The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-10-31

Wringing her hands and sobbing: ION.
my darling. my poor child-stop the
train at once!"
She began to pound Mallory.s
shoulders and shake him frantically.
he had never seen her this way eth
er. He was getting his education in
advance. He tried to calm her with
inexpert words: How can / stop the
train? Now, dearie, he was nice
dog, but after all, he was only dog. !"
She rounded 'on him like panther:
Only dog! He was worth dozen
men like you. You find the conductor
at once, command him to stop this
train-and back up! | don't care II
he has to go back ten miles. Run,
tell him at once. Now, you run!"
Mallory stared at her as Ii she had
gone mad, but he set out to run some
where, anywhere. Marjorie paced up
and down distractedly, tearing her
hair and moaning, "Snoozleums, Snoo-
zleums! My child. My poor child!"
At length her wildly rowing eyes noted
the bell rope. She stared, pondered,
| nodded her head, clutched at 1t. could
not reach it, jumped for 1t several
times in vain, then seized chair.
swung 1t into place, stood up in It,
gripped the rope, and came down on
1t with all her weight, dropping to the
floor and jumping UP and down in a
frenzied dance In the distance the
engine could be heard family whist
ling, whistling for every pull.
The engineer, far ahead, could not
imagine what unheard of crisis could
bring about such mad signals. The
fireman yelled:
Il bet that crazy conductor is at
tackled with an epilettic fit."
But there was no disputing the
command. The engine was reversed.
the air brakes set, the sand run out
and every effort made to pull the
iron horse, as it we're, back on its
launches
The grinding, squealing. Jolting,
shook the train like an earthquake.
The shrieking OF the whistle froze the
blood like woman's cry of Muir
der!" in the night. The women among
the passengers echoed the screams.
The men turned pale and braced
themselves for the shock OF collision.
Some OF them were mumbling pray
ers. DR.. Temple and Jimmie Yelling
ton, with one idea in their dissimilar
souls, dashed from the smoking room
to go to their wives.
Ashton and Wedgewood, with no
one to care for but themselves. seized
windows and tried to fight them open.
At last they budged a sash and kneIt
down to thrust their heads out.
Il don't see beastly thing ahead
said Wedgewood. except the heads
of other fools."
We're slowing down though" said
Ashton, ..she stops! We're safe.
Thank Cod" And he collapsed into
a chair Wedgewood collapsed into
another. gasping: ''Whatevah are we
safe from, wondah?"
The train-crew and various passen-
gers descended and ran alongside the
train asking questions. Panic gave
way to mystery Even DR.. Temple
came back into the smoking room to
finish a precious cigar he had been at
work on. 4e was followed by Little
Jimmie, who had not quite reached
his wife when the stopping OF the
train put an end to his excuse for
chivalry. He was regretfully num-
bling:
1T would have been such a good
shansh to shave my life's wife-I
mean MY don't know what mean"
He sank into chair and ordered
drink; then suddenly remembered his
vow, and with great heroism, rescind-
ed the order.
checked just before he reached the
conductor saw that officials bewiI-
dered wrath at the stoppage and had
a fearsome. intuition that Marjorie
had somehow done the deed He hur-
ried back to the observation room,
where he found her charging up and
down, still distraught. He paused at
a safe distance and said:
The train has stopped. my dear.
Somebody rang the bell"
Il guess somebody did!" Marjorie
answered, with a proud toss OF the
head. where's the conductor"
He's looking for the fellow that
pulled the rope"
You go tell him to back up-and
slowly. too"
mo. thank you'll" said Mallory. He
was a brave young man, but he was
not boarding the conductors OF stop
ped expresses. Already the conduc-