Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-09-13
SIG"
Who Was II That Carried the Rcd
Light Up the Track?

ana drove over 20 Nru~-heLd station
TO meet our father. but found that there
had been "a change 81 time ON the rail-
road and the train would not arrive for
nearly an hour After lettering about
FOR few moments. Harry proposed
that We walk down the track bit. to
pass away the time.
We had gone but n short distance.
when We came to place where the
rails crossed the highway. and there
we saw an old man. evidently n cripple.
sitting in a wheel-chair. He seemed
10 have purposely planted himself in
the middle OF the track. aud he now
sat unconcernedly reading his newspa-
per, apparently quite unconscious Of
our approach.
II declare exclaimed Harry. iii
that isn't stupid To sit right between
the rails suppose the train should
come alOng2'
Then n we drew still nearer. he adj
dressed the stranger:
Don't you think. sir, that it is rather
dangerous to sit there on the track in
that way?7
The old man looked up from his
paper, little surprised at first. and
then apparently much amused.
mo. young man, he answered. mt
length; Il don't think il rather dan
gerous-' I've been lagman on this
road a great many years, and never
got run over yet
"Ohr' said Harry. altering his tone
considerably at discoving that the old
man was an employee Of the road. and
noticing for the first time that the
stranger had little red flag rolled up
beside him.
And besides" continued the flag
man, 1--we got into the habit Of sitting
here when no train is due. People
feel perfectly safe to drive over the
street when they sea me between the
rails
Il should think they would said
Harry. And then. quite willing to
change the subject, he asked If there
was any thing worth seeing farther
down the track.
Yes" was the reply. There's a
new bridge n quarter of mile beyond
that's worth seeing, particularly a it
was there we came near having "A
dreadful accident two years ago. when
one OF the piers was carried away"
We thanked him, and were moving
on. when he added: Perhaps YOU id
like to hear the story before you 20
down. Itwon't take long to tell it. and
it's well worth telling. too
We were not so old yet that we were
not always ready for story. and We
gladly sat down on the grass beside the
track, and listened to the following in
teresting narrative. which | give n
nearly as possible in the hagmau's own
words:
III YOU should go on down the track. :
he began, you would come TO a stone
bridge, new one, because, two years
ago this April, on dark, rainy night,
the river rose and carried away the
old one, which was partly wooden.
There is a train-an express
that goes through here every
night in the year. except Sunday
nights, at 9:35. 1t does not stop
at the station. but comes straight on
down here. and over the bridge, and
away for Boston. Two years ago il
was part of my business to 20 up and
down the track every night, to see il
the track was in condition for that train
to go through. My boy has to do il
for me now.
''On this particular night took my
lantern-l always took ret one. so a
10 have il in ease | should need to sig.
nal the train-and. calling my dog,
started off down the track about hal
an hour before the train was due. Il
was very dark, but its about as easy
towalk on the track at one time a. an
other, and | went ON at pretty rapit
gait All of a sudden felt the grounG
giving way beneath me, and knew
was going down. | dropped my Ian
tern, and tried to save myself. but Their,
was nothing to get hold Of. and in an
instant ! felt myself going faster ano
faster. And then | seemed 10 los,
breath. and strike with great violence
against something solid. after which
must have become insensible.
1T was hours after that / awo<e 1,
find myself lying in my own bed a
home 1t seems that the first pier o.
the bridge had been carried away. an,
had walked off the embankm.ut on
this side. 1t was BY Que Of Cod,
wonderful mercies that in some way
had been caught among the faller
timbers below in such a way as to say,
me from drowning, though, as il was
1t cost me dear. Ny spine was 20 in
jured By the fall that | have neve,
walked a step since.
One Of the first things / asked
when | was able 10 talk Of the matter
was about the train. Joe Varnish. III.
engineer Of the express locomotive
who was OF duty while the bridge va
down, was by me at the time and told
me the story.
How comes it that you are mere