Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-02-07
of Buzzard's 8 Bay

oil BuZzard bay.
Ny the hour I mentioned the Dude
should have been at Woods Hall, her
run made; but she had stopped at Mid
dleboro on account of hot box, and
was way behind time. She had gone
on, and was flying along through the
woods between Wareham and Onset,
not more than fifteen minutes ahead Of
our time, when that same box began to
smoke again, hotter than fire.
There was nothing for them to do but
haul up and cool her off. But they
kne W that we were coming right behind
The dude had just made curve where
the track follows the bend Of the BAY,
and it was bad place. shouldn't
have seen the Dudes rear lighes around
that curve until we were right on her.
OF course they sent man back with
lantern to signal US. The man they
took tor the duty was younk brake
man, not YER nineteen. by the name Of
Jimmy Caswell. He hadn't been work.
ing tor the road more than two years,
but he came Of very good family of
folks down to Falmouth, and was
mighty bright, gentlemanly sort Of a
youngster-just the kind that the
swells who travel down to the bay like
to have on the Flying Dude.
He'd been put forward good deal
for fellow of nineteen. and it was
somewhat the result Of favor, l dare
say, that he was on the train ; But they
all had great deal of confidence in
him. I'll leave it to you to say wheth
er the confidence was justified
We'll. Jimmy set out in the dark and
rain and with his red lantern back
along the track. He had to 90 quite
piece, for there's second curve along
back little ways on that crooked line
there, and after that long, clear stretch
and be wanted to get around the second
curve and warn US there
He was making pretty we'll along
toward the second curve, running his
head against the storm, and was just
where he was out of sight of both trains
the Dude standing still and we com.
ing-with woods along the inner side
of the curve, so that nothing whatever
could be seen Of him or his lantern at
that point from either train. Then
suddenly he heard my train rolling up
in the distance
He started to run, Jimmy did, to get
around the second turn in season to
signal me there. 1t seems that he
knew he had plenty of time to make the
bend. as he owned up afterward. but he
wanted to be mighty sure
Just as he started up, what do you
suppose happened A stronger guest Of
wind than anv Of the rest come whistl-
ing through the scrub, and that and the
motion of Jimmy's start to run blew out
his lantern. Then my train coming
along roartd louder yet, for the wind
was coming to him from my way.
Jimmy wasn't at all scared. He
knew he had time to strike light. He
put his fngers in his upper vest pocket
after matches. N o matches there. That
made him feel kind of queer. Then he
put his fingers III his other upper vest
pocket. None there either
He heard my train roaring nearer
and nearer. 1t was coming around the
second bend. Then, be owned up, he
was good deal scared
'He jumped right down the middle Of
the track IN the dark toward my tram,
not knowing what he was going to do,
but feeling that somehow or other he
was going to stop the train before it
went on and crashed into the express.
As he run. my headlight loomed out on
him through the mist coming up around
the bend
He yelled like a madman, but his
voice might as we'll have been thesqneak
of a mouse. Not q sound could be heard
through the racket that the storm
and the locomotive made together,
AS you all would know very we'll
'Aa for me, never heard nor saw a
thing on the track before me. though
Jimmy stood straight 10 the midile of
it all the while, waving the lantern with
no light in it, and hollering till he was
black in the face. My headlight seemed
to me to be shining about dozen feet
into kind of thick pudding Of rain and
mist
Jimmy told me that be stopped all
at once, when it seemed that my head
light was not fifty feet away from him.
Probably it was more than that, 1t
occurred to Him that he hadn't time 10
be scared. He must tske time to think.
So he thought; aud the lives # two
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