The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-29
THE ROANOKE TIMES, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1896

light and offered inviting hooks Tor the nc
commodation of strolling lovers, past tho
great unbending sentinels Of tho lonely
pino wood, which echoed with tho scream
of tho warning whistle mt every crossroad.
"Shovo her In, jack" said tho engineer
to him. "Wo'ro behind timo and hayo got
to reach Dinsmore before that special from
Clnyton.'
"Whut specialP hadn't heard of spo-
oial, }" said Jaok.
General Harding chartered q special Mt
Clayton. His wife is dying ut place
down tho road, and no wants to got to hor
tonight. My orders arc to sido traok ut
Dinslnoro and let her pass. They say
she's travelling at the dovil's own rate"
Jack listened in silence, then turned to
shovel IN tho coal until his strong arms
aohcd, whilo no thought OF his own wife ut
Lewiston waiting patiently for his snfe re-
turn.
On they rushed through tho darkness,
tho pounding of the wheels and tho grind
ing of the brakes as thoy swung around
curves drowning oil other sounds. Mover
did n freight train make better time than
old 40 that night. They travelled along
for an hour or SO at this rate of speed, the
engine drawing great heavy brenths like
some Titan in battle, the immense drivers
laundering along tho tracks like the tramp
Of heavy artillery. Tho engineer Dyed tho
watch and stem gauge before him uneasi.
ly, and finally he turned to Jnok.
"Jack, old man, it's do or die. We've
got just 10 minutes to make 1t In, and
Dinsmoro's nigh on 90 miles away yet.
Tho special won't wait, for shes got the
right Of way and'll think tho tracks
clear" Ho turned to his throttle and
M 11n1t d III
gauge carefully. Old 40 was true rs stool,
but he did not want to force her too far If
no could help it.
Jack Bunting turned away, his face
white rs death and his lips sot like stool
trap. He took UP tho shovel and throw
on tho fuel until the furnace blazed with
lurid heat. They were making speed
now that was never before mado by freight,
and tho engine trcmblod with the torriblo
strain put upon hcr. On thoy went in tho
mad raoo against time Only few moro
miles and all would be we'll. behind them
tho heavily loaded box cars bumped and
Numbered and tho honrso cry Of brake
man, barely distinguishablo above the din,
came to tho two in tho cab.
Then the engineer sounded the danger
signal long and loud Ho hoped that oven
If ho could not reach tho siding in timo
tho station master would hear his warn
Ing signal and flag the special down.
Thon came an awful momont when ovor
tho bend that separated them from tho
haven of safety camo n long, clear blast.
Tho men looked Mt ono another in absolute
despair.
MY God, Jackr' burst from the on
ginecr' lips. "Wo must reach that siding.
Pile her on, all sho will hold. It's only "a
few rods now.''
Ho pulled wide the throttle, and tho on
gino leapcd forward like u living thing
Sho seemed to know that human lives de-
pended upon hor feat Of strength and an
swered to tho call like thing of reason.
Nothing but tho Titan she was could
have pulled That terrible load ut the fright
full rnte of speed sho was making She
swnyed and rocked from side to side and
hardly seemed to touch tho rails in hor
great leaps forward. In fow seconds sho
rolled over tho switch and into tho siding,
pulling and snorting like a goaded ami.
NAL AS the last car entered tho switch
tho special dashed by like flash Of light
ming.
A moment lator, like an awful clap of
thunder, camo long, deep roar that shook
tho surrounding country like tho stroke
of doom.
Old 40 had run her raco bravely and
well. She had saved the special and part
OF her own train, but had sacrificed hor-
self in tho doing.
When tho wreck Of tho explosion wns
cleared away, tho brave engineer and tho
stokcr, b!ackcncd and horribly manglod,
were found beneath tho debris
Greater love hath no man than this,
that man lay down his lifo for his
friends!"
Far away in Lewiston little woman,
helpless and crippled, waits for the hus-
band who was side tracked by fate, whilo
tho angel of death passed by Daisy How
ard Paxon in Atlanta Constitution.