Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-05-20

your faces seemed strangely familiar
and I was wondering who you were
when suddenly he saw you and gave {
great start, and the blood rushed into
his face. Then he looked at me with
such an appealing, miserable look that
felt quite scared.
".Bill, he said in hoarse whisper
it's them. knew in a minute who
you were then, but I didn't like that
look. 1t was just as though he was 60
ing mad. However, there wasn't much
time to think of it, for just then tine
signal was given and we were off. We
went splendidly and ratified past the
station iii fine style, until, just as we
got on the single line, we saw this
goods train slipping along toward us al
fearful rate down the incline and
knew that in two minutes at most
there'd be q smash. She was a long way
off, but, then, you see. goods train
has 10 brakes, and we hadn't any
worth speaking of.
It's awful, sir, when thing comes
to you like that, just when you are least
expecting it. You feel choked like--as
though you must do something and
don't know what it is. Hugh turned off
steam and whistled, while I screwed
down the brake until heard the
wheels GRIND lllg Oh the rails, but we
both knew that we could never stop in
time, or, if we could, the goods train
would be smashing into US before we
could reverse.
Suddenly Hugh sprang on the ten
der, yelling out like mad, Bill. she's
in, she's in!
II didn't know what he meant, but
I saw him fling himself over the back Of
the tender, in front of the carriages,
and few seconds after I heard the
clank Of iron and knew he had unlinked
the couplings. How he did it, sir, I
don't know. He must have laid himself
over the buffers somehow and leaned
over, lifting the heavy links.
''In ten seconds he was back, shout
ing madly, off with the brake, man; ;
off with the brake. began to under.
stand what he wanted to do, and un-
screwed the brake, and then, under a
full head of steam, the engine left the
carriages behind. BILL he shouted,
Jump off, jump Off Of course I
wouldn't, and said so He didn't stop
to argue, but turned to attend to the
lever, pushing it as far open as it would
go, still shouting, Jump off, jump Off
81 thought of my little ones at home,
sir, and all in twinkling, like flash
of lightning I saw them fatherless and
my wife weeping bitterly for me and
for an instant thought of jumping off.
But it was only for an instant, for even
as the thought came something told me
my duty was to stop And there stop
ped, and now I'm glad I did.
Bill he cried, turning to me with
a wild light Of triumph in his eyes,
Bill, we shall save the passenger. and
Jennie and Jim. Don't you see, lad,
how it will be? We shall stop the goods
train by throwing it off the line, and
the carriages are nearly stopped now
look' I glanced behind The train OF
carriages was 100 yards away and slow
ing down rapidly. The passengers were
saved.
''In silence, save for the painting Of
the engine, we gripped each others hand
and waited. Oh, that waiting! felt
nay, heard-my heart humping like the
engine itself. tried to pray, but my
brain was in a whirl. I longed for the
tension to cease, for the end to come.
Just then the goods train appeared
round the curve. They hadn't seen us,
for steam was on, but Instantly we heard
the sharp whistle and knew they were
doing their best to stop. I saw Hugh
glance quickly from the goods train to
the carriages, and his eyes lit up once
more with great, triumphant joy, as
he gazed up to the sky. Then, before
I could say word, or lift finger, he
seized hold of me, and crying. TITS your
only chance, lad!' lifted me clean off the
engine and swung me ON to the bank. I
remember falling and hearing a dull /
eash and fearful scream, and then all |
was silent.
"That is all, sir, he continued, turn
ing from me to the crushed figure under |
the engine. "He gave his life for you.
Then. kneeling down, he took Hugh's |
told hand into his own and said:
"God bless thee, Hugh, my best and |
only friend. Goodbye and walked |
Blowly away.-Strand Magazine