Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-09-23
A STORY OF THE RAIL.


A few weeks ago there passed away
an old man of three-score ormore, who
had led quiet and apparently unevent-
full life. From little before his mid
die age he had been follower of rail
road work. and for years before his
death a well-known member of the
'foot-board coterie, or, as is more
commonly called, locomotive en-
gineer. Some fifteen years ago an oc-
currence took place in his life that may
have changed its whole current.
One stormy, snowy night in Deem
Der freight train accident occurred
through the breaking of car-axle.
The scene of the accident was on a
portion of the road very crooked. The
wreckers had been called out, and with
them the young telegraph boy, whose
duty it was to climb telegraph-pole,
make the necessary attachments with
wires, clamps, ETC., and to assist in the
working of other trains past the OBJ
struction. This boy was intrusted with
the important task of opening and
operating an additional office. Sitting
on an impromptu 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-were run
ming. Clothed with unusual response
bility. the lad sat through terrible
binding snow and sleet-storm, hour
after hour, no shelter and no company
save the constant tick of the little in
strument:that held him in communica-
ton with the outer world.
One o'clock has come. The night
express should be there. Orders have
come from the wreck: .'Hold the ex-
press at all hazards" A glance at 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 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 he felt,
then family heard. Planting himself
firmly between the rails, the boy stood,
a lamp in each hand, waiting to swing
at the first burst of the headlight
through the fog. Nearer and close,
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 o.
the curve. Faster swings the red light
No answering blast'of the whistle. The
red light is on a desperate, almost de-
spairing swing. No answer yet. The
boy leaps over the outer rail into thu
ditch alongside, posing himself as hi
jumps, and as the great glazing mon
ster is upon him his right arm puts al
almost superhuman force into the las
swing, the lamp leaves his hand, ant
with crash goes through the little
glass door in front of the engines cab
right iuto the face of our old friend thu
engineer. ,g sands
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 rushes the express past
that clicking instrument, on, on, int
the darkness, out of hearing and be
yond recall. Slowly and YEARLY thu
boy plods his way over the ties to his
post at the instrument, bordering owe
his UNDECIDED efforts and the result
Hold the express at all hazardsp"-
and where was that expresse There
with his trembling fingers upon the kc,
of the instrument, he sat trying to tel
his superior officer at the wreck tina
his efforts to hold the express ha
failed. This he did without telling of tn
fate of that red light. Voices are pres
entity heard through the darkness, an
ere long the swaying of several lighte
lanterns is to be seen as they com
from the direction of the lost train
A few seconds later the eager, perrin
faces of the trainmen appear, and tn
boy recognizes the familiar faces of til
conductor and brakeman of the eA
press. The train had stopped, but onl
few yards away from the wrecl
and the men had come back TO pic
up the operator, whom they SUI
posed was mangled and dead i
the curve above. The engineer, the
say, had been badly hurt by some
the broken brake-chain. The be
is grateful and happy because
is no worse. In minute or so the Ell
gineer-our old friend-makes his al
pearance. Face covered with bloo1
which he had vainly tried to wipe ava
with punches of greasy waste; Ion
cut just under the roots of the hair to-
where he had been hurt. Throwing h
arms about the brave boys neck
whispered through his sobs of Joy,
the tears trickled down his blood-co
cred cheeks:
II was asleep and you risked yol
life to save us all. Thank God, "
threw 1T straight and true. will be
different man from tonight"
Twas so. The true tale has new
before been told. That engineers Ii
, was thenceforth true, honest and $
Der one. The chain served as the pr
text for the wound, and the firema
who was nodding on his box, too, new
: knew the true history. Death long a,
came to him in the discharge of /
duty. And now that the shades
death have closed over our old frien
peace to his memory.
He has gone to that final foot-boa
to rest, where his runs will be
pleasant places. HIS occasional me,
ings with his operator friend were |
ways gentle, kind and full of afficctio
: and no mention was ever made of {
n ssL-li Al.