The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-10-30
HAND OF PROVIDENCE ..
AN OLD ENGINEER TELLs a.
WILD, WEIRD STORY.
The Bell Rope Was Pulled BIZ Mysterious
Agency, and the Crowded Train Was
Stopped on tile Brink Of a Yann-
Ing Chasm.

& ~ 5t. 3 8 4
A dozen railroad engineers and con-
ductors met by chance the other day
and an old, gray haired veteran of the
cab told a story. He had been an
engineer with a big reputation as
runner in the years gone-by, but,
on account of failing nerves and eye
sight, was now enjoying an easy berth
around the shops.
ut was when the old Y. M. & B.
was first opened up,' he began. 81
was pullin' passenger, and took the
first coach over the road. gotta good
run, all day work, and was holdin' her
down as a good thing. Bout a year
after we'd got to dom a good business,
! h d some extra runnin' and lost my
turn for while and run nights all OF
the time. It was my last trip before
I'd get back my own run. and | was
feelin' glad to get on to the day trick
again. We'd had some mighty bad
weather and lots Of water fell. Our
track was in pretty good shape,
though, and we didn't much fear wash
outs, SO we kept up with the card
pretty we'll. On the night I spoke
about I was on No. 9. We had heavy
train, but the machine had was able
to get there and was on time till
we struck a freight that couldn't
take the siding. They swung US
1cy CIR nt, al
freight got away. I was pretty warm
over losing the time and when we lit
out of there, I pulled he right up to
the notch and She went for all she was
worth We were maxim about forty
1--WE miles an hour. and when we reach
I'd the Sill east Of Wildcat worked
steam ali the way down. We were
bout half way to the creek when the
bell rang. worked mighty quick,
! but it was down hill and the rails were
wet and 1 didn't get stopped until the
pilot was almost over the brid ge-or
where the bridge out to be, cause
when l stopped the headlight was
shinin' over "a chasm. The bridge was
washed away Cad! You can tell
Just bout how I felt. My tiraman
nearly tainted and wasn't far behind
him. Well, after we stopped, the
conductor, a smart Oh pp. with a fancy
lamp and rubber collar, came runnin'
up, wantin to know why [ stopped.
- Cause the bell rang. What did
you pull the rope for??'' l says.
81 didn't says he.
We'll, who did?' says.
- No one, says he, hot like.
"'Well, some one pulled it. or {
wouldn'ta stopped says l.
The con looked at me a minute,
@. Did you pull the rope, Joe, said
the con-
g No. says Joe.
4 Just as sudden, q thought struck
me and I told the .hralSey' TO ask the
porter. The coon hadn't pulled the
bell and the passengers in his car were
all asleep until l jerked them end
ways with the air. I took the con-
ductor around to the front end and
showed him the bridge. He was scar
ed to death and we went back togeth-
er through the train to see who pulled
the bell rope, but every mothers som
Of them swore it wasn't touched. I
begin to get scared ag in and told
them about the bridge and every body
came out to look at it. We couldn't:
/ find any one who gave the signal and
after we'd tagged back to the station.
. I got to thinkin' more and more, and I
came to the opinion that the bell was
rung by Providence. There was $50
people on the train and if that bell
hadn't a runo I'd took them all over
into the Wildcat aud dropped them
100 feet into the water. There
wouldn't been anybody left to tell
about IL either
The superintendent looked into the
thing after / reported, and had me
!. and Joe up 'on the carpet twice, but
we both heard the bell and swore to-
it. Some chap got out u long explana-
tion that the bell rope was tight
stretched, and we struck a low joint
coming down the hill, when one end
Of the coach sagged, and the rope
bein' tight it rung the bell, but don't
believe it. II was Providence that
did it. and | know 1t, and I've never,
swore an oath since and never will.'s
Al. Lewis
Il s.
sedentary Soaking
1 According to our esteemed contem-