The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-07-12

VI u phrticuihriy oAOi'ihS e'Ses =" ~
own life, her loving eyes had discov-
cred little scar, only faint line
now, on his forehead.
"what did that, Joe?" she asked,
as she pushed back the curly hair that
she might see il plainly.
ooh, O brakeman out on the Cen.
trail Branch. Hit me with lantern"
"Why, Joe? We're you fighting"
Fighting? Not much. Why, my
dear, that man saved my life when he
did that"
"rell me about il, please, joe"
pleaded his pretty listener.
"It happened when / was running
that little passenger engine on the
branch, four years ago. had been
out all day on Special, two officers
cars full Of big officials on tour OF
inspection. When we goi to the end
OF the road, they decided that they
must 90 back to E. that night. 1t
had commenced to rain and it was as
dark as the"
'Joo?"
swell, so dark you couldn't see
anything. / had broken my headlight
chimney and couldn't get an extra
one there, so put n white lantern IN
the headlight reflector, and IL gave
just enough light to show any one on
the track that we were coming, and
that was about all.
"We got orders about Q o'clock and
pulled out with, as we supposed, n
clear track. / had made about seventy
of the ninety-ive miles we had to go,
and was sailing them along about
forty-fve or fifty miles an hour, when
something came through the front
window of my cab, hit me square in
face and dropped into my lap. l
picked il up and knew what it was the
minute / touched it; a lantern, and
q red one at that.
81 set my brake, pulled tie sand
lever open and reversed ner. She
skated along n.tle way and then
stopped with a sudden .er. When 1
got dowa en- the ground found she
had pcked he- nose unde- freight
oaboose. Ii it hadn't been for that
brake and HIS red light, I'd e split
that train vide open, and you'd prob
ably cad scme other fellow IN tow
now.
"you see, Il wss this way. The
freight haa been running ahead OF us
and mad hroSe down. Tle conductor
lad sent h.s flag oi. al tight, ~. the
brakeman, running back over the wet
and slippery ties, had stumbled and
fell, putting out both his lanterns. He
had matches, but he was wet through,
and of course the matches were ruined.
He had started to go back to the Ca
boose TO light his lamps when he
heard me whistle for road crossing n
little piece back. Then he ran towards
me, got as far as he could, aud, just
as l passed him, fired his lantern
through the window.
pretty good scheme that Wasn't
itT
This was the story that photo
itself on IS Dra,n ~ sh,
stood in the track OF the black mon.
ster tlfS was so rapidly nearing her.
Perfectly cool now, she stepped to the
side of the track, and, with uplifted
arm, braced herself to take, as she
thought, the only chance to save heI
lover from An awful death.
On the engine Joe, as soon as he
got out on the straight track, could
see something on the crossing. A few
seconds brought him near enough to
see who it was, and knowing full well
it could he no triling matter that had
brought his little sweetheart there at
that time of night, and alone, he shut
off steam and applied the air brake.
Then, rs he got down on the step, pre-
pared to get oa rs soon as the speed
of the train slackened sufficiently, he
said to his fireman:
"Stop her, Tim, and back up for
me.
Murphy had hardly Strengthened up
: on the footboard when there came a
crash of broken glass, n blow on the
shoulder from some heavy object, and
a shattered red lantern lay on the
''deck" ut his feet.
"aowly Mosesl Ffwhat's dthat ?
Me shoulders broke intirely."
A glance at the bent frame and
broken glass lying in the bright light
of the open frebox door told him,
and the reverse lever of the powerful
locomotive went back with jump, q
stream of sand was pouring down on
the rails beneath the big driving
wheels, and the little Irishman at the
throttle was giving the ten-wheelei
the full benefit of the 100 pounds oi
steam she carried.
Hearing the CRASH as tae lantern
went through the window, Quinn took
desperate chances, and as the engine
/ cleared the crossing, jumped to the
| ground. The speed o: the train wa.
so great that he was unable to KEEP
his feet, and he rolled into the ditch
, beside the track. He was on his fee'
again in an instan3 and, running bacl
, TO the crossing, found Polly's slender