The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-10-01

Five Gents.
ssCrank.s,
"YOu old crank! What"

ssCrank.''
''YOu old crank! What"
''There it is again. old crank wherever
60 that haunts me like the unforgotten
past"
In moment of passion addressed the
above basty words to an unfortunate fellow
without provocation, when he interrupted
me with the words quoted above. l was
struck more by his tone of voice than his
words. l felt ashamed of my hasty words.
but not too much ashamed to acknowledge
it. We had few moments conversation
in which he told me the following story in
answer to my question of how he happened
to lose his foot:
"Twenty years have come and gone since
then. 1t was back in the early seventies.
when the accident befell me in which lost
my foot. was night telegraph operator
at small station on one OF the leading
eastern roads.
THAT little old station, half buried un-
der the hill. How vivid are my recollections
of that little drab colored depot. You have
seen depots just like it. It's still there at
P c.; the old stage backs up to the
platform as of yOre; the old dusty stage
driver cracks his whip at the village dog
sleeping so peacefully in the shade; the lit
tie country store. just across the tracks, has
the same bland. ten. dollar per month clerk
and the same old weather beaten appear
ance. Everything the same, except four
unknown graves back of the store. Time
has not dealt kindly with them. MY foot
is buried there too as memento that I
done my best.
Il went on duty at p. m., and was re-
lieved at in the morning. Business was
quiet until about II O'CLOCK, when it began
to pick up. and in the early morning was
quite hot trick My station was an i'm.
portant siding for the heavy coal trains
from the branch.
Il reported for duty May Z. 1877, and
worked along as usual until about midnight,
when l received the following dispatch
from headquarters: Nos. 10 and II will
pass at K No. IL was the east bound ex-
press, No. II fast west bound freight, K.
siding sixteen miles west. My duty was
to stop No. II and deliver to the conductor
and engineer copies of the above dispatch.
The freight left II. at 1928 a. m. and
would reach my station about 1:O5. At
quarter to one, started out to hang up my
signal lamp. and in so doing, l accdently
let it fall and broke the red globe. l re-
turned to the office for another. but could
not find one. | then started for the store
room in the freight house. On the way
| attempted to clear my path of some
freight; in doing so l dislodged it and it
came tumblng down and pinned me to the
floor. My left foot was crushed beneath
large. heavy box. l was hardly able to move
my arms. l tried to raise myself on my ell.
bow. but could not. For the first few mo-
ments l did not realize the horror of my sit.
uation. When it burst upon me. Iswooned
away. How long l remained unconscious
l know not. When gradually regained
my senses the horror of the situation became
unbearable. How l fought and struggled,
but all in vain. Oh. the horror of that
struggle! Of sudden, heard faint. dull
roar. l listened with bated breath; my
heart ceased beating, beads of perspiration
formed on my brow. Oh that moment! A
lifetime of anguish in an instant of time.
Louder and louder grew that dull roar.
No. II was coming. How vainly l fought.
not for my life but for hundred lives.
Louder and louder grew that sullen roar;
fainter and fainter grew my struggles. The
whistle sounded sharply on the midnight air;
l renewed my efforts. How 1 struggled none
but God knows. A laundering roar. the
changing of the bell, and the train rushed
passed to its doom.
Goods pitiful hand drew a veil over my
mind. When came back to life they told
me of the wreck, of the eleven lives lost and
of the many crippled for life. My foot was
gone. l am left mental and physical
wreck for life."
His tale is told, and from it have learned
lesson. never to be forgotten. JAY.
Truth and sincerity have distinguishing