The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-03-08
Presence of Mind.

AANoNASN Va &AAhNs
The other day Il heard story of unus.
ual presence of mind. 1t was told me by
one who had himself received it from an
officer of one of the great railroads that
cross the Allegheny Mountains.
"There," said the officer to my inform.
ant, as both were going about great,
central station, where cars and locomo.
tiyes were made, repaired and kept,
"there is the very man. If he wants any
favor of the road he. has only to ask for
it. The rest of us come and go; but he
stays, and may stay, service or no service,
till death removes him. The road is
grateful to him and will always hold him
in honor"
Many years have elapsed since the in.
cident happened; many more since the
telling of the tale to my friend. The
details and the coloring vary somewhat
as they pass from mouth to mouth. No
doubt, when you have finished the story,
you will say, "What, that vas the very
thing l would have done myself" But
would you have done it? Here is the
story.
Puff puff! puff 1t was hard work, for
the grade was steep and the train long
and heavy. The engine painted as if its
strength were failing. And no wonder
For miles and miles up the slopes of tie
Allegheny Mountains it had been tugging
its precious burden, and there were many
miles more before it should reach the
summit and tarry awhile to regain its
strength.
Much of the way was little more than
shelf cut into the mountain sides, with
rising walls of rock on the one haud and
deep ravines on the other. And far up
among the mountains, often on the op.
.posite sides of huge and gloomy cbasms,
the observant traveller would catch
glimpses of what seemed to be the curves
and embankments of another road. Later
he would be himself borne over these
very curves.
These changing scenes kept the passen.
ger in a tremor of halfjoyful, half.apx-
ious excitement.
GLOW beautiful that wooded slopep
"Shall We ever get to the top of the
ridge?"
"Down here among the trees See this
silvery cascadep
"And, here We go through tunnel!"
"That great bowlder looks as if the
slightest jar would bring it down upon
us!"
"What if the roadbed should give way
here like an avalanche |"
sob, here comes some trestle-work
How frail it looks And what dizzy
heightl Ifit should break under us-oh,
dear!"
Just then q quick, sharp whistle was
heard. To those that understood it, it
said imperatively: "Down brakes, and
be quick about it, too!" Instantly the
brakemen were straining at their. posts
as if every life we're threatened. Indeed,
it was their duty, on these hard, treach-
erous grades, to stand by the brakes and
use them at moments warning. People
thrust their heads out Of the car windows,
and some hurried to the platforms, and
there was deal of nervous questioning.
What was the matter? Had an accident
happened? Was there any danger? No.
body seemed to know. Not even the
brakemen were informed. And it was
the gift of q blessed Providence that the
cause was not revealed, else that moment
of uncertainty and subdued alarm would
have been one of anguish and disaster.
Far up the road the engineer had
caught a glimpse of an awful peril. 1t
was train of runaway freight cars. For
moment it was in plain sight dashing
around curve; then it was lost in the
woods. No engine accompanied it; there
was no sign of life anywhere about it.
Nowhere on the grade at that time was
down train due. The cars we're without
control; there was no doubt of it, and
there was nothing to check their descent.
Already they were running frricusly,
and every second their speed was increas.
ing. A collision seemed inevitable.
The destruction of life would be fright
full.
What should the engineer do? To
stop his train would not mend the situa-
ton. To reverse the engine and 60 the
other way-there was hardly time for
that. Besides, it would only postpone the
certain result, and make it more dreadful
because of the increased headway of the
runaway cars.
The engineer viewed the situation on
every side. Plan after plan rose before
him; plan after plan was dropped. But
! it was all done with that wonderful speed
which the mind shows when under the
stress of q swiftly nearing danger. In
that brief time the engineer lived hours.
Suddenly there was ray of hope, pos
sibfe plan of safety. "Down brakes" |"
he whistled. This was the signal to
which we have already called attention:
the one that sent the tremor through the
| hundreds on the train.
"Free the engine from the train !" he
shouted to the fireman. The engine was
uncoupled, and the train was left tagging
behind. "Now jump up for your life!"
nj 49,. 80, ~ t;,,o for ', a r1ov Tho fro.