Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-10-30

was only lessened as they passed the
first station, which they did without
accident, as the switches were turned
in the right direction.
The doctor sat down in corner and
tried to finish his broken nap, and
Mattern divided his attention between
keeping up the fire and regulating the
speed Of the engine. Had DR.. Sardo
any idea of the danger he was in he
would not have thought OF going to
sleep.
The last station was passed in safety.
There were only seven miles more to
make, and they would be at their des-
tinat1on.
While bending down to his work
Mattern suddenly felt the engine give
jerk. A terrible cry followed. Mat.
tern sprang up and looked about him.
By the light of the engine he could
see that they had just passed q rail-
road crossing. The next woment they
were again flying along in the dark
ness and storm.
"What was that?" asked the doctor,
who had been reused out of his sleep.
"Oh, nothing-very likely stone
or other substance that became fast
between the rails, answered Mattern,
with choking breath. Sin few
minutes we shall be there"
He slackened the speed of the en-
gine, but he did it mechanically, as if
in dream. That fearful cry almost
made his heart stand still.
He could well imagine what had hap
pened. Some cart or wagon must
have been crossing at the time his en-
gine came tearing along in the dark
ness like some spirit of evil, and no
doubt he was the cause of 8 terrible
calamity if not, what was the mean
ing of that sudden jerk, followed by a
heartrending cry? There was the
station. Mattern could only see dimly
through the darkness, but knew the
shape of the building too we'll to be
mistaken. He stopped the engine and
took the path to his home, followed
by the doctor.
Through the window on the second
floor he could see light shining. Very
likely it was there his child was lying,
wrestling with death; and to save this
child he had perhaps killed and
wounded-how many others?
He groaned aloud. Slowly he
dragged lis weary feet up the stairs.
His wife opened the door at his
knock.
His boy was still living. Mattern
saw his ashen face and heard his
rsttling breath. In his ears sounded
again the awful cry that he had heard
short time before. His nerves, that
for hours he had kept under control,
gave way, now that he had reached his
destination, and he fell to the floor in.
sensible.
It was late the next morning when
the engineer regained consciousness,
although he could not yet collect his
thoughts very clearly /; a racking head
ache prevented this. His limbs
seemed immovable and heavy as lead.
In the room in which he found him.
self, and which he recognized as their
living room, deathlike stiffness
reigned. He tried to lift his head,
but in vain; he fell back on the pillow
with a groan. His wife heard him
and came in, but with face pale with
weeping.
"Ruth !"he whispered.
ooh, my dear husband, how thank
full I am to see you conscious again!"
she cried.
Glow is the boy? Is he still alive?"
ooh, yes, thank God! Had you
come an hour later it would have been
too late, but the doctor thinks he is
past all danger now. He has just been
called to look after some people who
were hurt at the railroad crossing.
A man is said to be killed, and two wo-
men and one child badly injured. Try
to sleep little now, dear husband; ;
that will be your best medicine. I will
call you when the doctor returns"
She kissed him and went into the
next room where the child was sleep
ing.
One person dead, three badly hurt,
perhaps fatally, and through his fault
He had had no intention of doing this;
all he thought of was the saving of
his child; but had he right to under
take such fearful responsibility
when he knew what terrible conse-
quences might follow?
He rose in despair; he could not
endure to lie still i; the air of the room
almost choked him. In his ears still
sounded that fearful death-cry. With
trembling limbs he made his way into
the bedroom. Both wife and child
were sleeping. He looked at them
silently, and bitter tears streamed
down his cheeks. What would become
OF those he loved SO dearly?
Slowly he went down tie stairs; he
could not meet the eyes of his dear
ones, and without word he opened
the door and was out on the street.
There he stood for some little time;
the fresh air seemed to do him good.
The town clock struck Tit was
early yet. Mechanically he turned
his steps toward the engine.house; he
wanted to look after his engine, as was
his daily custom. BE arrived at the
shed; his engine was there--no doubt
brought there by some of his CO.
workers. He locked at it sorrowfully,
and as of old began to examine it. 1t
struck him that something might have
become broken during the ride.
Suddenly he heard loud laugh.
One of the workmen, whose duty it
was to take out the ashes and start the
fire, had come up behind him and now
said, jokingly:
"I suppose you want to see your
roast?"
"Roast?" he asked. "What do you