Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-02-04
HAZLEHURsT COpIAII COUNTY, MISS. FEBRUARY 4, 1856

much as TWO miles on when VIC nr6t
saw 1t, steaming pondetously along at
twelve or fifteen miles an hour; and We
were flying from tho northeast to cross
It at a sharp angle.
"'Now, tell you, professor. we shall
90 pretty snug to 'emr exclaimed my
companion.
"'Yes. but we shall 60 high enough
over 'cm, said !.
"I guess so, said he looking down
at the ground moment Yes. wo
shall clear 'em. And now for some
funr he exclaimed, SELLING long horn
which l always kept in the car to blow
signal blasts when needed.
'.On came the long train, putting up
n black cloud of coal smoke; and we
had now llown up to within q hundred
rods of them; but saw that we should
cross the line little ahead Of the loco
motive. The engineer and fireman
were staring at us. So were all the
brakemcn standing on the cars plat
form.
stevens blew two loud blasts-TooH
TOO-OO.OOH
"'7ooi tootv responded the locomo-
tive.
again my fellow.voyager gave them
fearful blast-as amocking signal for
them to down brakes, and give us the
right of way to cross the line.
F" Toot-tOot-toOt!f from the engine
which meant clear the line.
Z" So intent were both Of us watching
the train, that we never once saw nor
though, Of the wires-the telegraph
wires. And when we went over the
track little ahead of the engine, our
grapnel, streaming along behind and
ben ,ath us. caught on the wires, and
stripping them clear of the posts and
and insulators, drew them right exact.
ly across the oncoming locomotive!
They caught on between the whistle
and the smokcstack. The wires were
strong. So was our rope. In an In
slant we were twitchcd after the en-.
ginc-,hc balloon lunging first almost
down to the ground, then up straight
over the tender!
"a loud shout and vollcy Of rail.
way cxpletlves rose from the engine,
and all along the train. We hung on
for dear lie. We had TO cling with all
our might. the car lurched and swung
so furiously.
"'Cast off that grapnel, won't youT
] shouted down to the engineer.
Z" Shin down the rope, and cast it
OIL YOURSELF! yelled the fireman.
"'Ycs, you're balloon man! cried
the engineer Lets see you shin down
that line
"Comc now! Stevens called TO
them, ION may kill Us. Slow up, and
let us unhook, won't you"
"'Can't do il. Behind time nowH
was all we could get ont of the en-.
ginccr; and the brakemcn were all
laughing and chatting us.
"Thcy were rough lot of fellows.
and the novelty Of the situation did not
seem 10 excite their wonder, but only
their ridiculc.
"'Wcll, cut the lincr exclaimed to
Stevens. had managed to get my
knife out, and passed ii to him. for he
was nearest the rope; and hanging on
with all his might, with his left hand.
he contrivcd TO Saw OIL the rope close
down 10 the hawse hole. We lunged
of into the air; and the train sped OH,
with our hook and the wires hanging
To it. There was the hard old shell OF
Dutch cheese lying amongst our bal.
last. | let that shy at those grinning
brakemen as we flew apart! 1t fell
quite near one Of them.
The engine not only had our line
and grapnel hitchcd TO it, but also six
or seven hundred feet Of the wires, all
wound up and snarled on ii.
That was about the most exciting
experience | ever had!
We tossed out one other grapnel
and finally landed in peach.orchard,
q couple of miles further on. mailed
a letter to the telegraph company, of