Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-03-19

cut across to the roundhouser' ] cried.
gettin. close to his ear, for we were
on terrific speed. He looked at me In.
quirIngly. "In that way you won't run
Into Cameron and his crowd Mt the de-
pot" added. II can stop her all
right"
He didn't take his eyes of the track.
"T'll take the train to the platform"
said he.
"Isn't that a crossing cut ahead" be
added suddenly as we swung round
hill west Of town.
"Yes, and bad one"
He reached for the whistle and gave
the long warning screams. set the
bell ringer and stopped to open the fur
mace door to cool the fire. when-chug!
few up against the water gauges
like coupling pin. The monster en-
CINE reared right up on her head.
ScrambIlng to my feet, l saw the new
man clutching the air lever with both
hands, and every wheel on the train
was screechIng. jumped to his side
and looked over his shoulder. On the
crossing Just ahead big white horse,
dragging buggy. plunged and reared
frantically. Standing on the buggy
seat q baby boy clung. bewlldered. to
the lazyback-not another soul In
sight. All mt once the horse swerved
sharply back. The buggy lurched half
over. The lines seemed to be caught
around one wheel. The little fellow
clung on. but the crazy horse. Instead
Of running. began a hornpipe right be-
tween the deadly rails.
l looked at Foley In despair From
tie monstrous quivering leaps Of the
great engine ! knew the drivers We're
In the clutch of the mighty air brake.
but the resistless momentum Of tn"
train was none the less sweeping Us
down Mt deadly speed on the baby.
Between the two tremendous forces tn
locomotive shivered like gigantic
beast. shrang back in horror. but the
little man at the throttle. throwing the
last ounce Of air on the burning wheels,
leaped from his box with face trans
figured.
"Take herr' he cried. and. never
shifting his eyes from the cut, he shot
through his open window and darted
like a cat along the running board to
the front
Not a hundred feet separated us froT
the crossing. | could see the b9by's
eurls blowing in the wind. The horse
suddenly leaped from across the track
to the side Of it. That left the buggy
quartering with the rails, but not
twelve inches clear. The way the
wheels were cramped single step
ahead would throw the hind wheels
into the train: step backward would
shove the front wheels into 1t. 1t was
appalling.
Foley. clinging with one hand to u
headlight bracket, dropped down Oh
the steam crest aud swung far out. As
the cowcatcher slot past Foley's long
arm dipped into the b"ggy Ike the
sweep Of a connecting rod and caught
the boy by the b:eeclies. The impetus
of our speed threw tile child high In the
air. but Foley's grip WAS Oh the little
overalls, and rs the yOuhgster bounded
back he caught 1t close. saw the
horse give q leap. 1t sent the hind
whee.s into the corner Of the baggage
car. There was crash Ike the report
Of a hundred rifles. and the buggy flew
in the ar. The big horse was thrown
fifty feet, hut Foley. with great light
In his eyes AID the baby boy In his
arm, crawled. laughing. into the cab.
Thinking lie would take the engine
again. tried to take the baby. Take
It? Well, l think not!
"IIi. tier. bu ter" shouted til. little
engineer wildly. that's IL corking pair
Of bre ,ches o. you. son! caught the
kii right by the seat of the pdu,j." he