The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-02-09
JoHNNIE's COURAGE.
How He Saved the Railway Train ana
Perhaps q Hundred Lives.

/ HOW ne 68Ne0 INC RoAAWey $3.50
Perhaps . Hundred Lives.
"I don't suppose, mother. little folks
like me can do very much in this world.
It don't seem as II could do much
good" And Mrs. Tomkins' S-year-old
Johnnie planted his chin on the palm OF
his chubby little hand and looked up
into her face.
She smiled and gave Johnnie pleas
ant look as she suspended the play OF her
bright knitting needles
81 shouldn't agree with you there, !"
che said, Johnnie. Little folks can't
do so much in themselves; but add
Gods strength to little boys weak
ness, and think one can do a great
deal.
Johnnie sat in silence little while,
looking into the cracking open wood
fire and then said his prayers and went
to bed.
The next day, on the edge Of the even.
ing, Johnnie was down at the station.
Boom, boom, rattle, rattle ding, ding
choo, choo-oh, they had noisy time,
the cars and the locomotives, dashing
| oDOu1 WhictiiuS ohu ihSAhS. AA"AHS
were coming and going at great rate.
In little while it was more quiet, and
then came the train of which Johnnie's
father was conductor. Johnnie called
out, Here / am, father" And glad
enough was man wearing a blue cap
decked with gilt stars, to get hold Of
Johnnie's hand. Mr.. Tomkins, when
the passengers had gone, stepped hack
into the cars, and Johnnie went with
him.
"Stay here, Johnnie, in this seat, and
will come after you. F" And Mr.. Tom
kins placed Johnnie in warm seat near
the stove in rear car. The train stop
ped overnight at that station, and Mr.,
Tomkins thought he could safely leave
his little boy in the car minute or two.
From that station down to the next,
at Rowe's factory, it was down grade
all the way. Start car at the station
above and it would jog along itself, go
ing more and more rapidly, till it
reached Rowe's factory, where the grade
changed. And what should Johnnie's
car conclude to do but start off for lit
tory. The brakeman had carelessly I'M
shackled it, not understanding an order
given him, and when the locomotive
ahead happened to buck the train lit
tie it went bump against the rear car
and started it OH an undesirable journey.
Johnnie was startled when he looked
up and saw the car in motion, and q
good deal frightened when, seeing moth
ing before or behind the car, he knew
it was loose and cruelty running away
with him in the dark.
Just then he caught the fash Of o
dark red light away down the track.
His heart gave such jumpl He
knew enough about trains to understand
what it all meant
"a train, train" he thought, land
we shall surely go''-Johnnie hardly
dared finish the thought; if he had, it
would have been-"go crash into one
another.
What could he do?
There came into his mind the words
of his mother about little boys weak.
ness and Gods strength. He dropped on
his knees there in the aisle of the car
and asked God to help little boy in a
runaway car.
He opened his eyes and saw away
down the track the sharp, fiery light.
One light made him think of another.
There was his fathers red lantern all |
lighted near the stove Why couldn't !
he wave it at the car end toward the !
approaching train? Wouldn't the engi- |
neer see it?
He snatched the light, ran to the end !
OF the car, and there he stood on the |
platform, waving the lantern.
what is that?' said William Mar.
ston, looking from the cab window of |
the locomotive that was laundering
along, bringing on the evening express |
"A warning ahead" said he to Jones,
the fireman. At the same time he shut |
OFT the steam, reversed the engine, put |
ON the airbrakes and whistled the dan.
ger signal. What sharp, shrill cryl
what is the natter" said the pas
sengers, and lot of black heads went
bobbing out of the windows, like tur.
ties coming to the top of the water.
"DangerP' called one to another as
they saw the light ahead waving.
The express cams to stop, and then
to back, going faster, faster.
faster, trying to get out of the way OF
Johnnie's car, that was now rapidly
dashing forward, the red light swing.
ing steadily
Away went the express train in safe.
ty beyond the station at Rowes factory.
and Johnnie's car was switched ON a
side track by station hand and came
at last to stop as the grade changed at
the factory and slanted up again.
When the passengers of the express,
stepping out, saw little fellow with a
red light on the platform of the run.
away car and heard his story, cheer
after cheer for him went up in the still.
ness Of the night.
A purse Of money for him was quick.
~ made up, but that was little to John.
ME compared with the comfort he took
In thinking he had saved perhaps 100
lives that might have been lost had tho