Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-01

IrOm CaSeeVs magazine
SWELL SIR" he begins, ''there's not much in
it. It's nigh fifteen years ago. There wor none
O. them block telegrafs and the Westin'house
breaks and Pullman cars on the cut then. 1t
wor just such dirty night as this, when the
wind wor up and wouldna be said. We had q
pitch in just at the edge Of a viaduct at the
junction. The shunt4n' ingin wor a collectin'
her wagons and she got astride on the facin'-
p'ints just as the down slow passenger train
came a knockn' into her and blockin' both
roads. Some said it wor all on account Of the
signals. Others made 1t out as it wor cos the
lOckin' bar wor out Of order. Anyhow, the gov
eminent inspector could not clear 1t up, although
there were any amount of Engineers and officials
down wi plans and sections. We wor all cOnfu-
sion. Luckily none was much the worse. Some
was shook q bit, and an ovid woman died of the
fright. live close to the line, and hearing the
crash, ruined up to see what was amiss. l wOr
just goin' to help clear up one of the roads
when something quite sudden-like occurred to
II asked Job Croft, ifs the "Flying 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 off started to stop
her. Have you ever seen her go across the via
duct, sir? She comes down the bank at sixty
miles an hour every night of her life. The in
cline falls one in seventy, SO that you may guess
she's not wastin' time. She Just slips down
with her fifteen coaches like we'll oiled lightnin
Well, as l wor sayin'. runs over the viaduct
like mailman, makes my way through the tun-
nell and when l got into the cuttin' the wind
brought me the roar Of the 'Scotchman' goin
like q red-hot rocket through Drabble Dale
station. mile or more off. The wind it came
through the cuttn till had fairly to how'd my
sen on the rails to keep mysen from being q
blown away.
at wor then my lamp went out. It wor
blown clean out, and in no time the Scotch
man would be whippin' down the hill like a
havelanche of flame. | searched my pockets for
snatch. In my coat pockets never a one, al
though generally carry abOx, and have done
so ever since that fearful night At last in my
waistcoat pocket found one match One
match. and the wind BLOWN through the cut
tin as through funnel. I'm not q saint, sir,
but knowed that the lives in that thundern
express depended upon that one match. If she
went into the fouled line she'd drop over the
viaduct into the river. The perspiration COW
cred me with cold l could hear my heart
thumpin. For moment l felt a. dizzy like
Then pulled mysen together and throwed my
whole life into one short prayer.
ut wOr all done in moment. felt then
in the cuttin' for crevice, and thank God!
there wor a small opening where the fogmen
shelter when they are signalin' the trains on
thick nights. l crept into this ere place. I
opens my lamp and put the match inside the
frame. l trembled lest it should fail But
somehow wor strangely cool and steady about
the hands. l struck and huddled around the
match. The wick caught the fire. and I wor
just in time to jump from the hole into the six
foot and wave the red signal TO the driver Of
the 'ScOtchman' as she rushed past faster than
the wind. She worIa goin'! But the driver
wor On the lookout. and had seen the red light.
All could see wOr the tail lamps on the rear
guards van; but could ear the danger whistle
for all the brakes to be clapped On, and card
'em grindin' on the metals. and there wor a
gratin' that told me he wor reyersin' the in
CINE"
stopped"
YES sir; just as she got on the edge of the
viaduct. He had her buffer-plan not three
yards from where the line wor a. fouled.
THE sweat poured down my face as I made
for the junction again. but knowed I'd saved
the train, and prayed again, not in words. but
with a sort of choking gratitude that came up in
big burning Jumps in my throat. Some Of my
mates gave me this ere watch and chain. and I
was shifted up by the superintendent to gran
gers job; but dunna take so much credit to
mysen. for Providence lit the match that night
In the storm"