Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-12-31

scnieve=.s--s 80 - -SS=S sss- /. 49,
gift OF the pipe. Two miles farther on
the accident occurred.
The train was pulling and grcsning
up the hill at a rate OF about ten miles
an hour. The brakeman was sitting
on the tender. exchanging jokes with
the fireman. Ten was i'm the caboose
alone busy with some report blanks.
The thought occurred to him presently
that something was not exactly right.
He was conscious. he said afterward,
OF sensation similar to that OF being
Ia balloon. The sound OF the putting
was gradually becoming less distinct
The forward pull was gonel
Before he had fully aroused himself
the caboose stopped and slowly began
TO run backward. Then he understood
plainly enough what had happened.
He rushed first to one platform. then to
the other, setting the brakes. but the
cabooSe. with two heavily loaded cars
behind IL. did not stop. He hurried out
10 set the brakes on the cars, but found
that OH one the ties had jolted down
against the rod so that he was unable
20 turn Il. while ON the other the brake
was "freak"-it would not set tight
enough TO grip the wneels. Ana mere
be was alone on a runaway gathering
speed every minute In it's progress
toward n six coach special loaded 10
the doors with people. 1t was not the
most enjoyable Of situations
1t is impossible to describe his emo
tons, because he himself said when
asked him that he had none. The bal
loon smile quite exhausted his supply
Of Imagination.
Il saw" said he simply, that there
was going TO be the deuce to pay IL
something wasn't done confounded
quick, and | saw, too, that whatever
was done I'd have to do myself; that
was all there was TO ii. The special
was nearly due at Morton. and / fig
ured that I'd be there pretty promptly
too. l estimated that at the speed
was making and was likely to make
I'd collide with the special on the big
dump about mile and a quarter be-
yond the station, a regularly nasty
place, owing to the long slide over the
rocks. And l said to myself: Con
ductor, it's your life against the life OF
500. Can you spare itr No said my
self to me. 1 can't. and even II could
what of it, only this said l to my
self. there's just one thing to do. and
that's TO throw your crazy caboOSe and
your idiot Hat cars into the ditch. Yes
said myself TO me- but IL 1 do that I'll
have TO 80 with EN-, and 1 don't want
to- might be injured Well said I
to myself kind Of disgustedly, II that's
the broadcast view you can take of IL.
all right; but l should think you'd be
ashamed OF yourself. There's mighty
little comfort ahead for you I'm this life
IL you let these fool cars smash into
that special. Besides, are you going TO
stay on and smash with 'em, or are
you going to drop of and break your
blooming neckT
THAT was a clincher. l saw then
that was in for trouble anyway. The
question was decided, and / went
straight to work doing the thing that
promised TO leave me the clearest con-
science In case didn't have to be gath
cred up I'm a basket and shipped home
10 Molly and the kids In a pine box la
beled 'Perishablei Rush, I climbed
on to the first car of ties and rolled
one down 10 see how It would so. 1t
went like leaf in a gale. Then 1 be-
gan systematically to drop 'em in be-
tween the car and the caboose. did
this for a long time. and nothing came
OF 1t. The car was bouncing up and
down like Il cork on the rolling sea,
and was pretty near discouraged. 1
was tired, tOO-heavens, l was tired to
tho marrow OF NV bones, Ties are