Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-04-06

| Hhltus hO"CtCi OOuDiuuCu w Jul ~
as brightly as ever. At last she
heard q rumbling noise away in the
west, which gradually grew louder
and lohder and more distinct. By
| this she knew that No. % was com
ing and would probably get in on
the siding before No. 81 should ar
Irive. ,t'se'i $50 -.
+. The rumbling became louder and
louder each moment; the earth be-
gan to tremble aud the peculiar vi
bration in the air which gives warn
ling of a rapidly approaching train
hummed loudly in her ears.
She began to feel anxious, as they
were 4 evidently coming at a high
trate of speed and not approaching
as carefully as their order had in.
lstructed them she also had not yet
heard the whistle which is always
sounded by trains when approach
ling a station, and this omission in.
creased her fears that something
was wrong. v rle
But she was given no time for
furthur reflection, as the train now
suddenly dashed around curve not
a hundred yards distant, running at
full speed. '4l '.''o e
Lily flew out and stood between
the rails swinging her hand lamp
wildly across the track and shouting
at the top Of her clear young voice.
The roaring. rushing train was
now upon her and she barely had
time to spring from the track and
escape with her life. With a rat
Ting crash and awful rush of al: the
kissing, throbbing monster sped
swiftly past her, while the clank,
clank, clank of the car wheels pass
ing over loose splice near by was
SO rapid that it resent led the rapid
hammering on the anvil in a black
smith shop. ss-cs ttle ~
For a moment Lily was unnerved
and bewildered, but suddenly arous-
ing herself to action, she rushed into
the office and selzing a piece of fire
brick that did duty for stove leg,
she turned and hurled it through
the window of the caboose which
was just passing. An instant later
the red lights on the rear of the
train had disappeared around a
curve in the cut, and the rattle of
Che runaway train quickly lessened
in the distance.
Lily's heart, throbbed painfully
and she was seized with a sudden
fit Of shivering which most persons
of delicate organizations are subject
to when under great excitement.
AS soon as she had somewhat recoy-
cred, she vent into the office and
called the train - dispatcher, who
answered at once, she said:
- No. % passed,at full speed and
Mo- 81 not yet arrived ,ria -ea a5a
nas My God ~ telegraphed back the
dispatcher as swiftly as his frighten-
ed fingers 4oonld. form the letters,
"the crew. must be asleep. They
will strike in that cut and pile up
fifty feet high! Heavens this is
horrible b. 8di h. zilEia3H4is
Lily then went on toexplain that
She had attempted to awaken them
BY throwing brick through the ca
beose window, and on hearing this
the dispatcher opened his key with
out waiting for her to finish and said
excitedly:< J.o.4 .y}I yFl..9g'r 40
Elan to east of siding, aud fyou
see them backing up throw the
switch and letthem in on the siding.
No. 81 is not. due there for five min
ptes. and there is a chance for them
YETI namoA . h,od+ 81 .ai ,astoae
81 have no switch key,D said Lily.
"Break the lock with ahammer, a
rock, or anything" was the quick re,
ply. "Run fly ~ - a. 49,
Lily seized an old ak that was ~
ing handy, and, with vague idea
that she might also, need the red
light, she took itin her other hand
and flew up the track with the speed
of the wind, at the imminent risk Of
falling and breaking her neck in the
inky darkness. 49,.
Once she stumbled and fell, and
the lantern was dashed from her
hand and went rolling along the
ground far, beyond her reach by the
sudden impetus which her fall had
| given 1T; but without pausing to re-
gain 1T she. sprang to her feet and
bounded ON. y Hua19 5s1s, ls
+ The switch at the east end of the
siding was fully half mile from the
Office and about the same distance
frome the beginning of the cut. If
No. ~ could back in on the siding
in time she would be safe; but if
they attempted to back down the
main track past the telegraph office,
they we're liable to he overtaken by
No. 81 before going half the distance;
as, according to the dispateher's fig
ures, No. 81 should now be very
close. i3t1a - 'i4s 4s
| AS Lilly reached the switch, pair
of cleaning red lights. suddenly ap.
peared around the curve in the cut ;
and she knew that the train was al
ready rapidly backing up, and that
she had not moment to lose.
Feeling for the lock in the dark
ness she then struck it several heavy
blows with the ak, which she still re.
tanned. Luckily one of the blows
taking effect the broken lock drop.
ped to the ground. She then grasp.
ed the switch lever and attempted
to throw it over. but it resisted her
utmost efforts to move it..