Year: 1873

The Heroine Of the Train.


Mr.. Derrick Dodd writes as follow
tothe capttaa about the branch rail
road to Baltimore and Washington
But about this railroad. OF cours,
| want 1t abolished-every one does
The reckless velocity with which the
trains are run between here and Balti
more is absolutely friehtful. l wa,
delighted years ago when this roae
was established because I thought W.
had got rid of the old, rickety and
dangerous and fast stage coaches
but the speed they are beginning t
ruii the trains at, on this road, /.
worse yet. Now, every one knows
that Baltimore is forty miles from
Washington, If it isan inch, and three
days aud half is plenty quick enough
for the trip, but the managers have al.
ready reduced the schedule to three
days and four hours, and what with
making the engine fires too hot, and
all that, the conductors are even cut
ting that time down.


Why, it was only the other day, on
the down trip, we happened to spy
Simm's ole mule about two miles ou,
of town.


What should the reckless wretch OF
an engineer do but clap on full steam
and race every foot Of the way into the
depot! We didn't exactly pass the
mule, bat we caught up with him
twice, and came into the depot neck
and neck-and which was putting the
most, the mule or the engine, you
couldn't have told to save your life.
Now it was exciting and all that
| know, bat | hadn't purchased an ac-
cident ticket, and don't believe the
other four passengers had either.


This is all wrong, Mr.. Editor, all
wrong.


Aud then Oh another occasion, | re-
member, we came within a hairs
breadth of having a serious accident.


The engineer had gotten of to snow
ball chipmunk, and the conductor
was mindinga a young widows baby
for her-the result was tha. we hap
pened to get on down grade, and we
started off at a terrific rate every bit OF
four miles an hour, l should think.


We were half mile above the An
napolis junction, and the first thing we
knew there being no one to whistle
and wake up the switch -tender-we
were turned off into the Annapolis
road, and went down the wrong track
at full speed.


Imagine our CONSERVATION, when
just at this moment we heard whis-
tie, not half mile ahead Of us, OF the
Annapolis UP express.


We We're paraIyzed with terror.


Here were two trains on the same
track, approaching each other at the
dizzy speed inst mentioned. Eyiden-
tly onr time had come. In q few
short hours the engines would meet
and then destruction.


With great presence OF mind min
lister on board organized prayer meet.
| ing


| Pale but calm the doomed band O
passengers sat, and though with the
very shadow of death upon them rails.





ell their voices in partingshymn.


send for the baggage .master,n said
a young man with a sad smile.


''Why:' was asked.


Because we are about to pass in our
checks"


Every body wept.


From the rear platform we could see
the miserable engineer straining ev-
cry nerve TO catch up but he had tight
boots on, and didn't gain anything to
speak Of


At this moment ray OF hope
dawnea upon US.


! had just finished writing my will
OH the back of visiting card, when
observed a young lady in the act OF
detaching her hustle.


Placing the article-which was COM
posed Of eight hundred old news papers
and IL hair mattress--uuder her arm.
the heroine marched through the car.


We followed her aixiously.


She climbed up on the tender and
then over the engine.


II was very interesting and thrilling
to see her climbing over the wheels
aud brass things on the way to the
cow catcher.


Il reminded me of country girl
getting over a wire fence.


Let me see. where was L? Oh yes
on the COW catcher.


Holding on bv the cross-b bars with
one hand, the noble maiden tied the
hustle on the sharp PROV of the COW
catcher with the other.


You can guess the result.


In the course of the afternoon the
collision came off. Protected by the
hustle, the engines received a gentle
bump, and We were saved.


took up collection for the woman
on the spot


l always take up collection on such
occasions, always.


And what's more, l never forget to
give the object interested something
nice out of it, never


There is nothing mean about me.