below the surface of the water. Thur
dering down the grade in the rain and
night, every brakeman at his post on
the top, the great freight engine plung-
ed into water and went crushing down.
Car after car was piled up there and
hurled to one side down into the ravine.
| Ciuging to brake just back of the
engine, and peering ahead through the
storm, his hands wrenched clear by the
shock, Tom was hurled outward into
/ the air. The crash stunned him, but
| the cold water into which he fell revived
him again, and he crawled out from
| the debris on to the bank and worked
his way back towards what should be
the rear end of the train.
When the first terrible crash came,
the caboose had been pitched violently
forward and then flung down, and now
hung tremblingly suspended upon a
single timber of the culvert, which
tIembled and threatened each moment
to part and let the battered car fall into
the ragged rocks below.
as there any one hurt, Cal?" Tom
asked, anxiously, as he finally found
the conductor standing alone in the
rain beside the track.
"No; all out safe think-close call
though, Tom awful wreck | never
saw worse in thirty years."
"Help me! help!" :.
The cry rang out shrill and agoniz
ing from the suspended caboose below
them.
"Helpl Pm wedged inl Quickp
1t WAS Ballous voice, beyond
doubt.
"Give me the Ak" and, Selling th'
weapon, Tom sprang out into the totter
ing car and dropped down through
shattered window. He knew he wa
going TO almost certain death. HI
| knew a moments delay might rid hin
woman he loved. 1t was a moment TO
vengeance, but he forgot it all. HI
knew a moment delay and all Q
! George Ballou would be dead, man
gled body. But he never hesitated
never doubted what to do. He wa
only a brakeman, but he was willing Il
sacrifice his own life, wreck his owl
happiness to save the man Kate Car
loved a martyr, you say--a hero
No; how could he be?-you forget h
was but freight-brakeman.
Here, quick!' he cried, as with
few rapid blows he cut aside the broker
seat which pinned his rival to the foo
of the car.
"Quic!z!" fer he felt the car settling
and heard the groauing of the timbe
giving away. "Cal, catch him!" and
grasped by strong hands, Ballou wa
drawn up through the broken windoN
to the ground above, and then, with
lureh and crash of breaking timbers
the heavy car plunged downward on t
the rocks, splintered on their shar
points and dashed to pieces.
Just as he morning came, the
found Tom lying there, chrushed on
, of all shape, between two great tim
: bers.
she loved him she loved him
was all he said; and, as the sun cam
up over the high bank, he breathe
his last sobbing breath in Cal Bond
, arms.
, They brought him up to the depo
, and laid him reverently in the gre,
, ladies' waiting-room, and as the raj
road men bore him by my window
some one in the crowd said:
Chow lucky that only breakna
: was killed"
Some way it seems that the grea
. hearted Tom Marshall has gone hon
/ 20 a Father Who never looks tn III