News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-06-05
SAVED BY A BICYCLE.
A Wild, Weird. Absorbing Story of the
Great West,

responsible position? Well, perhap
so, for [ am nothing more than a boy
being less than twenty years of age. Blu
what think you of this white hair whic
[ have had for four years It look
strange to one unaware of its origin, an
when call to mind the circumstanc
that caused it only wonder that 1 an
alive to-day"
The speaker, mere child in appear
ance save for his white hair, stood witt
his right index finger and thumb grasp
ing the key of a telegraph instrumen
which had just ticsed off to him az ac
count of terris railroad accident
Referring to it Ire Said:
''I have had some trying experience
n my life as an operator. -Four year.
ago I was telegraph operator at small
country station on southwestern rail
road. / had little to do, the dispatches
sent and received not averaging more
than two day, and those confined al
most entirely to railroad matters. Te
enable me to leave the office at will ]
had attached large tin cup to the
sounder of my instrument so could heal
my call o. from any part of the village
When the south bound train arrived al
noon one Saturday I hurridely communi
Gated with the conductor, and learning
that he had nothing to send prepared
to quit my Office for the afternoon, as nc
other train was due until seven o'clock
Locking the door / went away leaving
the train standing at the depot, hot
boxes OBTAINING it longer than usual.
Luckily I did not SO beyond earshot OF
my instrument, repairing to field near
by to witness base ball game. I fre-
quentlv left the office for hours, but al
ways kept within hearing distance, the
tin cup sounder enabled me to distin-
guish my call several hundred feet away.
Somehow I had misgivings on this oc-
casion. I had an indefnable dread of
some impending trouble. I was so i'll at
ease that L took little interest in the
game. kept my ears open, expecting,
for some reason I will not attempt to ex .
plain, to be called at the office. Before
| had been absent ten minutes, and
while the train still stood at the depot, 1
heard my familiar call repeated in what
seemed to me unusually rapid success
sion. Instead of walking leisurely, as
was my wont, ran to the Office as fast
as I could, and heard as I entered ::
Hold No. 4 at your station until special
going north passes.
"Involuntarily | glanced out of the
window and saw the train [ was ordered
to hold disappearing around curve a
short distance away. l was not told at
what time the special left the station
soath. which vas - II ten miles away,
and I saw in my minds eye the two
trains rapidly approaching each other,
quickly followed by a crash, screams of
pain and flying debris. Suddenly [ re-
while tearing my hair and
cursing my negligence, that No. 4 had
to stop at woodward two miles down
the road to take on fuel. That would
take q matter of five minutes, and if
means of conveyance were at hand l
might overtake it and avert disaster.
My first thought was hand-car, my
second horse, but did not know if the
first was at the station, or the second
to be had in the village Rushing out
of the office 1 stumbled over my bicycle.
Without moments thought | showed 1t
out of the door before me, and was on it
in less time than it takes to count ten.
In my odd moments have practiced,
and had become quite an expert bicyclist.
The country road paralleled the railroad
for several miles, and the former was
down grade the entire distance. [ put
my whole strength into the effort of pro-
pelling the machine, and had the salts
faction of attaining a speed I had never
accomplished before. My hat blew off
and my coat was doffed through fear
that it would retard my speed. [ got
within perhaps fifty yards of the now
stationary train, when the engine-whistle
blew and the train started. l redoubled
my efforts and came alongside the rear
platform of the last car. just as the train
was getting under full headway. With
falling side motion threw my wheel
against the side of the car Just forward
of the platform and grasped the hand
rail as it came within reach, at the same
time letting go my hold on the bicycle.
1 caught the bell cord and gave it one
vigorous pull, and as the train came to a
halt l gave the cord three jerks, the sig.
nal to back, and tainted. The conductor
found me where had fallen. Suspect
ing something wrong, he permitted the
train to back to the station. getting there
just as the special, loaded with the
directors of the road and their families,
swung around tlss-ensve iato the station.
[ had brain feveS and came near dying,
not regaining my reasoning faculties fol
five weeks after my terrible experience.
But the conductor said my hair was
white when he found me on the rear oi
Of his train - EHic01o Mems