New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-03
mr. ENGiNEhR'S STONY

from me Last
We wsrc driving the down sKprrst-
WI Al The strAm, I Al the coal
over the valleys ana VII tgrsl
over the miI-nr, aud coppcrsl
over the river. deep and broad
Through the noun ,Ia under The road
Flying ai0ugl touring along
lnunoerbot ragIno, swlfl and strong,
FIFTY tons she was whsle aud Solel
had been promoted 10 The rXpress:
| warrant You was proud aud gay.
It was the eVcnIag that ended May.
And the skv "as glory Of tenderness;
We were numbering down 10 a mia and town
Il makes 40 matter about the name
For We never stopped there. or anywhere
For dozen mics on either side:
So IT'S all the same
Just there you slide
With your steam shut Off and your brakes IN hand.
Down the strepest and longest grade IN the land
Al pace that promise YOu H. grand.
We we're Just there with the express,
when I can hi 81 mt OF ! muslin dress
on the bank ahead and AZ we past
You have no notion ~ how fast
A girl shrank back from our baleful blast.
We were going mile and quarter minute
With vans and carriages down tue incline
But saw her face. aud a sunshine IN H.
Ookd IN her eyes, and she lOoked IN mine
A the train went by. like a shot rom mortar,
roaring hcl-Dtcuth OF dust and smOke;
And unused far minute and then swoke.
And she was behind us a mile and quarter.
And Ioften saw her-thst lady mean
That spoke OF before. She often stood
Atop o. The bank IL was pretty high
say twsuty ieet, ana baok'd by wood
She wOuld pick the daisies out ~ The green.
To fling dO0R AT Us as we went by
W. had got TO be- friends that girl and l.
Though a rugged stal Art chap,
Asd She lady! I'd lift my cap,
Evening by evening. when I'd spy
That she there IN the sumner air,
" 4tcnlng the SUR sink out Of the SKY
on. didRt see her every night:
Bless you! no Just now and then,
And not 8t all FOR a tVelyemOnth quite
Then, one evening saw her again,
Alone. ever, but deadly pale.
And down on the lihe, on the very rail-
while light o. nell from our wild wheels broke,
Tearing uOws the slope with their dcvlli-h csulOrs
And de1tening din, a. of giasrs hammers
That smOtc in a whlrlV ind Of dust AMI smoke
All the instant or 80 that ~ sped tO meet htr
Never o never had she -eeu'd swseterl
let yell the whistle, reversing the stroke
Down that awful inclnc. ana signal II the guard
To put on his breaks ~ once aud HARD $500
Though we couldn't have stopped We atterd the rail
Into splinterq aud sparas. but without avail
We cOuhbit stop; and 4he wouldu' STIR.
Saving 10 turi rs hcr ewes and srelch
Her arms 10 us; ans the desperate wretch
pitIrd, compromising her.
go the sr3kes Jet Oh and the steam full again.
Spraug down ON the lady the terrible train
she never nlurhsd. " o. beat her down,
Ard ran on through the lighted length ~ the town
Before We could stop Ia see what wa' done'
. Tvo run over more than one
Dozens Of 'cm, to DO sure but none
That pitied as pitis1 her
r. I could nave 't0sped. with an the spur
Of the trains weight on, ana canniy-
But 10 wouldn't do with a lad IKE me
And sne q lady had bren. sir'
Who was abe Beat .ay no more ~ herl
Tho world Is hard but I'm hef fuend-
Ftanch sr-down to the wsrd's end.
n isa curl ~ nor sunny hair
Get I'm ihis locket mat wsir
pick'd 10 on the big wheel there.
Times ur Jack. stand clsar air fea;
We're going ont with the express.
W wuEISs.