The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-03-10

|
" was going to hand you over to tn,
conductor, but l guess | will let yo,
ride here and let you off at Concord. ,
just then l whistled for Venango
The wbistling seemed to interest he
wonderfully, when che began to ash
questions, and ! was soon busy answer
ing them. l explained to her tina
when we approached the station
pulled the whistle down, the steam en-
tered hollow iron, which made the
noise. also told her one short whistle
told them to let the brakes off, and &C
on through the different signals.
ooh, see" she said, with pleasure
flashing from her eyes. "Now,"
said, "you may try and see if you can
whistle for Cambridge" and with that
she stood upon the seat, and pulling
down the lever, whistled for the station
in very creditable manner. This
seemed to please her 30 much that she
began to be impatient to have another
chance. Passing the station lights we
were soon nearing the long bridge. AS
/ neared the bridge 1 saw the water
rushing and foaming, with now and
then huge pieces of ice as they struck
the piers and swimming around onto
the channels, passing under us. In
five minutes more we swung around
the curve at Miller's and a red light
flashed out in the darkness, and in less
time than I can tell it brakes were
called and we went by the flagman. L
felt the sudden checking upon the train,
and by reversing we stopped within a
trains length ahead of the fagman,
who came up and told the conductor,
to slow up before crossing the Miller's
bridge. Starting up again, we soon
came to the bridge. Uncoupling the
engine and placing the little girl on the
ground and telling the fireman to re-
main with her, made the test whether
the bridge was safe. l went over and
returned safely and was satisfied the
bridge was still safe for the train. So
coupling up again, L pulled the entire
train over slowly, and safely reached
the other side.
Nellie had now begun to become &C.
customed to the work of an engineer.
| then explained to her how the red
light was signal OF danger, how the
sharp, short whistle had called the
brakes, and how the reverse lever
worked, and then she said, "Oh, how 1
would like to be an engineer / then
asked her if she was afraid to come over
the bridge, and she replied, 81 was not
afraid to go where you vent; besides,
God will always take care of u.s." This
was new language to me and her reply
has always been in my mind.
An hour later at Union City. We
must reach Cory for No. 5. An engi-
neer must make his running time or he
will be replaced by one who will. My
little passenger now awoke, and asked
me if she could not sit in front so she
could look ahead. l couldn't refuse
her request.
Out into the darkness we flew. The
click -a-click of the engine as she passed
from rail to rail swayed to and fro
around the curves, and as the telegraph
poles flew faster and faster, l seemed
gradually to lose myself and sink into
state of Inconsistencies. l was living
over my boyhood days in the old Or
chard, just above the little red school
house. Then l thought we were run
ming down a mountain side at fearful
rate. A great broad chasm doomed up
before me.
A sudden lurch of the engine, a
short shrill, whistle, and was awake.
Standing with both hands hold of
the reverse lever, which she was I'M
able to move, the little hood lying on
the floor, her hair streaming in the
wind, and with look of agony on her
face l saw my little passenger was a
veritable engineer. Looking back l
saw the lanterns of brakemen as they
flew from one brake to another. Grasp
ing the situation at once l shut off
steam, and reversing, brought the train
to standstill. had been asleep.
" What's the matter?" finally gasped.
"Oh," she said, "you have run over
some one; looked like my brother. 1
saw him 30 plain standing in front of
us and motioning for US to stop. Oh,
we've killed him, we've killed him."
arms. The conductor and brakemen
had now come up anxious to know
what the matter was. Something
wrong" said: "You see boys, l
had fallen asleep. This little girl who
1 was carrying (Which 1 know to be
against the rules) must have seen some
thing back there as she called for
brakes. She said she saw some one
standing on the track and we must
have run over him. Better send a
man back to see if any one has been
hurt"
A man hurried back, but no one
could be found.
"Then, there must be trouble ahead
as l never knew it to fail when we
carried woman or girl on the en-
gine," the fireman ventured to remark,
when the brakeman said everything
was clear.
Hastily looking over my engine 1
found no sign of anything being struck
by US.
swell boys, let's pull out and see
what there's ahead"
The fireman now ventured: "That
gal amt on this engine for nothing.
There's Providence in it. Never knew
it to fail, better slow up around the
curve and see how that bridge is" 1
pulled onto The curve slowly and as we
rounded the curve our headlight flashed
into chasm. The bridge was gone.
The little girl had saved at least two
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