Wichita eagle., 1886-08-18
9ai19Rg Eagle
THE RED LIGHT.


Ny preface must be that am railwa,
ohclal. and that any part of train maj
be invaded by me without question. It viii
not be then matter of surprise if stat
that l stood with driver on a special en-
CINE was returning from inspecting tn,
scene OF an accident, much damage done t,
rolling stock and the permanent way, hap
ply none to life and limb Tore was {.
be an inquiry. Whether it was signal
mans or pointsman's fault remained to bt
ascertained
I'VE shall come to tree directly" sale
Harry Slaves, my driver, when he had Gov
cred some miles of the return journey. q
never pass it without having q sicklv sor,
OF feeling A bad accident happened there
Twill be twelve or thirteen years ago."
"Oh!" l assented without evincing much
interest. l did not consider it prudent tc
encourage him to proceed Talk will alb
stract the best mans attention. 1t was
necessary for him to keep sharp lookout
ahead. The day had ended in snow, the
aspect OF the country changing in an in
credibly short space of time At Croftley
we switched to take in water and to allow
certain trains to pass, and here as we stood
sumed his story.
There wasn't steadier, trustier driver
than my mate, Jim Sutton, and he'd been
lucky. He'd never been in an accident !
believe, when one did happen, the company
thought of him, and believed that, if he'd
been driving, nothing would have happened
He was a sort Of model man for them. I'd
been stoker for him almost from the time
left the shed. I'd been reckoned q lucky
chap to get put with him. So l was After
Ia been with him a few years, I might
have got put on as occasional driver, but I
didn't care for that sort Of catch work. l
explained this to the locomotive superin-
tendent, and be allowed me to stay with
Jim You see a man in this, as in other
posts, may be qualified for some
thing better, but he has to wait for a
vacancy.
"Well, we'd got very near that tree I
pointed out, when there was sudden grind,
and off the rails we went and down the en-
bankment A good thing it was the coup
lings snapped, or a coach or two would have
followed us. l was oiling, and lucky it was
for ME, for few, l never exactly knew
where. But Jim, poor fellow, happened
to have a grip, and went with the engine.
Wheen it heeled over, he was partly under
it, fast 10y the legs Poor fellow, where he
was, it was just past being warm-hot
enough to roast him. They tried to get him
out, and at last had to give it up, and send
on for crane al that took time. They said
it was piteous to hear him begging and pray
ing them to get him out
Il got off very well considering I'd no
bones broken No doubt l touched hard
ground, for they picked me up insensible,
o,,l I'll I
came to myself l can't tell you how queer
l felt. Everything seemed to swim
about; / didn't see very well. licked
about with my hands, then l was sure
there was somebody strange in the room
"'Hallo. says l, where have got to-
"'Hush, says they; you keep quiet
"I'm not at Batclose.'
"'You're at Hagley dale.
"'Hagley dale, says L: how long have l
been in here?'
"'Maybe an hour and quarter
"'Where's Jim' How has he got OFF,
"'Do you mean the driver!'
'I'd got up on my launches, and would
talk
".That's just who 1 mean,' says l.
Hes under the engine. They're trying
to get him out
".rhey're a long time about it. Is he
dead.'
"'He was alive bit since
They tried to stop me. They said l
swore at them, as l went limping out of the
house. / know to get up the embankment I
had to go on allfours l crossed the metals,
and saw the crowd and the engine on her
broadside ] thought l could hear some
thing-poor Jim's cries Down / rushed,
A fellow hadlgot my shovel, and there he
stood, helpless as you please. When L
snatched at il he wouldn't leave go.
See here said | in raging temper, IF
you want to keep whole skin, you'll leave
go
Maybe did swear at hm-at 'em all,
lot of stupid idiots-not knowing what to do
There's a crane coming, the station
master shouted.
"'Crane' | hoiered back to him 20 for
spades-cc;ne out Of the way, there's none
of you with a morsel of brains They Just
did clear out, l can tell you | think they
saw was good enough for laying open
mans head if he tried to stop me.
Poor ,Jim-as soon rs he saw me, he cried
family, Harry, for Gods sake pull me out
Of this; | III roarstIng.'
Then he went of. Dead? 30. Hs
tainted. or something Of the kind. | due
L
We had him out in less than ten minutes.
If, instead of running over each ether,
they'd started digging with my shovel he'd
be alive now.
They wetted his lips with brandy. and
he seemed 10 come to bit But / don't be-
lieve lie was really himself. think he was
wandering | heard him say, The BARNS
Liz Then he gave q bit of shudder. and
al was over
They had to help me up the embank-
ment, and went on to Batclosc. They got
a cab 10 take NE on to my lodge But says
to the super, There's Jim's wife-some-
body ought to break it to her, poor thing
II shall have to CO. says lie, and it's q
job don't like.
TN go. sir says 1; I'd give el,0o0if l |
lad it TO so with different tale. She'll /
maybe take it better from me. She knows
j i'm and me were always good pals
Il got out of the cab at the street and
hobbled 10 Jirn's house. One OF the BARNS
came 10 the door.
NANNY, Harry's come, she shouted, /
toddlins the length OF the passage as fast as !
her wee legs would carry her.
when Liz shcwed her face, stood like a
goose nicked in the head As went along
Id made up what l should say, but |
| lust felt as if ] had to learn to talk /
saw that she thought I'd no business to be
there that time Of day, Every bit of color
went out Of her face, and she staggered
against the door jamh
Liz, | said, we've had an accident
hurt
..Bad,' she asked. her lip quivering and
her voice koarse, and looking wild and
scared
=. II iz' / said syo,, must keen IN q GOOD