Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-07-26

rough, ana mlghly rousu, Voo'
Here we are out in the country
while the boys in the city are hav'
ing a gay old time. The parade is
over and they are IN the hall now
listening to the speeches aud ap'
plaudlng, while We sit here like
two old women drinking tea. by
George, It's too bad Let me see,"
said he looking at his watch, 1923;
Mr.. Blank must be almost through
his speech on the tariff by this
time. Did on ever hear him speak,
Toni MOI Well you have miss
ed something good, l can tell you.
You ought to hear him. Free
trade is the thing, Tom. Wait a
minute and | will show you"
He took a paper ont of the lock-
er and read a lot OF stuff that claim
ed to prove how fast sheep we're
decreasing under protection, and
before he finished he got quite
excited. He banged on the lock-
er and said: 81 tell yon, boy,
there won't be a sheep left in this
country IN fifty years unless things
are changed now, you walt and
see. told him that 1 should he
very glad to wait that long, and
Just then the track was cleared for
us and we moved ahead.
When we left the junction we
were Just thirty minutes behind
time. The track ahead was clear
Our next stopping place was six
teen miles away, and Jerry told
Mr.. Clifford that he would make
up a good part of the lost time
before we got there had q good
fire and plenty Of steam, and be-
fore Mr.. Clifford signsled to 60
ahead Hannah had begun to trum-
pet through her escape pipe like
wild elephant. The conductors
lantern swung; Jerry started her,
and with a few heavy puffs Of
steam and a whirl of the drlv-
ing wheels, away we went.
Jerry gave her more and more
steam, and when we left the last
house of the village behind US we
were just flying. When We rush.
ed through the deep cut, just be-
yond Morton's mill, the escape
steam came from the smoke. stack
in hosrse, quick puffs, that sound
ed q good deal like the barking of
a lighting dog, and when we got
on the down grade the wind was
fairly sweating to keep up with US.
Oh she can run when she tries to.
We went like flash for about
ten minutes until we got to Pow
der Creek. We whizzed over the
bridge and raised the dust on the
road beyond like a cyclone. We
passed the red farmhouse, where
the Two girls with the sun.bonnets
live, and q minute later we struck
the curve, 1t had grown darker,
and wondered what Jerry would
do. Do you suppose that he SLOW
ed her down? Not much. He was
looking out ahead with one hand
on the throttle, and he must have
noticed that l was looking at him,
for the old man grinned little,
and, confound him, he gave her a
little more steam.
We tore around the curve with
headlight shining on the bank and
lighting up one thing after another
as VIC swung along. The path OF
light got nearer and nearer the
rails and at last flashed on them,
and, good Lord if we didn't see
ahead of us a dszed and con fused
flock Of sheep. They we're fairly
before Us and we we're flying down
on them like the wind. My heart
jumped up into my throat. First
| was hot and then | was cold and
it seemed to me that my hair stood
on end.
With one sweep Of his arm Jerry
shut of the steam and grabbed the
air.brake, and in a second / seized
the whistle cord. | almost hate 10
tell you what happened. 1 am
afraid you won't believe me. l
could see Jerry out of the corner
Of my eye tugglng at the reverse
IaUar NTH n raI Faoa onH haIfaua
that pulled ton on the cord. But,
gentlemen, neither the whistle
sounded nor the brake worked
TIL it was toe late to save those
sheep. They had commenced TO
move of the track in a frightened
sort Of way, but Just then the en-.
glne hit them and hit them hard.
They smeed to fly before her and
above her aud around her and she
jolted as she passed over them
Then the air-valve worked and the
whistle yelled sharp and wild as
though Hannah was glorying IN
the deed. declare, it seemed to
me as though she was saying; ~
did it; I killed them amt afraid
and l amt ashamed ; L would like
to do it again ; let them keep ont
Of my way" had pincbed my
foot iu some way and suppose
that was swearing little to my
self, for Jerry looked at me re-
proachfu!ly and asked me if that
was the way that thanked God
for His merciee.