The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-03-27

. the engine. Had DIR. SardO any idea
OF the danger he was in he would not
have thought of going o sleep.
The last station was passed i'll safety.
There were only seven miles more to
make, and they would be at their des
: tination.
While bending down TO his work
Mattern suddenly felt the engine give
IL jerk. A terrible cry followed. Mat
tern sprang up and looked about him.
By the light of the engine he could
see that they had Just passed - rail
road crossing. The ncXtmOmentth they
were again flying along in the dark
hess and storm.
What was that - asked the doc
tor, who had been rou ed out OF his
sleep.
"Oh, nothing--very likely Il stone or
other substance that became fast be
tween the rails :" answered Mattern,
with choking breath. ''In n few
minutes we shall be there
He slackeped the speed of the en-
CINE. but he did it mechanically, as if
in Il dream. That fearful cry almost
made his heart stand still.
He could well imagine what had
happened. Some cart or wagon must
have been crossing at the time his en-
CINE came tearing along in the dark
ness like some spirit OF evil, and no
doubt he was the cause of terrible
calamity. If not. what was the mean
ing of that sudden jerk, followed by It
heartrending cry There was the sta
ton. Mattern could only see dimy
through the darkness, but knew the
shape of the building too well to be
mistaken He stopped the engine
and took the path to his home. follow
ed by the doctor.
Through the window on the second
floor he could see a light shining
Very likely it was there his child was
lying, wrestling with death, and to
save this child he had perhaps killed
and wounded-how many others.
He groaned aloud. Slowly he drag
| ged his weary feet up the stairs. His
wife opened the door at his knock.
His boy was still living. Mattern
saw his ashen face and heard his rat
thing breath Ia his ears sounded
again the awful cry that he had heard
Il short time before. His nerves, that
for hours he had kept under control,
gave way, now that he had reached
his destination, and he fell to the floor
| insensible.
Ii was late the next morning when
|
| although he could not yet collect his
thoughts very clearly. A racking
headache prevented this. His limbs
seemed immovable and heavy as lead.
In the room in which he found him
self and which he recognized as
| their living room, a deathlike stiffness
| reigued. He tried to lift his head,
| but in vain. He fell back on the pill
low with groan.
His wife heard him and came il, but
with face pale with weeping.
Ruth" lie whispered.
"Oh, my dear husband, how thank
| full am to see you conscious againl'
she cried.
How is the boy? Is he stiII alive?'
| "Oh, yes, thank God. Had you
come an hour later it would have been
| too late. but the doctor thinks he is
| past danger now. He has Just been
called to look after some people that
were hurt at the railroad crossing.
| 4 man is said to be killed and two
women and one child badly injured
| Try to sleep a little now, dear husband.
That will be your best medicine. |
will call YOU when the doctor returns.
She kissed him and went into the
next room where the child was sleep
ing.
One person dead, three badly hurt,
perhaps Fatally, and through his
fault He had had no intention of
doing this All lie thought of was the
saving of his child, but had he tie
right to undertake such i fearful Ie-
sponsibility when he knew wha- ter
ribIe consequences might follow?
He rose in despair. He could nos
endure to lie still. The air of the
room almost choked him. In his ears
sill sounded that fearful deathcry.
With trembling limbs he made his way
into the bedroom. Both wife and
Child were sleeping. He looked ut
| them silently, and bitter tears stream
ed down his cheeks. What would be
come of those he loved so dearly?
Slowly he went down the stairs.
! He could not meet the eyes of his dear
ones. and without a word he opened
! the door and was out on the street.
| There he stood for some little time.
| The fresh air seemed to do him gooi.
! The town clock struck I. 1t w&s
early yet Mechanically &c turned
! his steps toward the engine house. He
wanted 10 look after his engine, as
! was his daily custom. He arrived at
| the shed. His engine was there,
no doubt brought there by some of
| his coworkers He looked ut i scr
rowfully, and, as of old, began 10 eX-
anime it, 1t struck him that some
| thing might have become broken dur
| ing the ride.
| Suddenly he heard Il loud laugh.
One OF the workmen, whose duty it
was to take the ashes out and start
| the fire, had come up behind him and
now said iokingly:
Il suppose you want to see your
roast 2"
Roast p: he asked. What doyon
mean -
The other man laughed more than
ever.
at must have given a pretty good
| bump. | only wonder that the ell
CINE didn't jump the track. Tie
| front wheels were full of hair. clean
! ed the whole thing and dragged the
carcass away. The ashbOX was full
of bones 1t was II pity, on account
of the beautiful antlers.
So saving, the workman brought
out of an old shed where the fire wood
was kept a number OF the broken
pieces of deers ant!erS.
There, you see, the poor fellow
Jared badly. He did not expect to be
disturbed in his roamings at night
time by the appearance OF a locomo-
tive. He was just about to pass the
crossing, and, frightened by the light
at the front of the engine, stood still,
and so you ran him down. In such
cases a deer sometimes acts more
stupidity than a sheep or a calf
Mattern leaned against one of tile
wheels to steady himself. So the cry
he had heard had been the cry of a
diving stag. But nevertheless there
had been au accident, where some one
had been killed and others wounded.
Was he awake, or only in feverish
dream?
The talkative workman seemed 10
guess his thoughts, or perhaps felt
like giving him news of which he
seemed to be in ignorance.
Engineer Keel was not as lucky -
YOU. This morning, III taking out III.
early train, he was unfortunate enou@ i
| torun against farmer cart, although
it was not his fault. The man WHO
was driving seemed 70 be in Il hurrF
and had taken the responsibility Il
opening the gates, so as to cross b
fore the coming train, when ne "
caught by the engine. The accide,
might have been much worse, bG.
Keel quickly sIackened speed when H.
saw the open gates. If the train Ia
been going at full speed, nothing coH
have saved them. As il i, one W.
man had a foot broken, another "a
arm The farmer and one child wee
only slightly stunned, and the horses
escaped without in Jury, although they
| were liuur far into the ditch TIL