The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-09-03
POETRY.
The Engineers Story.

The EngIReer's Story.
We were driving the down express
WIN at the steam, at the coal
over the valleys and villages
Over the marshes and copplcesl
Over the river, deep and broad
Through the mountain under the road
Flying along tearing along
Thunderbolt engine, swift and strong,
Fifty tons she was, whole and solel "
! had been promoted to the express: Ms
warrent you was proud and gay.
1t was the evening that ended May,
And the sky was glory OF tenderness.
We we're laundering down TO a midland town
1t makes no matter about the name 3s
For we never stopped there. or anywhere
For dozen miles on either side;
SO it's all the same
Just there you slide
With your steam shut on, an + your brakes ir
hand,
Down the steepest and longest grade in the land
AT pace that promise you is grand.
We were just there with the express,
When caught sight OF a muslin dress
on the bank ahead and as we past
You have no notion OF how fast
A girl shrank back froM our baleful blast.
We were going mile and a quarter minute
With vans and carriages down the incline,
look'd In her eyes, and, she looked In mine
AS the train went by, like shot from a mortar,
roaring hell-brcath OF dust and smoke;
And unused for a minute and then awoke,
And she was behind US mile and quarter
And oftea saw her-that lady mean
That spoke OF before. She often stood
Atop o. the bank It was pretty high
Say twenty feet, and backd by a wood.
She would pick the daisies out OF the green,
To fling down at US as we went by,
We had got 10 be friends, that girl and I,
Though was a rugged, stalwart chap,
And she a.ladyl I'd lift my cap,
Evening by evening, when I'd spy
That she was there, in the Summer air.
Watching the sun sink eut Of the sky.
oh, didn't see her every night;
Bless you no just now and then,
And not at all for a twelyemonth quite
Then, one evening saw her again,
Alone, as ever, but deadly pale,
And down on the line, on the very rail,
While light, as Of hell, from our wild wheels
broke,
Tearing down the slope with their devilfsh
clamors
And deafening din, as OF giants hammers
That smote in whirfwnd OF dust and smoke
ALI the instant or so that we sped to meet her.
Never, o never, had she seemd sweeteri N55
let yell the whistle, reversing the stroke 9
Down that awful incline, and signalrd the guarc
To put on his breaks at once and hard
Though we couldn't have stopped. We tattert
the rail $50 - s
Into spilnters And sparks but without avail.
We couldn't stop; and she wouldn't STIR
saving to turn us her eyes, and stretch
Her arms to us and the desperate wretch
pitied, comprehending her. 6E
SO the brakes let Oh, and the steam full ag lin,
Sprang down on the lady the terrible train
She never fiinched. We beat her down,
And ran on through the lighted length of the
town
Before we could stop to see what was done.
o I've run over more than onei
Dozens OF 'em to be sure, but none
That ptied as pitied her
II could have stopped, with all the spur
OF the trains weight on, ana eanniiy-
BUTT wouldn't do with a lad like me
And she q lady--or had been. Sir?
Who was she? Best say no more OF her!
The world is hard but I'm her fri,ni-
stanch, slr-down to the worlds emf
tits curl OF her sunny hair
Set In this locket that wear,
Ipick'd 1t of the big wheel there.
Times up, Jack. stand clear, slr. Yes;
We're going out with the ex .Idsf
FE4a. IL HiiEins