Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-11-29
ers; he was bidding two timid girls

adieu.
'Good-by, Kitty good-by, Lou
heard him say; don't be nervous
The San Francisco is the safest engine
on the line, and Guelden the most care
full engineer. I would not be afraid to
trust every mortal to their keeping.
Nothing could happen wrong with the
two together
II said, We'll get through it some
how, and Joe shall never talk to me
again. After all, it was easy enough.
1 reeled as I spoke. I heard the sig
nal. We were off.
Give hours from L. to D; five hours
back again. knew now that on the
last run I should be myself again. /
saw futter, and never guessed what
it was until we had passed the down
train at the wrong place. Two min
utes more and we should have had a
collision. Somebody told me, and l
laughed. I heard the shareholder
say, respectfully:
'Ofcourse, Mr.. Guelden, you know
what you are about?
"Then I was alone, and wondering
whether I should 60 faster or slower.
did something, and the cars rushed
on at fearful rate. The same man
who had spoken to me before was
standing near me. I heard the ques.
tion
"'How many miles an hour are we
making?' 1 didn't know.
"Rattle, rattle, rattle! was trying
now to slacken the speed of the San
Francisco. could not remember what
I should do; was it this or that-fast-
er or slower? I was playing with the
engine like child.
"Suddenly there was a horrible
roar-a crash. Twas flung somewhere.
I was in the water. BY miracle /
was sobered, not hurt. l gained the
shore. I stood upon the ground be-
tween the track and the rivers edge,
and there gazed at my work.
"The engine was in fragments, the
cars in splinters; dead and dying and
wounded were strewn around-men
and women and children-old age and
youth. There were groans and shrieks
of despair. The MANNED cried out in
pain; the uninjured bewailed their
dead; and voice, unheard by any
other, was in my ear, whispering Muir
der
"The news had gone to A., and peo-
pie came thronging down to find their
lost ones. Searching for an old mans
daughter, came to place under the
trees, and found five bodies lying there,
all in their rigid horror-an old woman,
a young one, a baby, and two tiny
children. Was it fancy-wasN it pure
fancy, born of my anguish? They
looked like-oh, Heaven ! they were
my wife and children, all cold and dead.
"How did they come on the train
What chance had brought this about
No one could answer. I groaned, l
screamed, clasped my hands, I tore
my hair, gazed in the good old face OF
her who gave me birth, on the lovely
face of my wife, on my innocent child
rem. I called them by name; there
was no answer. There never could
be-there never would be.
"a whistle! Great God Onward
up the track thundered another train.
Its red eyes glared upon me; 1 threw
myself before it; 1 felt it crush me to
atoms.
"'Hls head is extremely hot said
somebody.
81 opened my eyes and saw my wife.
"'How do you feel p said she "a lit
tie better?'
81 was so rejoiced and astonisbed by
the sight of her, that I could not speak
at first. She repeated the question.
II must be crushed to pieces said
I, sfor the train went over me; but
feel no pain
" There he goes about that train
again. said my wife.
"Why, I tried to move; there was
nothing the matter with me. 1 was in
my own room; opposite to me crib
in which my child was asleep. My wife
and child were safe. Was 1 delirious,
or what could it be?
"'Joe,' 1 cried, tell me what has
happened
dts 9 O'clock said Joe. 'You
came home in such state from the
club that I couldn't wake you. You
weren't fit to manage steam, and risk
peoples lives. The San Francisco is
half way to A., I suppose, and you
have been frightening me half to death
with your dreadful talk
"And Joe began to cry.
''It was only a dream only an aw-
full dream. But I had lived through it
as though it were reality.
"'Is there Bible in the house, Joe p
said I.
"'Are we heather p asked Joe.
"'Give it to me this moment, Joe.'
"She brought it, and 1 put my hand
on it and took the oath (too solemn to
be repeated here) that what had hap
pened never should again. And if the
San Francisco ever comes to grief, the
verdict will not be, as it has so often
been, The engineer was drunk"
p@r Prayer is the door, forever open,
between earth and heaven. Sooner