The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-02-02

and see how il looks, said Jacob Wilcox,
the engineer of the passenger train.
There were no contrary minds, and
soon Wilcox's engine-the Arcturus-
and our engine-Little Giant-were
coupled together and run cautiously
down the two miles to the submerged
bit OF track.
| 'Mither Hughes-hiven bless herr
hears us comm screamin' along said
| Jimmy. An there she be, swingin'
her lanthern that looks no bigger from
here thin a star, as faithful as your very
own mithers TO look afther you, b'ys;
an she loves livery wan of yez, for the
smoiles yez hiy' gin TO n friendleys ovid
couple, far away from country an
kim
| Sure enough, there was the little old
woman, with blanket over her shout
ders, and the broad, white-cap border
hanging limp and dripping about her
wrinlkled face. Wilcox jumped off his
engine, thanked her and Jimmy for
their watchfulness and thoughtfulness,
and told them to go up the hill TO the
shanty and get themselves dry and
warm, and TO keep a bright fire and
| light, for there was no telling what
call might be made upon them be-
fore morning. The headlights of the
two locomotives cleaned across the
black rising water. and showed the
white sand of the roadbed beyond.
! Running through there will be
risky business said Engineer Wilcox,
but am going 10 try il. There is no
other way. Better one man killed than
a score or more, and in 20 minutes that
express viii be along here. full drive!
Jump off, Johnny! We need not both
of us risk our lives
"'Let me go, Wilcox spoke up John
Swift, quickly You have a family, and
| know of no one who would shed a tear
if should go under. You know / can
run the Arcturus the three miles from
here to Nosuch well enough. But
shall come out all straight. 1t is the
2jth of The third month. Come, now, get
right off,
Jacob Wilcox thought of his wife
and little ones at home, and as the
stout. pIucky young fireman took him
by the shoulders he said, gravely:
"'Im not in the least afraid to trust
you, Johnny and swung himself down
off the footboard.
"'Run back there. Luther!' shouted
the intrepid young fireman to my engi-
neer. I've got full head If steam On,
and | want good start
Backing up the road few rods, he
stopped the Arcturus, waved his cap
back at us, and. pulling open the throt-
/ tlesdha epgine-which was the fastest
on the road-dashed down the track
| plunged into the black water, and
while every man of us held his breath,
il emerged on the other side and then
rushed on into the night around the
Rock curve and out of our sight
"'It WAS a risky piece of business
| repeated Wilcox, as he came on board of
our engine. The track has settled in
the middle, and if the old machine had
not been going fast believe ii would
have tipped over
1--WE steamed back to the station, ran
our locomotive into the roundhouse and
went into the waiting-room in the pas
senger depot to dry our wet clothing,
TO refresh ourselves with hot coffee at
| the restaurant and to await further de-
velopments.
in about an hour Jimmy came wheel.
ing in again, weather beaten and drip.
ping.
Sure he said. AN it be bad luck
now, an nothn' Use! Yez had been
| gone not very long at all, at all, an me
ovid woman an me we heard an engine
| scream, an we looked out, an what do
! We think? We seen the Arcturus COON
| in back ag'in, wild her headlight gleam-
slowly down into the water, an slipped
along, along, until she COON to jest
about the middle, an then, b'ys-as
sure as I'm wild Irishman-she tipped
clane over, an her eye was put out, an
there was a great hissin' as the water
reached her fire. An that be all-only
the brave by, wild his light heart an
his smilin' face, he be gone intirely!'
"Our engine was got out again, and
once more we ran down TO the rise to
carry old Jimmy home.
Again our headlight CLEANED over
the aggressive water, showing the huge
engine lying dark and helpless upon
its side. with the river rising all about
ii.
I'VE could do nothing until daylight,
| SO we went sadly back to the dismal
waitingroom, where the old veterans
kept themselves and their companions
awake by smoking l know not how
many pipes of tobacco and telling of
other nights of which this fearful one
put them in mind.
about midnight Engineer Wilcox
went out to take look at the weather.
He soon came back shivering and say
ing:
"a fellow needs to have his life in
sured before venturing very far. The
wind has switched around TO the north,
it is freezing fast, the platform is like
glass and it is showing like creation!'
Just then there was a queer rat
Ting outside, and going back, Wilcox
turned the knob of the door and the
fierce wind burst it wide open.
There was not man in the crowd
| who was not startled at the slght that
met his gaze. I, for my own part, do not
hesitate TO say that, at the first glance,
I thought it was the spirit of poor
Johnny Swift; but it did not take us
long to leran that it was the daring
| fellow himself.
.His overalls and thick dreadnaught
| Jacket were frozen until they were like
sheet-iron garments, weighing him
down. He was completely covered with
the feathery snow, and his face looked
pinched and bloodless.
$50 nearly perishing with cold was he
that he could not speak. and giving one
look at us all, he lifted his hands up to-
ward the glowing stove, and then Just
sank down senseless upon the platform.
"We all took him in hand and put
him through vigorous course OF treat