The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-12-02
Human Gold.

The dross of human nature is, un-
fortunately, usually more readily ap-
parent than the true gold. For some
mysterious or occult reason, most men
fancy it unmanly to show the softer,
finer, sentimental, if you will, side Of
their character, and endeavor to show
an unruffled, untender, and, if posi-
BILE, cynical face to the world, burying
deep in their hearts and hiding in Sc
cret their love, sympathy, friendship
and other tender graces of character.
The more rough and dangerous the
calling in which man is engaged, the
more he seems bound to effect this
concealment of characteristics he
thinks out of keeping with the nature
Of his occupation and flaw in the
dignity and self-composure which he
imagines should mark man S estate.
Occionally, however, come crises in
life when all these fancies disappear
as dross in a crucible or mists before
the rising sun. Recently sad acci-
dent occurred in this State which re-
vealed like fashlight the tenderness
of two characters. When death was
surely claiming Professor McGee, as a
result of an accident at Clemson Col
!ege, he spent his last moments on
earth in sending loving messages to
those endeared to him by tender asso-
citation. One of these messages was
to President Lee, of the Mississippi
Agricultural College, who promptly
wired back: 'Tell McGee am she'd
ding tears for him. The crisis of
death served to show the full beauty
Of the attachment between teacher and
scholar. Last week there was an ac-
cident on the Southern Railway in
North Carolina. A failure of some
one to obey orders caused an accident
in which Engineer James was fatally
injured. He was one Of the oldest
and best engineers running on the
Southern. AS the death darkness be-
gan to shut out the beauties of this
world from his eyes, he dictated the
following message to Bunch McBee,
under whom he had worked for many
years:
"OLD Fort, N. c., Nov. 19, 1896.
Captain V. E. McBee, Portsmouth,
Va:
II will die this morning from inju-
ries received in railroad accident.
(Signe0 "W. L. JAMES. -
Will the world ever appreciate the
bravery and GOODNESS Of those men
who sit in the cab and direct the
mighty energy of the iron horse, as he
rushes along his narrow road, hauling
with the speed Of the wind the rich
freight of commerce or the infinitely
more precious burden Of human be-
ings, each of whom has some loved
ones at home who are breathing fer
vent aspirations to Heaven for their
safety and whom they are eager to re-
join. And these men who grasp the
throttle, as they keep their eyes fixed
on the road ahead, whether the path
way is bri ght with the glare of noon
day or black, with the pail of night,
whether summers heat broils or win
ter's cold nips, whether the dust flies
or the snow or rain falls, to them come
visions of the loved ones at home, and
they unconsciously breathe prayer,
as they grasp the throttle more tight
ly and increase their vigilance to "run
her through safely" Sentiment and
these strong men, whose lives are full
of danger, would seem to be strangers,
and yet the begrimed blouse and over
alls cover hearts in whose depths most
kindly feelings are ever alive. The
attachment of the engineer to his su-
perior officer, when the latter is one
who understands and appreciates him,
is most marked, as is evidenced by the
telegram Of the dying James to his
former superintendent, in whose big
heart there is warm place for ever
faithful employe who ever worked un-
der him. ''Bunch" McBee is busy
man, but the moment he received the
above telegram, he Immediately stop
ped and wrote the following telegram
in reply to the engineer who had
thought of him in his dying moments:
PORTSMOUTH, Va, Nov. 10, 1896.
"R. ?. Foster, Train Master, Old Fort,
N. c.:
II am just in receipt of the last
telegram from Engineer W. L. James,
saying he will die this morning from
injuries received in railroad accident.
If he still lives, and is conscious, tell
him for me that he was one of the best
locomotive runners I ever knew, and
that I knew he did his duty. May
God have mercy on him.
(Signed) "V. i. McBEE.' -
There were tears in ''Bunch" Nc.
Bees eyes as he replied to the last
message of his humble friend. And
who can say how much that kind mes
sage from man whom he honored and
loved cheered the brave engineer and
helped him endure the agony of death?
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