The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-03
A YllNlLANG ErlsopE.
An IucIdOnt of Railroad Llfs-A Little Gil

Cateago Herald.
"If you write stories for the paper"
said Rock Island railway freight conduc-
tor, "let me tell you true one that came
under my observation last winter out near
Des Moines when l was running on the
Iowa division. This is no railroad yarn,
out fact. saw it with my own eyes.
Que day We were running along and was
ia tho engine. AS We began to cross II
bridge We looked ahead and there was
little girl about six years old cambering
over the timbers, She had some school
books in her hand, and was evidently on
her way home from school. The engineer
whistled, when she turned her face toward
us. I'll never forget that face Us long as |
live. 1t was just as white as the saOw on
the ice in the creek thirty or forty feet
below her. But she didn't scream, nor
Ty to jump, nor do nothing. She
Just looked at us with steady
glare as If she'd stop the train
With her eyes that We were unable to do
with our brakes. At first We were all so
broke Up We hadn't any idea what ~ do,
and believe we'd OF stood there like
posts II she hadn't suddenly stretched out
her little arms towards US in mute ap-
peal for help. Well, sir, that broke the
charm, and we all started up wildly. i
swung way out as far as could, holding
by one hand, and with the other notion
ing her to get downtown between the
timbers. Would you believe it? That
little thing followed my directions as II
,k.i Il /. M ta NNN hn
TO it, too, and climbed down as delibsr-
Ately as il she'd been at home. She was
nOne too quick, though, for her little
brown hoou, with a red ribbon fluttering
from it, had no sooner disappeared be-
tween the timbers than We Numbered
over her.
"'Let her out, Bill 1 shouted to the
4ngineer, let her out lively, or that little
shIEg will never be able TO stick down
thers till We get over the bridge. Turn
DER loose!'
$50 Bill he let her out, but she'd no
sooner reached the bank than jumped
of and went heels over head in y snow
back. got back to the bridge as soon as
IC0GId, and waited for our long train to
get by. Don't mind tellin' We that as ]
stood there did something | never did
atore-=yes, cir, stood there and prayed
that that little one might be able to stick
1t out till could get 10 her, But guess
my prayers are no good, for when the
train was by rushed out on the bridge,
over timbeIs by the DOZEN, expecting
every minute 10 see that little red ribbon.
But it never showed up. Tears bsgan to
dill my eyes SO that could hardly see the
crosspieCes-I have little girl Of my own,
you know-but on and on went, and no
Drown hood or red ribbon could find.
Then turned and looked TO the ice be-
low, and there she was. Yes, she had fall
len thirty or forty feet through the bridge.
"How got down TO her | don't know,
but got there. l lifted her up in my
arms. Her eyes were closed but she
opened them, looked at me a second, and
said:
"How did you get down here%
"Ihis question would have made me
laugh il had felt sure she wasn't hurt,
but as it was hurried up the bank and
to the Caboose. She said she wasn't hurt
much, but / knew she couldn't tell, and
We started for the next station.
II am going home, amt l?' she in
CURED, after We bad fixed her up in our
DUNK.
~ told her yes, KNOWN that minute
We were going right by her house. ! was
in such hurry to get surgeon that /
thought it right to deceive her. Pretty
soon she went off to sleep, and she looked
80 deathly lying there that all Of us went
TO wipin' our eyes like women.
Boys says /, If she never wakes up
I'll quit the road. never want to see
that bridge again."
"And you have quit the road?"
mo, I'm at the old business. She got
we'll, and all the spring used to watch Tor
my train as she would for her papa coming
home from work. We never passed her
house unless abe was out waving that
little brown hood at us and making that
red ribbon dance. Our engineer used to
whistle for her regularly, aud she got 80
4he could tell that whistle as far as she
could hear it. Once in awhile, when not
in hurry we'd stop aud talk with her.
She said she loved US all, even the old
engine, but she has never set her foot on
he track since that day she fell through
the bridge. This Ia q true story, and the
little girls name is Lily"
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