The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-06-11
A 1irakeman's Experience.


It was q damp, foggy night in early
spring, and was one Of the crew which
had in charge "wiid" freight, which We
had been most Of the night--lor 1t was
nearly morning now in getting nn in.
significant distance toward our destina
| ton. We had been side tracked several
times for trains TO pass US, the last time
for several hours, so that when we got
under way and thought everything was
clear for a good run. It sas only about an
hour before daylight very darkest
time in q very dark night, however.
atmosphere than wc had that night !:
even the lanterns could not un seen more
than the length Of n half dozen cars.
When We got under headway | started
to go up to the engine for something, and
cars very cautiously-for it was dahger
| Gus work, rn account of the darkness,
iur even an experienced brakeman, while
pcnng to throw the light Of my lantern
mass OF eome.hing against the end Of
ono OF them. / stopped to look closer,
and swinging my lantern between the
a ride. lie had his hat pulled down over
his face, and, more asleep Than awake,
was keeping in an upright position by
on the car. The light l had thrown
about him and the noise had made
reused him up. When he saw he had
been discovered he put Tie best possible
face on the matter and expressed his de.
termination 10 stay on the train until we
reached the end Of TIE route. told
him that he could not do this, and we
coon got into nn angry dispute. He then
climbed upon the car, and as he did so
| moved to the other end. In this posi-
ton we continued our war Of words, lie,
meanwhile, standing very close to the
end of the car. ! soon concluded to
leave him and find out Of the conductor
what should lie done. did not like his
impudcnce aud knew that somehow we
would have to get him oil the train /; but
with the Indications of Drawn and muscle
which he possessed, did not care about
getting into close quarters alone on the
top of a freight car.
As WAS about to move away the train
gave lurch rs she struck All imperfect
rail, which RlmosL threw me- of my feet
NJ tle same time | saw my unwcicome
passenger make wild grasp i'll the mir,
as his body swuycd backward with tho
shock through which it had been so hard
for me to keep my position on The. car,
and as dimly as could see his face the
expression Of horror aud fright was one
OF the most painful sights | ever saw ;
then he uttered Il wild shrek, and half
swinging around on one foot upon which
he was trying TO balance himself, lie fell
hcadlong out Of sight between the cars.
On more piercing wall reached my ears,
and then all was drowned in the roar of
tho on speeding train.
1t was not manly thing to do, I am
aware; but tainted OH top of the car.
II must have been about half an hour
nitcrward, for it was by this time day.
light, when l came to aud began to real
izc what had happened. As soon rs
possible got back to the caboosc and
detailed to the conductor what had oc-
Cured. BY this time we were ten or
twelve miles from the scene Of the .ci
dent, 50 he said
Were running wild, and if We 20
back and pick up the remains of that
fellow it'll take an hour. The only thing
can see that we cun do is to 90 OH to
the next station and send for orders"
This we did and got permission from
headquarters 10 ruin buck.
The train had 10 back down, Of course,
aud when we came within couple OF
miles Of the point near which we sup
posed we would find at least portion of
our man, the train slackened its speed
aud the conductor and myself began to
keep careful watch along the track.
Presently from Il clump Of blackberry
bushes, III the corner Of rail fence,
some ono sang out:
Gents, if you'uns cum clean back
here fur me, simply want to say thot
.prcciate it, 'Tisn't every road'd do it.
amt no pressin' engagements at the
end O. your line; but l 'preciato your
Kindness in comm back fur me, any.
how ~
We peered in the direction indicated
by tho voice. There, upon the top rail
of the fence, with one leg thrown over
the other, and calmly smoking short
pipe-a picture of impudcnce-s the
fellow we had expected to gather up in
fragments, safe and sound, scarcely q
scratch worse off than when l first saw
him between tho cars.
The conductor grasped the situation at
once, and our train was soon again going
forward. His feelings we're so outraged
to think the man hadn't been killed
hadn't even been hnrt-that he did moth.
ing but heap abuse upon me until we got
our train in; and believe he considered
me as great criminal because the acci.
dent did not prove fatal to the fellow as
though he had been killed and was tho
direct cause of it.
1t seemed to me that was an entirely
innocent participant in the incidents but
every one appeared to think that by all
laws of nature tie man ought to have
been killed, and that l, somehow, was
the cauae Of tho thing missing fire, aud
was not to be trusted in consequence.
So a few days later got my discharge.
Detroit Free Press.