The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-12-25
CFrom Blackwood's Magazine.1
Alexander Nesbitt, Ex-SchO0lmaster.

a DOafu ScnOUi siJuattu- Won d
say where. lest | should get into a
scrape. Suffice it to say that the
schoolhouse is near railway cutting
on branch line that leads to one of
the most insignificant of market
towns in a clay district. The eoun-
try is elevated, it supports few trees,
and such as grow are twisted and tor
tured out of shape by the winds from
the. sea. The place is twelve miles as
the crow flies from the Atlantic; so it
has all the disadvantages and none of
the advantages Of proximity to the
ocean. There is no watering-place OF
any importance along this, coast, and
no business Of any Importance done
in the little town; so-why the rail-
way company made the branch, cam
not conceive. In the winter Of 1880
81 the branch did not even reach this
contemplate little town; it drew up
in the midst Of clay moor covered
with furze and rushes, and was met
by coach which carried on the pass
engers, if there were any, to the town,
or dropped them at intermediate vii
lagos. That was cold winter! The
snow fell heavily and lay ON the moor
till late in February-that is, in
drifts. Some Of the roads were
blocked level with the tops of the
hedges, and communication was cut
off between the villages. In some
towns no supply Of water was to be
had. The pipes were frozen and
burst. The wind from the north
east drove the snow and piled it against
every obstruction, and choked with it
every depression that lay across its
path.
As may be surmised, our cutting
got clogged. The snow came on so
suddenly, and fell or was driven in
such quantities, that it bad half-filled
the cutting in very few hours.
There are not many trains on the line,
consequently there was plenty of
time for the snow to gather between
the up train and the down train. It
did gather, and gather so fast, that
the evening 6-35 train went into a
bed of snow and stuck there. Now |
had gone to look at the line an hour
before that. and [ saw how the snow
was accumulating. stood under the
bank, and | assure you it was like a
raging sea driving foam over the
edge Of the cutting. The snow fell
in solid masses, and the roar of the
wind overhead was frightening.
/ put my head down and made my
way to the rectory. | saw that some
thing must be done, should the 635
down train arrive. The rector is an
excellent man. most amiable and we'll
intentioned, but not reliable to do
anything. However, there was no
one else to apply to, so sought him.
Dear me! bless my soul!' said he,
[ will talk to Westlake about it.
: Now Westlake is his factotum,-a
man who gardens, grooms, sings bass
in the choir, is clerk and sexton; he
does little earpentering when re-
quired; milks the cows, cleans the
boots and knives, and pastes up no.
tices Of temperance meetings and har-
vest Thanksgiving round the country,
when the rector has determined on
giving these entertainments. Nothing
is done in the parish without the ad-
vice Of Westlake; and the rector's
opinions of the characters Of his par
ishioners are formed in the brain Of
Westlake.
What the result Of this consulta-
ton was, [ am unable to say. as I ran
back to the cutting so as to catch the
6 35 train. I left the rector talking
to Westlake in the laundry, where he
was mangling, and | saw no more Of
them.
I got back to the cutting before the
train came up. and saw that solid
bed of snow; curiously ribbed, had
formed across it, making it imprac-
ticable for traffic. | ran down the
line to meet and arrest the down
train. I did come upon it, laboring
up the gradient; but the driver either
did not hear my shouts, owing to the
roar Of the wind, or did not see me
through the binding snow. The
engine was not going fast, owing to
the steep incline, and because the
driver was afraid of running off the
rails. Consequently, when be did run
into the snow, but none Of the pass
engers were hurt: and though driver
and stoker were precipitated into the
drift, the snow was so soft that they
took no harm by their somersaults.
When | arrived, | found the guard
wading from one carriage to another,
with his lantern, assuring the passen-
gers that there was no danger. Some
insisted on descending, but, after
houndering in the snow, they thought
best to retire under cover again. [
went up to the engine to ascertain
what was about to be done. An angry
was taking place between
driver, guard, and passengers. The
engine was off the rails, and could not
be got on again without help. Only
one alternative seemed feasible, and
that was for the guard to go to the
junction and send up an engine to
take the train back to the place
whence it had started, or to go for
ward to the next station and tele-
graph for assistance.
The passengers objected that they
wanted to get on, not be taken back
to the place whence they had started.
Whilst the alteration went on, a
mass Of snow on the bank behind
gave way, and slid like an avalanche
upon the lines in rear, completely COW
,ring them, so as to render an imme-
liate return impossible. There was,
N the emergency, but one thing to
be done-the guard must go on to the
next station and telegraph the state