Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-03-25


Who are the hcsocs we ha to-day.
AMI cri lo4hUir brows with wrcaths OF bay1
l4n ,ne tafror back apiiE.
40 hn Giri ~ fhrOlgs of hts fclluw-nouf
Toe nc nan fNhting IN kecn dictate
For ne lnwa lhIi viii make hls country Rrcat2
" lh1 p3el whose spirit in his song
MithoIt IKE lre the front OF wfongf
Yt-. icsi Hrc heroes on whom we may call,
tlui rreaicr slill j. behind them aiL
who AUD wc shout with ringing checri
..lcn tiog tho railway engineer
Who ala bis duiy ana never thought
Hc did any mcrc ti-an driver ought"
Took ~ Sicr. sav. 10 he stands
With the lever clutcn'd la his oily hands
Arr no~rnn uiught but the grind OF the wheel
1ntnc clanitlnE rail underneath his hcel
90. lRnlng his pipe for a whit or two,
Yer looking ahtad rs drivers do.
Nov any ono seeing him thus would have said,
Win vcry doubtful shtke OF his head;
= Poor stun aftor all out OF which 10 plan
Your hero whcnacf on calls for tho man"
50 you would think. but listen aud hcar
Ihostory OF Sieg. the engineer.
Down the Pennsylvania line,
tn the l'eht ot Hn afternoon sunshinc,
Cninc % w.sN train OF cars behind,
And hui 1rcds OF lives that were his TO mind.
LITTLE thought he of danger near
Aa nc watched for signals set ut clear.
II he Thought At all. aud that Thought could be
As no stood on tho foot-platc looking ahead,
II was thli. 20 do what a driver could do
Run sharp TO his time, nor be overdue.
90 NluuW tho metals IN smoke and glare.
With Hicg at his post by tho levers there.
fngino aud care like a whiriwind tore
mi. Just as the stoscr threw open the door
Of the furnace at once through each black
The quick back .drausht. bringing with IT tho
That scorching with lightning fingers OF pain,
Drove sios aad his stoker back In tho train.
hack ihcy wont, bearing all the brunt
81 tho ilcry tongues thar were Kissing in front
,lhcy citurht NJ the cars In their wild desire,
That ~ les than moment were muiiicd In
Tho onrino. like romo Wild steed that Is frcn.
Shot ahead with shrek of defiant gice.
Behind were hundreds OF lives IN a tomb
Ihat was hot with the BREATH Of their awful
u, leap from tho train would ,s certain death.
10 stay would be food for the fiame's Wild
breath.
Now WIS the time for your hero TO plan;
The hour had como, ana Sieg was the man.
Not moment he stood. for at once he saw
ii duty before him. aud that was law.
Not single thought OF himself came near
Only there rose, Ike Hash, In his eye
As In those when the last stern moment Is
A look that would do all that duty could
And with one wild rush sIos was into the
flame.
The rcd tongues qulvcr'd and clutch'd at him;
IheY tore the iiesh from his arm and limb;
Iheg wove, like scarlet demons, between
The engine and him fiery screen.
But he fought his way 10 his terrihl~ fate
1il he fcl, his feet touch the tender platc.
Thcn, blina with the flame and It's scorching
breath,
Ana weak from his terrible struggle with
death,
He groped for the levers, cluiohd them at
length,
And. with one wild effort of falling strength.
N q the kissing OF frc ana the engines roar
Threw OF the steam, aud could do no more
when the engine at last was brough. 70 a
stand
Not a llfo was lost out Of all that band.
No life. did say2 AlHsi there was one,
Hut not tlll his duty was nobly done.
Tor, bncK In the tender. silent aud grim,
B,ackcnCd and scaldcd in body and limb.
Lay $ cr who had without aid. aud alone
Saved hundreds Of lives and LOST his own.
That is the story. plain ana clear
or Siog, the railway engineer
Honor TO him, and no stint ~ Phase
Fron the best OF hearts ~ these modern days
Honor 20 Siegi say, Gr- hail
This last jim lilndso Of the rail
who DID his duty and never thought
He did any more than driver oughLn
Alexander Anderson, Ia Good Words.