The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-09-10

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A few weeks ago there passed away
a old man Of three-score ornore. who
had Led quiet and apparently unevent-
full life. From little before his mid
die age be had been follower Of rail-
road work. and for years before his
death . well-known member u the
foot board" coterie. or. a. ID more
commonly called. . locomotive en-
gineer. Some fifteen years ago an oc-
currence took place in his life that may
have changed is whole current.
| One stormy. snowy night in DeceD-
Der . freight train accident occurred
through the breaking Of : car-axle.
The scene Of the accident was on :
portion Of the road very crooked. The
wreckers had been called out, and with
them the young telegraph boy. whose
duty IL was to climb teIegraph-pole,
make the necessary attachments with
wires, clamps, etc.. and 10 assist in the
working Of other trains past the OBJ
structicn. This boy was intrssted with
the important task Of opening and
OPtA0 al 9AUit1OHai OHitr. 1lttiuX
on an imprDmptu chair, built Of fence
rails and stones, At the foot Of the tele-
graph pole, his duty was to stop all
trains coming toward the obstruction
and hold them until one Of the tracks
had been cleared. 1t was on : SAtur-
day night, and but few trains-save
the regular night express rum
ming. Clothed with unusual RESPONSE
bility. the lad sat through terrible
binding snow and sleef-storm, hour
after hour, no shelter and no company
save the constant tick Of the little in
strument.that held him in communities
ton with the outer world.
One o'clock has come. The nighl
express should be there. Orders have
come from the wreck: Hold the ex-
press at all hazards" A glance ut the
watch tells the boy that he must take
his lamps and meet the express as far
above as possible. There were no air
brakes IN those days. A heavy. bind
ing, cheerless fog has settled down
like a thick cover over deep cut in the
rocks The snow from above was still
coming down in sheets. Flowing his
way through the wet snow over the
uneven surface Of rails and ties went
the boy in the direction Of the express,
whose faint rumble could first be felt.
then family heard. Planting himself
firmly between the rails, the boy stood.
lamp in each hand, waiting to swing
at the first burst Of the headlight
through the fog. Nearer and closer
came the heavy train. One second,
two. three. and the headlight com
mences to tighten up the banks and
rocks of the curve. The fog lifts. the
light CLEANS on the wet, shining rails.
Swing goes the red lamp as the blind
ing glare Of the powerful headlight
shoots into sight at the upper end q
the curve Faster swings the red light.
No answering blast Of the whistle The
red light Is on . desperate, almost de-
spairing swing. No answer vet The
boy leaps over the outer rail into the
ditch alongside, posing himself = he
| jumps. and - the great glazing mon
ster is upon him his right arm puts an
almost superhuman force into the last
swing, the lamp leaves his hand, and
| with a crash goes through the little
| glass door in front Of the engines cab.
right into the face Of our old friend the
\ engineer.
| The lad sank back into the rocky
assures Of the cut, the train rushes BY
him harmlessly, but with . terrible
shrek of the whistle The old chain
brake snaps like an overstrained mus
Gle and away PUSHES the express past
that clicking instrument, on, on. into
the darkness, out Of hearing and be-
yond recall. Slowly and wearlly the
boy plods his way over the ties to his
post ut the instrument bordering over
his UNDECIDED efforts and the result
Hold the express 1t al hazards:"
and where was that express? There.
with his trembling fingers upon the key
OF the instrument he sat trying TO tell
his superior officer It the wreck that
his efforts 70 hold the express had
failed. This he did without telling Of the
fate Of that red light volces are pres
emily heard through the darkness, and
ere long the swaying Of several lighted
lanterns Is to be seen As they como
from the direction Of the lost train.
A few seconds later the eager, peering
faces of the trainmen appear, and the
boy recognizes the familiar faces Of the
conductor and brakeman Of the ex-
press. The train had stopped, but only
ASW yoA0S away AAoHsA sah0 WkCCAs
and the mon had como back 10 pick
up the operator. whom they sup
posed was manglcd and dead in
the curve above. The engineer, they
say, had been badly hurt by some II
the broken brake-chain. The boy
Is grateful and happy because e
Is no worse. In . minute or 90 the en-
gineer-our old friend-makes his APP
pearance. Face covered with blood.
which be had vainly tried to wipe away
with lunches Of greasy waste; a long
cut just under the roots Of the hair told
where he had been hurt. Throwing his
arms about the brave boys neck he
whispered through his sobs Of joy. a.
the tears trickled down his blood-cov-
cred cheeks:
I" was asleep and you risksd you
life TO save us ALL Thank God. you
threw It straight and true. will b .
different man from tonight"
Twas 20. The true tale has nevel
before been told. That engineers life
was thenceforth n true, honest and 90
Der one. The chain served as the pre-
text for the wound. and the fireman.
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