Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-05-19
Was 1t a Miracle?

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stranger, do you believe in mira
cles7" looked up from my newspaper,
the columns of which 1 had been list
lessly scanning and encountered the
gaze of the speaker. / saw before me
a man about 40 years of age. He had
bluff, open face and his hair was
streaked with gray. He wore the reg
ulation uniform of the railway, and
recognized in him the ticket agent,
telegraph operator, ct cetera, of the
station In which l was waiting for my
train.
had finished my business In the
town some two miles away, and, as
had nothing to do until the train ar
rived, l was not at all averse to chat
ting with him.
THAT depends entirely upon what
you consider a miracle" l replied,
throwing aside my paper.
II don't know that l can exactly
explain what l mean, but l believe
that the event l am thinking of might
be called one"
OF course expressed a desire to
know what he referred to, imagining
that he had story to relate to me.
WELL" he remarked by way of an
Introduction, ut isn't often l tell this
story, but tonight l feel Just like 1t.
Perhaps the fact that the events oc-
Cured exactly seven years ago may
account for the inclination.
1T was just such day as this; the
air was cold enough to make fire
seem comfortable, while at the same
time 1t was not at all disagreeable out
of doors.
"At that time was employed at the
same job am now. There was of
course less work to do In those days !;
this region has rapidly increased In
population during the last few years.
But this does not interest you; SO
l will fire up and start on my run
with full head Of steam.
six miles west Of here lies the town
of Bartson; ten miles to the east, Daw-
son. This is the only station between
the two.
ut was exactly this time Of day,
half past five, when my sounder COM
menced clicking away at my call. For
some reason did not respond at once !;
when did, l received the following
startling message:
"Wild engine headed your way-Old
Tartar. Ditch her.
"The message was from the operator
at Bartson, and In plain English meant
that the engine known as the Old Tar.
tar had by some means or other start.
ed off without any one on board, and
wns headed In this direction. To ditch
an engine is to open switch, thus
allowing 1t to run on to siding where
1t at last leaves the track and prob
ably goes over on its side. OF course
the engine Is badly smashed If not com
pletely ruined. but 1t is the only safe
course to adopt.
There was but one siding suitable
for the purpose, the others having more
or less cars on them. The switch was
about hundred yards down the track
In the direction of Bartson.
ut was evident to me that the Old
Tartar must have passed Bartson when
they commenced calling me, and as
wild engines generally travel pretty
fast, l foresaw that 1 had not any toe
much time in which to carry out m,
instructions.
II will mention one more fact: mr.
accommodation train was due from the
East inside of half an hour.
"You may believe 1 did not lose mucl
time In leaving the depot and heading
for the switch. I had not taken hall
dozen steps when heard dull roar
Of but momentary duration. That told
me as well as words could that the Old
Tartar had crossed Mud River bridge
less than quarter Of mile away.
II can get over the ground at fai,
rate of speed when necessary, and !
considered that one of the occasions
I had Travelled considerably more thar
half of the distance when, glancing up
saw the Old Tartar shoot around thu
curve at the top Of the grade which
ends at this station. 1t was a rae,
between myself and that engine, with
the switch as the objective point.
Apparently l was sure of winning
but l realized that l had no time to
spare.
II had nearly reached the switch
when l stumbled and fell. Not more
than five seconds We're lost, yet fall.
ed. l was In the act of scrambling to
my feet when the Old Tartar rushed
past me like whirlwind. 1 realized
that l had missed her, but / did not
bemoan my luck. There was not time
for that, as the operator at Dawson
must be warned Immediately.
II rushed back to the station and
called him up. lie responded immedl.
ately, and forwarded to him the mes.
sage l had received but moment be.
fore. Back came the reply:
"'Too late; the accommodation left
i've minutes ago.
perhaps You can imagine what my
feelings were when received that an
swer! A collision which would surely
result in the loss of life seemed ineyit.
able; nothing short Of miracle could
avert 1t. l blamed myself for the
whole thing. II I had answered the
call Immediately, l should have sue
ceeded in dltching the Old Tartar. 1
seemed to be standing on the verge of
a precipice over which l feared every
moment to fall. only came to myself
when l heard rumble, and. looking
down the track toward Dawson, saw
the headlight Of an engine. A moment
afterward the accommodation pulled up
at the station.
Il lost no time In approaching the