Year: 1875

e
though my own senses were in perfect
state of nervous excitement. The intense
! darkness, the binding snow into which we
drove, as it seemed to me not knowing
whittier, kept my senses or the alert. |
could not divest myself of the feeling that
there was, perhaps netting in that dark
ness just ahead which we were sure &c run
into, and wreck tue train. Finally my eS-
cited brain began TO recall all the railroad
accidents of which had ever read OF heard,
until, as Lad just arrived at the height of
miserable anticipation, EXCHANGED:


"What is that?'


''Your ears are quick, ;" said the engineer,
calmly. '"That is the Ruthland acoommo-
dat:on train, it viii pass us in mo.
ment"


Even while he was speaking, there ap
peared in front of us bright rejecting
signal lantern upon the other engiue, seem
six or eight rods distant, but scarcely had
the eye settled upon the dazzling object be-
fore it swept past US on the other track so
quickly as to seem to have been a flash of
lightning and for an instant, quite taking
away my breath, though my companions
did not so much as wink an eyelid. In
this instant we had not only thirty miles
er hour headway of our own train, but
also the twenty miles per hour Of the &C
commodation train added to the speed
which so rapidly separated IS. Itwas not
a very pleasant thought which passed
through my brain just then, that misnlac-
ed switch might bring these two trains
upon the same track facing each other, and
al this frightful rate of speed the result can
easily be conceived.


Frank Moore, the engineer, had been
long in the company's service. He was
a man Of some thirty eight or forty years,
intelligent, though not cultivated, and as
watched him standing at his post that dark
and dismal night. | thought how many
lives were trusted to his sole guidance.


Supposing an accident were to happen to
him, what would become of the hundred
souls and more on the train But he stood
there a firm as the iron around him, meyer
for moment quitting the hold upon either
the valve which should signal danger or that
which shut off the motive power in case of
necessity. Begrimed by long exposure in
SCOT and smoke, his features were very dark,
but there was kindly expression through
face which challenged trust and entire conf,
dence in the man.


lie had stopped twice for wood and water,
at which time l might have taken my seat
in the passenger cars, but a sense Cf wild
fascination seemed to attach me to the loco
motive, and | determined to continue upon
it at least for while longer. And so on We
dashed. still through the dense darkness and
the binding snow, and as We had been do
ing for so many a long mile.


Now and then the engine would Jump in
its fierce headway on striking some traing
obstruction upon the rails, and my heart
would leap into almost audible action, and
to me it appeared at times though the
whole train were going over an embnnkment
to an inevitable wreck. When one of these
experiences was more decided than usual,
could not suppress an ejaculation, at which
my companions would glance 1T me with an
amused smile. Custom had used them to
these occasions, so that they gave them no
heed.


On, on, and still the driving snow storm
and the darkness reigned supreme. The
stoker fed the fire, and the engineer watch
! full as ever, peered ahead. ! was, perhaps,
getting to be sleepy from the force of the
wind and the lateness Cf the hour, for it
WAS now about midnight, when, fearing to
drop to sleep, rose from stool on which
/ | had been sitting ,and determined to change
/ to the passenger cars at the next stopping
! place. Just as | had made this mental re-
1 solve, there came suddenly crash at the
! front window of the engine that sent every
drop of blood back to my heart with a
sickning thrill.


had time to draw one long breath when
the engineer whistled loudly" "down brakes, !"
and shut of steam from the engine exclaim
ing:





'My God! what is that?" while both he
and myself shook the broken glass from our
face and necks, and he still further reversed
his engine.


ats a iantern,' said the fireman, picking


up what remained of the article whic had


come crushing in at the window.


"Thrown at u.s. said the engineer.
: "That means danger if it means any


thing"


In the meantime the train had been
brought to a standstill; the conductor had


appeared at the side of the locomotive to


consult with the engineer, the bell was rune
, the whistle sounded, aud gradually we ran


backward toward the spot where the Lantern
) had struck u.s. We had retraced our way
e for nearly a quarter of mile, when man


suddenly appeared in she darkness, ,andcame
: up to the locomotive. a
: ''Did you throw that lantern? asked th


engineer.


r '.To be sure ! did, and worse luck if
i hadn't hit ye!'' was the answer that cam
! to our ears, with unmistaken Milesian ac
q cent.


"Who are Jou?" asked the conduc
! tor.


81 am a trackman between here an
Is Brandon"


"Well what's the matter?' asked th
IS engineer.


"a pTbe matter is a broken rail lust beyaT