Year: 1871

The Old Woman's Railway Station.


The most effective working force in the
world in which we live is the law of kind
ness. For it is the only moral force that
operates with the same effect upon mankind,
beast-kind, and bird-kind. From time i'm
memorial music has wonderfully affected all
beings, unreasoning, that have ears to hear.
The prettiest idea and simile of ancient lite
rature relate to 0rpheus playing his Tyre to
animals listening in intoxicated silence to its
strains. Well, kindness is the spontaneous
music of goodwill to men and beasts. And
both listen to it with their hearts instead of
their ears; and the hearts of both are affec-
ted by it in the same way, if not to the same
degree. Volumes might be written filed
with beautiful illustrations of its effects upon
both. The music of kindness has not only
the power to charm, but to transform both
the savage heart of man and beast; and on
this harp the smallest fingers in the world
may play heavens sweetest tunes on earth.
Some time ago we read of an incident that
will serve as an illustration of this beautiful
law. 1t was substantially to this effect: A
poor, coarse featured old woman lived on the
line of the Baltimore and Ohio railway,
where it passes through wild, unpeopled
district of Western Virginia. She was
widow, with only one daughter, living with
her in log hut, near deep, precipitous
gorge, crossed by the railway bridge. Here
she contrived to support the ''rsa svss
and selling poultry


| in their season, { ~


the market She had ). lt4g,s


walk of many miles to town where she
could sell her basket of produce. The rail
way passed by her cabin to this town; but
the ride would cost too much of the profits
of her small sales, SO she generally trudged
on to the market on foot. The conductor
came finally to notice her walking by the
side of the line or between the rails and,
being good-natured, benevolent man, he
would often give her ride to and fro with
out charge. The enginemen and breakmen
were also good to the old woman, and felt
they were not wronging the interests of the
railway company by giving her these free
rides. And soon an accident occurred, that
proved that they were quite right in this view
of the matter. n


In the wild month of March the rain de.
scended and the mountains sent down their
rolling, roaring torrents of melted snow and
ice into this gorge near the old woman's hut
The flood arose with the darkness of the
night, until she heard the crash of the rail-
way bridge, as it was swept from its but
ments, and dashed its broken timbers against
the craggy sides of the precipice on either
side. 1t was nearly midnight. The rain
fell in food, and the dark was deep
and the storm was bowling.


In another half hour the express train
would be due. What could she do to warn
it against the awful destruction it was ap-
preaching? She had hardly a whole tallow
candle in her house; and no light she could
make of tallow or oil, if she had it, would
| live moment in that tempest of wind and
rain. Not moment was to be lost; and her
thought was equal to themoment She cut
the cords of her only bedstead, and should
cred the dry posts, side pieces and head
pieces. Her daughter followed her with their
two wooden chairs. Up the steep embank-
ment they climbed, and piled all their house.
hold furniture upon the line, few rods be.
fore the black, awful chasm, gurgling with
the roaring food.


The distant rumbling of the train came
upon them, just as they had fired the well
dried combustibles. The pile blazed up into
the night, throwing its red, swaying, bloom
ing light long way up the track. In fifteen
minutes it would begin to wane, and she
could not revive it with green, wet wood.
I The thunder of the train grew louder. 1t
was within five miles of the fire. Would they
see it in time? They might not put on brakes
soon enough. Awful thought!


She tore her red flannel gown from her in
moment, and tying it to the end of stick,
ran up the track, waving it in both hands,
while her daughter swung round her head a
blazing chairrpost a little before. The lives
of hundred unconscious passengers hung
on the issue of the next minute. The ground
trembled at the old woman feet The great
red eyes Of the engine burst upon her as it
came round curve. Like as huge, sharp
sighted lion coming suddenly upon fire, it
sent forth thrilling roar, that filled all the
wild heights and ravinea around. The train
was at full speed; but the breakman wres-
tied at their leverage with all the strength of
/ desperation. The wheels ground along on