The Opelousas courier., 1899-10-07

was about to &c to the engine and shut
off the steam, when, as she took one
last look, she was almost paralyzed by
the sight of long train of ore creep
ing around the curve. Two or three
Of the laborers at the mines were still
on them, but hand brakes would never
stop that heavy train, and as it
slowly gained in speed, she saw them
leave the train. Then she thought OF
the little passenger train that would
be there in a few minutes and in
another moment she was climbing into
the cab Of the big engine and telling
her little brother what to do.
"Open the switch, Johnnie, and when
I get down on the main track shut it
and run down the track and flag num-
Der one. Tell dad I'm up the hill to
catch a runaway"
Johnnie did as he was told and tie
powerful engine rolled out Of the sid
ING, across the bridge.and was soon
tearing upthe hill at full speed toward
the now rapidly approaching train.
As she left the siding her one
thought had been to save the pas
senger train from an awful collision,
but as she crossed the bridge she
thought Of a little storyhe father had
lately told of how he had One caught
a runaway train with his engine and
had stopped it before it could do any
damage. She would try it now, des-
pite the awful danger. Ii "Daddy'
could do il, she could.
For nearly four milesup the hill the
big engine fairly flew, then, as she
reached a long straight track where
the view was clear for nearly a mile,
she shut off the steam and gradually
the locomotive stopped.
Jessie looked up at the steam gauge.
The pointer Indicated only 100 pounds
pressure. Keeping a close watch on
the track ahead, the intrepid girl left
the throttle and, opening the firebox
door, replenished the fire. Just as
the last scoopful OF coal was thrown
in and the door closed the runaway
shot around the curve into view, aud,
starting the engine back, the girl
watched closely for a chance to catch
the now rapidly moving train.
Down the heavy grade went engine
and cars. the distance between them
rapidly growing shorter. On a little
piece Of stiaight track, a little over a
mile from the dangerous bridge, Jessie
decided to take the last desperate
chance, and as the engine reached the
desired point, only a few feet ahead Of
the flying ore ears, the girl gave the
engine a light touch of the airbrake,
and then, with mighty impact, the
heavy train struck the engine, then
the airbrake lever was sent to the
emergency notch" but so great was
the speed OF the train that even that
did but little to slacken the speed, and
that awful curve at the bridge was al
most in sight.
Jessie almost lost her nerve as she
thought of that deadly place. She
knew the big engine would never
round it at its present rate of speed.
Suddenly the escape valve of the
opened with a mighty roar,
her the powerful engine was
straining and quivering under the
pressure Of nearly 200 pounds of
and then a favorite axiom of
her fathers came to her mind:
eff air won't hold 'em, give 'em
One supreme effort of the strong
young arms and the reverse lever of
the black giant was thrown over, the
sand pipes were opened, and with
hand Jessie opened the throttle,
throwing a mighty force against the
heavy train.
Now the speed of train materially
decreased, but the big locomotive
and rocked like a ship at sea as
she safely rounded the dangerous
curve and shot out on the high bridge,
md then came another shock for the
tried girl, for standing in front
If the cottage, almost hidden by a
tense cloud of black smoke, stood the
title passenger train with it's load of
lnsuspecting travellers.
Here again the girls knowledge of
abroad craft came to her, and she
NEW that no power on earth could
stop that heavy train in time to avert
collision, but she could signal to
hem. A brown hand reached for the
cord, and in a second more
he deep valley was resounding to the
loarse roar of the duplex whistle Civ
ng three loud blasts-the railroaders'
:gnal: "Back up
The signal was just in time; as the
'assenger train backed out of the
the big consolidator and its string
ore cars rolled heavily by, the train
low under control, but still moving
,ith sufficient force to have done con-
iderable damage.
AS the train passed the siding,
and his fireman climbed on the
ars and soon stopped them; and as
essie Jumped to the ground she
lmost alighted on a tall gray
old gentleman. He was
Archer, vice-president and
eneral manager Of the Southern
'aciic, and a man who never failed
reconize and reward merit; and it
as at his hands Miss Clarke received
ne education that fitje1 her for the
osition she now occupies and who
laced the lady's name on the "merit
Dip of the Southern Pacific railroad
! a salary of $500 per year, work
play, as long as she lives.