Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-01-12
MiRAcuLouslv SAVED

= Terrible Caismity Avertsa b. th>
ofes6inx Down ee . Loeometivs.
l have q brother who Is now in the
grocery business in Richmond. Va.
but he was for eleven years a dis
patcher on Southern road. He is =
sober. quick-witted and industrious
man. but although he is only thirty.
SIX years old. his hair is almost as
white as snow. and there are times
when the cold sweat stands ON his
forehead and he trembles like a leaf
when he was dispatcher, one
warm afternoon in August he was fan.
ming himself and trying. without
meeting with much success to counter.
act the effects Of the hot winds, which
sometimes blew in that part of the
country. in addition to the intense
heat from the sun. which shone on the
awning overhanging his window. He
had been closely confined to the office
for many months. and the constant
strain had probably wearied both BODY
and mind. At any rate he had sent an
order for an express train to meet q
special on which were number of
officers of the road. at certain sta
ton; then. by one of those unaccounta-
bic slips sometimes made by the most
well-trained and careful minds, ordered
the special to station by the meeting
point He took his finger from
the key and his eyes from the train
sheet. and again began to fan HIM
self vigorously and allowed his mind
to wander at will. A few minutes af-
terward. more from force of habit than
from any other reason. his eyes were
cast over the train sheet. Like flash
of lightning. almost at the instant he
saw his mistake. He seized the kew
and was about to correct it, when he
realized to his horror that it was too
late. Both trains had been reported
as having passed their stations several
minutes before and were now fast max.
ing toward each other at not less than
forty miles an hour. When the GER
tain result Of his fearful blunder fully
dawned upon him. he tried to get up,
but his limbs were numb and refused
to fulfill their functions. As he ex-
pressed it. he saw the two trains rs
they were rapidly approaching each
other; saw them but mile apart. with
their precious loads of human freight.
He knee every inch of the road. and
knew that where they must meet there
was a high wall of rock on one side
and Il deep ravine on the other; knew
that horrible death awaited in an
other instant almost two-thirds of the
of both trains. for it was
on curve. where the engineers could
not see each other until it would be too
late, then q mist came before his eyes,
and, as he almost fainted. he saw in
his minds eye, the crash of the two
engines. and telescoped cars roll over
the embankment and piled in great
heap Loud above the Kissing steam
he heard the cries of the dying. He
tainted away.
When he recovered consciousness he
heard his call on the line. With al
most superhuman effort he arose and
answered. The operator at the sta
ton to which he sent the order to the
special then told him that the engine
II the special had broken down rs it
vas pulling out and he wanted further
orders. Hold it!' he flashed back.
md mountain rolled off his mind.
N another moment. when he had time
o collect his thoughts. he attempted
o 60 to window, but found that his
limbs were numb and the cold sweat
vas standing on his hands and fore
lead. There was also a strange sting
ng sensation at the roots of his hair.
) though some one was pricking him
III the head with many needles. That
light when he left the office and with
great effort walked home his wife
okingly asked him what he had put on
is hair Upon looking into the glass
e was Mortified to see that it had in
hose few moments become almost as
'hite as snow.
He resigned his position next day
'ithout giving cause for so doing.
'ften since then he has told me that
honey could not hire him to again ac-
ept position rs train Dispatcher
hiodeiphia Ncus.