The Forrest City times., 1891-03-27
THE FLAGMAN'S STORY.

~AA e'AS iAhiO CS aooy '" Cllt yCS, though that duty had nothing of the heroic in it. sir; nothing at all. You see, ;" thrusting out the insensible bit of wood and leather which did duty for his once sturdy limb, you see, sir, was, not so long ago, a freight-handler on the Little Miami, and able to handle the heaviest with the best of 'em, but" " rehecsively, ''it was with me in time as with other strong men who daily take their lives in their hands, not al. ways to go down to the sea in ships, but to face every day the iron monsters between whose wheels and the glisten- ing track turks oftentimes something far worse than death"-the speakers eyos following, as he spoke. a flock of crows returning from the "bottoms /" their ''caw, caw," sounding weirdly clear upon the summer air.
 "Well,n he resumed after pause 'I was unfortunate enough ono day to fall victim to one of the black monsters-a slip, wild catching at something which gave way, an express laundering by, fall, and-well, you can imagine the sound of crushing bones, the groan of agony, the clang of the rushing ambulance, the hospital, and--all the rest" with a glance neither gloomy nor morose at his poor maimed limb.
 "A mercy twas only my leg? We'll, yes, considerin' had four motherless girls to bring up and educate. Yes; but, sir, if the company hadn't had a berth like this at Langdon's Crossing for cripple like me, where would the mercy have come in. I'd like to know?"
 The listener thought of the great reduction in the man's $ wages, the many mouths to feed upon $25 per month, of his happy philosophy, his cheery man. ner and smile, and wondered in his heart of hearts if honest Tom Owens was not entitled to the name "hero."
 "Yes," thoughtfully, it was in the line of duty that got the Lords per- mission to go about on one good leg, but you see, sir if I had never met with that accident and been assigned to this very crossing, soul one night, unprepared might have been hurried into eternity!"
 There was Q simple earnestness in the speakers words and manner which attracted the regard of his listener, impressing him with the belief that in the tla9.aans soul lived consciousness of having done something far nobler and higher than his mere simple duty.
 You'd like to hear the story?" after a pause. Well. just take my stool here in the sentry box and I'll be pleased to tell it. sir, and in as few words as possible.
 'lt is something nigh onto two years now" he began. ''when one pretty cold night in December 1 sat dozing by the fire in my little house over wonder. l sat there half asleep and half awake, not disturbed by the children's chatter around me till nigh onto 9 o'clock. I had about concluded to go to Led then, but as 1 still sat there, tho hes,vy rum bling of team as it neared the crossing here struck my ear. It was no unus- ual thing for teams to be returning from Cincinnati at that hour of course. but AAopoASo tAS Aldd SOt III tjlS Llbplb Ol doing-even in my sleep. I sometimes think, sir--for the untitled thunder of the horses hoofs as they passed through the Duck creek bridge over wonder, to the pike beyond.
 Something within tho room at that moment attracted my attention, so that it was full five minutes before thought of tho team again.
 !" Did you hear that wagon go through the bridgep' I asked of my eldest daughter. dimly conscious some how that had not.
 'yes.' she answered carelessly. I think didH
 Another five minutes passed. I looked at the clock. In ten minutes or less the Chicago express would thun- dor by. Restless and uneasy. some how, went to the door and opened it. The moon was at it's full. bathing every object in it's pure white light.
 Il glanced down the track! A dark object threw it's black shadow directly across the spot it wns my daily duty to guard.
 |" Tho team" gasped reaching for my hat. My God!' and the next mo- ment as well as my halting step would permit, I was making for the crossing. That shrill whistle in the distance could 1t already be the express'
 ''In less time than 1t takes to tell 1t, sir. l had clambered into tho wagon. upon the floor If which, with white, upturned face lay young man, dead If you will permit me to say it, sir dead drunk!
 The train was between LinwoOd and Russells Even now it's fiery eye gleamed banefully over the track. The horses trembled. reared and wouldn't obey the reins. Pray! Aye sir, that instant of peril taught mo the difference between form and earnest prayer Good Lord. deliver us. meant some thing moro than an iole petition spoken with smile on the lip. 1 needed help, superhuman help! A second later the express. shrieking like demon. flashed by. and on the crossing lay no writhing horses, no torn and bleeding mon. no wrecked and useless wagon.
 "The young man. aroused by tho noise. had by now struggled to his feet
 What is it?' he asked doggedly, yet half comprehending.
 ''I was trembling as violently as the horses. and for moment was unable to answer him. His face when I had explained, turned ghastly white in the moonlight. Thoroughly sober, he sat silent for awhile, his lips moving con- vulsively as tho in prayer.