Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-07
A Brave Deed,

Talking about the bravery of engi-
| neers, said conductor on the Y. y. and
II. road, the most remarkable incident of
the kind that ever fell under my obser-
walton was in 70, when l was in charge of
! the fast express between W and c..
| One afternoon, just before we pulled out
| of the station at W, lady came I'D
to me and handed me card The card
bore the name of one of the prominent
officials of another well-known road. Il
| am his wife said the lady, and | want to
| ask you if you will permit my little BOYS.
here, to ride on the engine for a couple of
| Sours. They are very anxious to know
what the experience is. and have been
teasing me all the morning.
i hesitated for several minutes. Then
| looked at the eager, bright, expectant
faces of the two little boys, and made my
decision. Madam | said, it is against
the rules, but if my engineer will consent
to take charge of the little fellows, l will
transgress the regulations for once
"The lady thanked me, and We walked
up to the engine, where Dave was sitting
with his hand on the Unbelievable.
Dave said !, can you take two inside
passengers for 4 couple of hours?' The
lady smiled bewitchingly, and Dave, after
squirming round for half minute, pulled
off his cap and replied: 'Tll try to take
care of 'em. But they must sit right still,
ma'am'
"'Oh, they shallp cried the lady.
Boys, you must sit perfectly still and do
just what the gentleman tells YOU
Yes, mamma, we WILL promised the
| boys. | lifted them up into the cab, and,
promising their mother that | would bring
| them back to her at the first convenient
stop after a two-hours' ride, went into the
office to see that all was right, and then
| boarded my train as the last bell sounded
Il couldn't help feeling considerably
| anxious about the boys on the engine; and
yet | couldn't tell why. Dave was a very
careful man, and if the boys followed his
directions and sat perfectly still, there
! really couldn't be any danger. | went for
| ward three or four times, to see that all
was right. The boys seemed to be enjoy
ing themselves immensely, and waved
| their mats to me when ! came out On the
platform of the front coach.
The last time | went out" Here
the conductor stopped, and shudder
seemed to run up his spine and lift his
gold-laced cap nearly off his head.
Well-well?" we all asked, breath
| lessly.
:" saw Dave pick up one of the boys
and pitch him out of the cab ~ Kissed the
| conductor in an italicized whisper.
There was moments Mortified silence,
| and then the conductor continued:
Before my hair had time to stifien I'D
Dave had grabbed the other little fellow
and sent him flying too. 1t was all done
in the whisk of lambs tail. Then Dave
reversed the engine like flash and
| screeched for the brakes. Heavens and
earth What did | sea freight train
sailing down upon us, not 100 rods up the
grader
We all gave a great sigh of relief
| Noble Dave. He stuck to his post and
saved the lives of the little fellows in his
| charge. "And them" we all cried, "came
the crash, and Dave persisted like hero p'
"No, nor exclaimed the conductor,
Struggling his shoulders, and smiling a
CHASTITY smile. at was rougher on Dave
| than that. In fact, it was the worst grind
on man | ever saw"
"How-what do you mean ?" yociferated
! every man in the audience, fairly wild
with suspense.
"Why, the new brakes worked so we'll
thai the two trains stopped more than a
hundred yards apart, and it took the fire.
man of the freight five minutes to come
over and swear at u.s."
"Thunderation and what became of
the boys?'
''Oh, one of them fell into culvert and
broke his leg in two places, and the other
one landed in swamp up to his neck.
But twas an awful grind on Dave wasn't
it ?"-Drdke's Magazine.