Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-12-20

reached the end of the rails. pitching
twenty five or thirty feet down into
the ravine.
Something prompted me To turn my
eyes toward the other side of the track.
and there saw group of men. ten
or Il dozen of them. all armed. crouch
ing nj the foot of the cmbankmcnt. At
the SIGHT all my caluncSS took flight.
] forgot all about the danger we were
III. Drawing my revolver | cmpticd il
into the midst cf the group and had
tn" satisfaction of Sean" two of them
tumble over. Then | threw the lever
forward and pulled The throttle wide
open. for now was anxious To have
the thing over with. and The end. what
ever il might he. reached ut once.
The train jumped ahoad ana we
were almost on the switch when saw
Il bolt of lightning coming directly to-
ward us. | say | saw it. did see il.
and that is aIl know. The concIs-
sion that followed made the old engine
rattle in every joint and almost jolted
me from tine cab.
When. moment later. the rcalza-
ton of our position returned to me. ]
saw that the engine had passed over
the switch \ minute later and the
entire train was across. and then |
knew that hy some means which |
could not understand we had escaped
the trap that had been laid for us. 4
moment before we had reached il | had
seen the open switch as distinctly as
ever saw anything in my life. and yet
we passed over it in safety.
II was like u miracle. We pulled in
10 Chattanooga about midnight The
assistant superintendent happened to
be there. ana early the next morning
he sent for me.
You seem Ia he the only man likely
To give me Il clear account Of your last
nights experience. he said. And when
! had given il he added sharply. You
are certain You saw the open SWITCH
"YcS. sir" replied: perfectly sure
Of it,
Then he turned To me suddenly and
said:
What WAS it that closed the switch
and let you OVER
That's more than can say" | re-
piled. but something closed il or we
would have gone ont over the siding
and then dawn into the gully"
NO doubt of that" he said: none
whatever And you mentioned some
thing about an unusually sharp flash of
lightning which came nj about this
time" He paused significantly. then
added: We'll. want you Ia keep this
matter cntircl! 10 Yourself. Take the
first train going out make Il thorough
examination OF the switch ana find out,
if yuu can. what closed il 81 suddenly.
The next train coming this way will
pick Won up. ana as soon as you arrive
here report In me.
Tho assistant superintendent su@
gcstiun about the lightning kept my
brain busy during the trip Gould that
flash have been the agency whereby
we were turned from certain doom into
the path Of safety: got the answer
as soon rs arrived 1T the scene of our
adventure and examined the switch.
Not only G3d the switch been closed 10y
helm. ia.oNn violently into place. but
the p.r,> whore they came together
had beer fused and welded by heavens
fires ii - u mass so solid as 10 prevent
the switch from ever being opened
again
Some may say it was nothing more
than chance. others will call it good
luck. hut never think of il without
realizing that the bolt which struck
the switch aud forced ii back into Place
came straight from him who holds the
lightnin" in his hands,