Year: 1871

A poor, coarse-featured old women
lived on the line of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railway, where itpasses through a
wild, unpeOpled district of West Vir-
ginia. She was a widow, with only one
daughter living with her in log hut,
near a deep, pTecipitOus gorge, crossed
by a railway bridge. Here she cOntriv-
ed to support themselves by raising and
selling poultry and eggs, adding berries
in their season, and other little articles
for the market. She had to make a
long, weary walk of many miles to a
town where she could sell her basket of
produce. The railway passed by her
cabin to this town but the ride would
cost too much of the profits of her small
sales, so she trudged on generally to the
market on foot. The conductor came
finally to notice her walking by the side
of the line or between the rails; and, be-
ing a good natured, benevolent man, he
wonld often give her ride to and fro
without charge. The enginemen were
also good to the old woman, and felt
they were not wrOnging the interests OF
the railway company by giving heI
these free rides. And soon an accident
occurred that proved that they were
quite right in this view of the matter


In the wild month of March the rain
descended, 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
rose with the darkness of night, until
she heard the crash of the railway
bridge as it was swept from its abut.
ments and dashed its broken timbeTs
against the craggy sides Of the precipice
on either side. It was nearly midnight.
The rain fell in flood, and the dark.
ness was deep and bowling with the
storm. in another half hour the ex.
press train would be due. What could
she do to warn it against the awful de.
structiOn it was approaching? She had
hardly a whole tallow candle in hel
house; and no light she could make o


tallOw or oil, if she had it, would burn
moment in that tempest of wind and
rain. Not a moment was to be lost


but her thought was equal to the
moment. She cut the cord O.


her only bedstead, and shoulderet
the dry posts, side pieces and heaC
piece. Her daughter followed her with
their two wooden chairs. Up the steer
embankment they climbed, and piled
all the household furniture upon The
line few rods before the black, awfu


chasm, gurgling with the roaring flood


The distant rumbling of the train came
upon them just as they had fired th,
well dried combustibles. The pile
blazed up into the night, throwing it
red, swailing, booming light a long way
up the track. In fifteen minutes i


would begin to wane, and she could no


revive it with green, wet wood. The
thunder of the train grew louder. I


was within five miles of the fire
Would they see it in time? They NIGH


not put on the brakes soon enough
Awful thought! She tore her red fan.
mel gown from her in moment, and


tying it to the end of a stick, ran VI
the track, waving it in both hands
while her daughter swung round hel
head blazing chair post little before.


The lives Of a hundred unconscious
passengers hung on the issue of the mex
minute. The ground trembled at the
old woman's feet. The great red eye o


the engine burst upon her as it came
round a curve. Like huge, sharp sight


ed lion coming upon fire, it sent forth Z
thrilling roar, that filed all the wild
nights and ravines around. The trair
was at full speed; but brakemen wres


tied at their leverage with all tn


strength Of desperation. The wheel
ground aIOng on the heated rails slow