The Osceola times., 1883-10-06
WONDERFUL ESCAPE.
Only a single Match to Light the Danger
signal In a storm.
Cassel's Magazine.


Cassel,'s Magazine.
"Well, SIR he begins, "there's not
much in it. It's nigh fifteen years ago.
There wor none o. them block telegrafs
and 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 a
pitch in just at the edge of a viaduct at
the junction. The shuttin' ingin wor u
collectin' her wagons and she got as.
tride on the facin'-p'ints just as the down
slow passenger train came a Lnockin'
into her and blockin' both roads. Some
said it wor all on account of the signals.
Others made it out as it wor cause the
lockin' bar wor out of order. Anyhow,
the Government Inspector could not
clear it up, although there were any
amount of Engineers and officials down
wi plans and sections. We wor all con-
fusion. Luckily none was much the
worse. Some was shook bit and an
ovid woman died of fright. Five close
to the line and, hearin the crash, ruined
up to see what was amiss. ! wor just
a-goin' to help to clear up one of the
roads when something quite sudden
loike occurred to my moind.
Il asked Job Craft, "Is the 'Scotchnan
gone up YETI"
"No,' said somebody in the dark.
81 think il was the station master. |
had a red lamp in my hands and off |
started to stop her. Have you ever seen
her 90 across the vladuct, sir? She
comes down the bank at sixty miles an
hour every night of her life. The in
cline falls one in seventy, 80 you may
guess she's not wastin' time, She just
slips down with her fifteen coaches like
well oiled ligbtnin'. Well as | wor a
sayin' | runs over the viaduct like =
mad man. makes my way through the
tunnel, and when | got into the cuttin'
the wind brought me the roar of the
,Scotchman' goin' like a red not 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.
at wor then my lamp went out. 1t
wor blown clean out and in no time the
'Scotchman would be whippin' down the
hill like an havalanche Of flame. |
searched my pockets for match. In
my coat pockets never a one, although |
generally carried box and have done
so ever since that fearful night. At last
in my wa'stcoat pockets ! found one
match. One match and the wind
blowin' through the cuttin as through
funnel. Pm not saint sir. hut
knowed the lives in that thunderin'
express depended upon that match. II
she went into the fouled line she'd drop
over the viaduct into the river. The
perspiration covered me with cold sweat
could hear my heart thumpin' For a
moment | felt a dizzy like. Then
pulled mysen together and throwed my
whole life into short prayer.
at wor all done in a moment. ! felt
then in the cuttin' for a crevice, and
thank God there wor a small opening
where the fogmen sh liter when they are
signain' the trains on thick nights.
crept in this ere place. ] opens my
lamp and put the match inside the flame
| trembled less it should fail. But some
how | was strangely cool and steady
about the hands / struck and huddled
around the match. The wick caught
the fire, and wor Just in time to jump
froin the hole into the six foot and wave
the red signal TO the driver of the
'Scotchman' rs she rushed past faster
than the wind. She wor a goin'! But
/ the driver was 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 them grindin' on the metals, and
there wor gratin' that told me he wor
reversin' the ingine."
''Stopped?'
eyes, sir, Just as she shot on the edge
ofthe viadnct. He had her buffer plank
not three Yards from where the line
were fouled
"The sweat poured down my face as
made for the junction again but know
ed had saved the train, and ] prayed
again, not in words but iu sort of chok
ing gratitude that came up in big burn
ing humps in my throat. Some of my
mates gave me this ere watch aud chain
and was shifted up by the superntend.
ent to CANCERS job; but dunna take
so much credit to mysen, for Providence
lit the match that night in the Storm