Year: 1877




tender and half dozen cars were stove
and piled up together, my fireman killed
and | was dragged out from under the
the wreck pret y badly scnlded and used
up. But my time hadn't come yet, and
I was soon on the road again, and


Something on the track Looks like
somebody waving lantern, but the sleer
is so thick / can't rightly make out,
shouted the fireman.


John Lathrop sprang to his post.made
the whistle shrek like an imprisoned
and tortured fiend; reversed the engine
and whistled on brakes. But his trained
eye instantly saw that it would be of nc
use-that he could not check the cad
way of the heavy train in time to avert
running over the object; re that what il
might, for the track was so narrow and
walled in by high embankments that es.
cape was impossible. Besides they were
upon the something upon the track,
before they were aware of it, having
rounded short curve


There is my home" gasped John La,
throp, pointing out into the gloom, The
Big Stony is just ahead, and-Oh, my
God. if the culvert should have given
way and my boy have come to give me
warning"


Your home-your boy?" echoed the
ramp.


Great Heaven, yes" and the strong
man became unnerved and robbed of all
decision.


'ltis boy!" shouted the fireman; "and
may God have mercy upon him. l be,
lieve it is your John"


The passenger said nothing, but a wild
determination flashed from his eyes as
he arose, climbed out along the side OF
the monster engine-a Juggernaut I'M
mense enough to have crushed hundreds
at time beneath its pondrous wheels.
The midday like sunbeams of the head
light streamed out and made all plain
20 him, despite the thick sleet and dark
ness


He saw land shiver other than that
produced bya cold passed through him)
a boy standing directly ahead in the
deep cut, waving a lantern, whose blood
red globe shone like an evil eye.
Though still at a little distance he
seemed directly down and devoured.


He saved my life" muttered the
tramp, from between his tightly set
teeth, "and I'll do as much for him if
can. Anyway, I'll try, and 1 haven't
anybody to mourn for me if go under.


His resolution was desperate one
must be carried out without the delay of
single moment, if at all. He swung
himself down upon the pilot, twisted his
fee, within the iron bars, and extended
his body ahead as rigid as if carved from
oak, and stretching his hands still in adj
vance.


1t was a trying situation, one requir-
ing the greatest courage-ap position no
one unused to such feats of strength
within the arena could have sustained
at all But he did, and bravely, and tn
engine rolled on nearer and nearer, a,,G
the hoy suddenly becoming aware o.
his danger and the impos-ibility Of
escape, sank down upon the ties. and
his scream of mortal agony ring ont
louder than the jar of wheels and hiss
ing OF steam.


"Father. Father, save me. oh
save me".


Save him" John Lathrop Was
kneeling on the floor of the cab. with
his hands raised in prayer, his face
white as snow, and working in the
most terrible torture. The fireman
had taken bis place at the lever, throt-
tie and whistle, and the engine pluDg
ed with increased speed upon a down
grade to grind into atoms all that op
posed its way.


1t WAS upon-over the boy! No
heaven be praised, the arms of the
tramp had grasped, lifted upon the pi-
lot and to safety before he was touch
ed by the fire eating monster, and
when it paused. quivering upon the
very brink of the crippled culvert.
John Lathrop was holding his brave
boy in his arms, hugging him to his
heart, and crying over him like a
woman.


IN the morn of cleer Sabbath No
SO rolled into the station, and when
John Lathrop told bis wife of how
their boy had been saved. she
spraDg to the stranger and kissed hiIu
from the impulse of mothers heart.
there was no jealous frown upon his
brow.