South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-08-20

IA view Of the wreck, but there is common
seLs- in it even yet"
The old General uttered sound that
was mixture of smoker and a chuckle
as he told of the primitive wrecking meth
DDS. Still he did not want you to think
for minute that the labor along vrecEing
lines of those days was to be made game
of. 1t was in every way digniiied work
and although he chuckled at the change
the years had brought it was his turn TO
chuckle and not yours Suddenly the vet
GRAMS face clouded.
al killed little boy down near Ia
cony years ago. There were three chill
dren crossing the track. | saw them a
were ahead, and should have kept closer
to the little boy. There was time and there
was a chance for him to get across safely.
l knew he could do it if he only would keep
right on after his elders. But although l
had the locomotive reversed and the brakes
on, fate willed it that l should strike him.
He slipped and fell just before l reached
the spot where he was crossing. l struck
his head. l can feel the engine pounding
yet That was around 1850. 1t always
upsets me when l think of it"
The wrinkled old face contracted with
the painful remembrance and tears came
into the eyes that but a moment before
had twinkled with appreciation of the
droll wrecking methods of bygone days.
Think of the oddities of human nature
Here was a man ninety-two years of age
telling with quavering voice and deep emo
ton of the death CT a little child more than
sixty years before. The critical condition
of his own life did not prevent him mourn
ing for the little child taken from earth
long ago. Out of the window the old man
looked silently until he had recovered his
composure. Then his mood shifted again
and he revealed a whimsical smile as he
turned.
Some time after the Tacony accident
I hit little boy as l was running between
Bristol and Morrisville He was a little
boy, just able to walk, about a year and a
half old. 1 hit him with the owcatcher
and knocked him thirty-five feet. Wasn't
that awful?"
1t sounded awful enough, but somehow
the Generals" smile belied the alarm
that one should feel over such an occur
renee. Again came the chucke
Il saw the little chap, think, about two
or three hundred yards away. His parents
lived right alongside the track. He had
never had a good look at the iron horse
and this day he strayed out of gate to the
track to view it in the open. All be had
on was one little garment-a red flannel
night gown. He stood right in the mid.
die Of the track, not BIT afraid, as we
bore down on him, legs apart and shaking
a switch at us.
Il shut off, reversed, and put on all the
brake power possible. We slowed down a
good deal, of course, with the driving
wheels turning backward as fast as steam
could make them go. / made up my mind
I'd try to grab the child. So / started to
get out of the cab and 90 along the run
ming board 10 the cowcatcher. In my
eagerness l got wedged fast in the cab
1t was only for a second that
was held. but in that length of time and
as / got out on the running board the
engine struck the little fellow.
He was knocked thirty-five feet into
his parents potato patch. Not a bone
was broken, and his bruises were only