Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-04-05

In few moments, while lazily gag
ing west from my window, saw hazy
dark mist curling up over the snow
capped trees in the distance, which looked
very much like smoke from an engine,
and while | was conjecturiag as to what
it might mean heard the signal for my
target as it swung around the curve iuto
sight. II struck me as being exceed
ingly strange that No. asa freight train,
was running to I'M regardless Of the
limited, and l conclued to inform the
dispatcher Of tho unusual situation. tell
ing him "No. 4S is coming" He an
swercd 90. X. :" and then I gave them
my sigusl to go ahead. just as they
were rounding the east curve, the ca
boose just disappearing. m " called me
and asked, lis No. 4S on the siding I"
told him NO" that they had just left
the station, giving the time they had
passed
His reply: "My God has No. 4S
gomez No Ill is pulling out. They
will collide: Can't you get No. 48 ~
My hair felt as though it was raising Of
my head. chlls chased themselves up
and down my spine. and the cold per-
spiration poured down my pallid checks
as rushed with all speed and less grace
from the office and frantcally waved a
white apron wore and which tore of
as ran. but the crew Of the freight
failed to look back as the caboose smiled
round the curve, and my heart almost
failed me az | realized that the only
hope now was to catch No. Ill before
they left an"
ran back into my Office and sank ia-
to a chair, no longer able to stand on
my feet. scarcely breathing until 10
few--hours it seemed to me, but in re-
ality--seconds the dispatcher called me
saying. We've got No. Ill" We're
ever words so sweet to mortal ears p
The tick Of that little brass s0under ~
it rang those words through the room
was like sweet music, so welcome were
they to me.
How did they get No. Ill? will tell
you. When told the dispatcher that
No. 4S was beyond recall, he opened
window in mad haste and screamed tn
the people on the platform below hin.
"For Gods sake, stop that train p Aud
they, realizing that something was ter
ribly wrong, rushed after the rapidly
disappearing train, frantically waving
bandkerchiefs and umbrellas, screaming
like madmen, finally attracting the ut,
tcntion of the rear brakeman just as No.
III was going out Of sight and hearing.
They backed up on siding and waited.
and soon the freight train pulled into
I'M !" station, the crew as unconcernsd
as though they had not just escaped
smashup and the possibilities of instant
death few moments before.
A white faced operator, with trem-
bling lips, leaned out of the window aud
asked them, Haven't you forgotten
something's And the forgotten order
was suddenly remembered but too late
for them.
The whole crew was Of course dis
charged, and we'll when those vel
come words were licked off that doar old
sounder, telling me that No, IL is crew
and passengers we're safe, lost con-
sciousn ess and only came back to life in
time to hear the conductor Of No. Ill
say to his engineer Poor girl, she has
faited She is almost frightened to
death"
Had not warned the dispatcher in
time for him to catch the passenger
train, there would have been horrible
collision, and we can only picture to
ourselves the horrors accompanying such
a catastrophe.
My reward was a position with tho
company aud a handsome gold watch |
staid with the company but short time.
however, for never could cure IN sef
of the horror had Of railroad telegraph
ing produced by my terrible experience
that wintry day 10 January, and as [
wrto this story, sitting here 10 my coxy
little sitting room by bright coal fire.
watching the flames creeping around the
black diamonds in the CRATE, as [ 90
over the scenes aud situations Of that
dreary afternoon, shudder and wonder
il old Father Time will ever enable me
to forget that dreadful experience. SO
that can speak of it all without shad-
der - Northwest Magazine.