Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-01-29
FROSTBURG, Md, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1898.
JOHNNlE'S COURAGE.
How He Saved the Railway Train an,
Perhaps a Hundred Lives.

1t don't seem as if | 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"
she 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 great
deal. "
Johnnie sat i'll silence a litSle 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
about whistling and ringing! Trains
We're coming and going at a great rate.
In a little while it was more quiet, and
then came the train of which Johnnies
father was conductor. Johnnie called
out, Here | am, fatherr' And glad
enough was a man wearing blue cap,
decked with gilt stars, to get hold of
Johnnie's hand Mr.. Tomkins, when
the passengers had gone, stepped back
into the cars, and Johnnie went with
him.
"Stay here, Johnnie, in this seat, and
| will come after you" And Mr. Tom
kins placed Johnnie in a 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 i'll the car a minute or two.
From that station down to the next,
at Rowe's factory, it was down grade
all the way. Start Il 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 Il lit
tie trip on its own account to the fac
tory. The brakeman had carelessly I'M
shackled 1t, not understanding an order
given him, and when the locomotive
piNttt ihPpNIiN't w buIh lllt lain Il 1lU-
tie it went bump against the rear car
and started it on an undesirable journey.
Johnnie was startled when he looked
up and saw the car i'll motion, and IL
good d, al 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 flash of
dark red light away down the track.
His heart gave such a jump! He
knew enough about trains to understand
what it all meant.
"A train, a train" he thought land
we shall surely go'-Johnnie hardly
dared finish the thoughts; 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 a little boys weak
ness and God S strength. He dropped on
his knees there i'll the aisle of the car
and asked God to help little boy i'll 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 tie evening express.
"A warning ahead, said he to Jones,
the fireman At the same time he shut
off the steam, reversed the engine, put
on the airbrakes and whistled the dan
ger signal What sharp, shrill cry!
"What is the matter?' said the pas
sengers and a lot of black heads went
bobbing out of the windows, like tur-
ties coming to the top of the water.
"Danger!' called one to another as
they saw the light ahead waving.
The express came to IA stop, and then
commenced 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 i'll safe
ty beyond the station at Rowe's factory,
and ,Johnnie's car was switched on
side track by station hand and came
at last to IL stop as the grade changed at
the factory and slanted up again
When the passengers of the express,
stepping out, saw Il little fellow with
red light ON the platform of the run
away car and heard his story, cheer
after cheer for him went up III the still
ness Of the night.
A purse Of money for him was quick
ly made up, but that was little to John
ME compared with the comfort he took
i'll thinking he had saved perhaps 100
lives that might have been lost had the
express train dashed into the runaway
Car and everything been pitched down
the steep bank.
So much for adding God S strength to
a little fellows weakness.
Stag For Roadmaking.
An experiment with Stag paving in
lien of murIlun Is Dplup m:l0p ,}D piun