The Elbert County tribune., 1903-12-17

glance at me with an amused smile.
Custom had Injured them to these oc-
currences. so that they gave them no
heed.
ON. on. and still the driving snow
storm and the darkness reigned su-
preme. The stoker fed the fire. and the
ahead. l was perhaps getting TO be
n little sleepy from the force OF the
wind and the lateness OF the hour. for
1t was now about midnight. when. fear
ing TO drop asleep. / arose from stool
ON which had peen sitting. and deter
mined to change to the passenger ears
at the next stopping place. Just ns l
had made this mental resolve. there
came suddenly n crash at the front
window of the engine that sent every
drop OF blood back to my heart with n
sickcning thrill. / had time TO draw
one long breath when the engineer
whistled down brakes" and shut OF
steam from the engine. exclaiming:
my God what Is thatr' while both
he and myself shook the broken glass
from our faces and necks. and he still
further reversed his engine.
Its lantern" said the fireman.
picking up what remained of the
article which had come crashing In
at the window.
Throw at u.s. said the engineer
THAT means danger IL it means any
thing"
In the meantime, the train had been
brought to standstill, the conductor
had appeared at the side of the loco
motive to consult with the engineer.
the bell was rung. the whistle started.
and gradually we ran backward toward
the spot where the lantern had struck
us. We had retraced our way for
nearly quarter of mile. when man
suddenly appeared through the dark
ness, and came to the locomotive.
Did you throw that lanterns" asked
the engineer.
ITO be sure I did. and worse luck IL
l hadn't hit ycr' was the answer that
came To our ears with unmistakable
Milesian accent.
who are you?" asked the conductor.
'I'm trackman between here and
Brandon
well, what's the matter?" asked
the engineer.
The matter is broken rail, just
beyant. as would have sent ye all
TO gloryH' replied the Irishman
The affair was foon explained.
During the winter season the frost
often renders the rails very brittle. so
that they break under passing train.
In consequence of this liability to dan
ger n corps of trackmen are so placed
as to walk over and examine every
mile of the northern roads. in extreme
weather. after the passing of each
train. these trackmen are supplied
with the ordinary tools for repairing
any slight break. and also with Ian
terry to signify danger when necessary
to any incoming train. In the instance
to which we refer. the trackmnn had
discovered a serious break in a rail
just beside n steep enbankment and
yiaduct. one OF the most dangerous
spots on the route In his effort to re-
pair the danger. by some means his
lantern became extinguished Here
was an unfortunate plight. In that
sparsely inhabited region there was
neither house or shelter where ne could
renew the light. His matches he ex-
hausted in vain endeavors TO light the
wick In so fierce n storm. Besides.
as the man well reasoned, "The en-
gineer. / knew. could not see my Ian
tern IL 1t We're lighted. three rods of
in such night" The Irlshman was
puzzled; the Lightning Express was
nearly due. IL it struck the defective
rail the train would surely be wrecked!
What was to be done? A sudden
inspiration struck aim. He started and
ran like deer nearly half mile up
che track toward the oncoming train.
Already he heard the rumble of its ap-
proach as he placed himself on slight
elevation on the side of the track. On
came the train; he could see her signal
light. though the engineer could neither
see or have heard him-on. on, thirty
miles an hour, toward destruction. The
Irishman braced himself. and with n
swift but careful throw of his un-
lighted lantern, he cast 1t into the en-
gineer's facet
"Bedad! 1t was the only thing ]
could do" said the honest fellow, as
he gratefully pocketed purse of fifty
dollars made up by the passengers.
We crept carefully on to the dan
gerous spot, where n detention of
twenty minutes served to mend the
track sufficiently to permit the passage
of the train. and we once more dashed
ahead In the darkness; but SHAH never
forget that experience upon the Light
ming Exp ss.-New York Weekly.