The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-12-06
A Thrilling Incident.
IExchanpe.l


 We went winding up the mountain our massive engine drawing us up the curving glades without an apparent effo. Here and there beautiful valleys stretched out, and through them coursed placid streams pouring from mountain springs We had crossed an iron bridge and made a curve, at the end of which another was in sight, winding to the left, and a short distance from the track cottage home stood iA the shadow of the hills. Look. ing past it to point just beyond, which was visible from my side of the engine, saw-oh, horror Land excitedly ex. claimed, "A child on the trackn
 At the exclamation, the engineer sprane from his seat. One glance down the track and his face became pallid. A child-three years old, perhaps-stood midway between the rails and not one hundred yards from the engine. "My God l" heard him utter in an agonized tone. looked from him to the child again. It stood facing us, clapping its little hands as it was won't to do from its mothers arms, perhaps, at the passing oi the cars. In another instant l was thrown forward-almost pitching through the glass window in front of me. At the same moment l heard a scream, a wo mans voice, and with arms aioft, and face paralyzed with terror, the mother stood upon the steps of her cottage. We were nearing the child, it was not twenty yards from the engine, which, under the pressure of the air-brake, was pumping and jolting furiously. looked at the engineer, his seat was vacant again ahead the pilot was within twenty fee, of the child, the train still in motion, too rapidly to be checked before reaching it l shut my eyes, my heart stood still Again the mothers heart-rending scream, and opened my eyes to see the child tossed several feet in the air. My head swan as averted my eyes, and fancied l heard the crushing of the little form by the now slow revolving wheels, when in husky tones l heard from toward the cottage a mans voice utter: Thank God r
 l opened my eyes, and standing upon the pilot was John Akers, holding in his arms the child-its face wreathed in smiles. The engine was now at stand still. From the cottage the father came with blanched face and mbling steps The child in merry accents called out "Want to ride, papal' He took his baby from John Aker's extended hands and folding her in his arms, he sank down on the earth beside the track.
 The engineer clambered back to his perch, and sounded the whistle. The passengers looked out of the vindcv wondering what had occurred. A tremb- ling hand drew the lever, which started the engine, pufing and hissing until i, was going at full speed again. l looked toward the engineer-his blue eyes were on the track ahead, but they were dimmed. Tears were on his cheeks as he perhaps thought of what would have been bis feelings if his own little girl had been the one on the track. Not word did either speak until at Christanburg on the top of the Alleghanies, two thou. sand feet above the level, the train stopped for supper. As we started tc leave the engine, grasped his hand.
 "You did an heroic thing, sir-a brave noble act"
 "'Twas the air-brake," he modestly replied, "'twas the air-brake that did it 1