The Delaware ledger., 1883-09-08
ALIfe-savlng Match.

How Pickering Flame Saved from
Destruction tine Scotch Express.
"Well, sir,n he begins, "there's not
much in it. It's nigh fifteen years ago.
There wor more o. them block tele-
grafs and Westin' house breaks, and
Pullman cars on the cut then. 1t wor
just such a dirty night as this, when
the wind wor up and wouldna be said.
We had a pitch in just at the edge of
viaduct at the Junction. The shuntin'
ingin' wor collectin' her wagons, and
she got astride ON the facin'-p'ints just
as the down slow passenger train came
knockin' into her and blockin' both
roads. Some said it wor all ON account
of the signals. Others made it out as
il wor cos the lockin'-bar wor out of |
order Anyhow the Government inspec-
tor could not clear it up, although there
were any amount of Engineers and ofiic- |
ials down wi plans and sections. We
wor all confusion. Luckily none was
much the worse. Some was shook
bit, and an ovid woman died of the
fright. live close to the line, and,
hearing the crash, runned up to see
what was amiss. / wor Just goin' to
help to clear up one of the roads, when
something quite sudden like occurred to
my moind.
II asked Job Croft, is the "Scotch-
man" gone up YETI"
"'No,' said somebody in the dark.
81 think it was the station-master.
had a red lamp in my hands, and eff
| started to stop her. Have you ever
seen her go across the viaduct, sir
She comes down the bank at sixty miles
an hour every night of her life. The
incline falls one in seventy, 50 you may
guess she's not wastin' time. She just
slips down with her fifteen coaches like
well-oiled lightnin'. Well, as 1 wor
a sayin', runs over the viaduct like
mailman, makes my way through the
tunnel, and when got into the cuttin'
the wind brought me the roar of the
'Scotchman' goin' like red-hot rocket
through Drabble Dale Station, mile
or more off. The wind it came through
the cuttin' till had fairly to how'd
mysen on the rails to keep mysen from
being a blown away.
SIT wor then my lamp went out. II
wor blown clean out, and in no time
the "Scotchman" would be a whippin
down the hill like havalanche o.
flame. l searched my pockets fol
match. In my coat-pockets never ;
one, although l ganerally carries box
and have done ever since that fearful
night AT last in my waistcoat poke
found one match. One match, ant
the wind blowin' through the cuttin
as though funnel. Pm not a saint
sir, but knowed that the lives in tina
thunderin' express depended upon tina
= one match. If she went into the foule
line she'd drop over the viaduct int
the river. The prespiration covere
me with cold sweat. l could hear m
heart thumpin' For moment
felt a. dizzy like. Then pulled myse
together and throwed my whole lii
into one short prayer
''It wor all done in a moment.
felt then in the cuttin' for crevice, an
thank God there wor small openin
where the fogmen shelter when the
are signalin' the trains on thick nighti
crept in this ERE place. 1 opens m
lamp and put the match inside I'll
frame. trembled lest it should fai
But somehow wor strangely cool an
steady about the hands. struck an
huddled around the match. The vic
caught the fire, and l wor just in tim
to jump from the hole into the six fot
and wave the red signal to the drive
of the 'ScOtchman, as she rushed pa!
faster than the wind. She wor goin'
But the driver wor on the lookout, an
had seen the red light. All could 81
wor the tail lamps on the rear guard
van but could ear the danger whist
for all the brakes to be clapped OF
and 'eard 'em a grindin, on Il
metals, and there wOr gratin thi
told me he wor reversin' the il
gine.''
stopped ?"
'Yes, sir, just as she got on the edI
Of the viaduct He had her buffe
plank not three yards from where Il
line wor a. fouled.
'The sweat poured down my face
made for the junction again but
kDowed I'd saved the train, and
prayed again, not in words, but with
sort of checking gratitude that came
in big burning Jumps in my throa
Some of my mates gave me this 'e
watch and chain, and l was shift
up by the Superintendent to a gangel
job; but | dunna take so mu
credit to mysen, for Providen
lit the match that night in t
storm"