Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 November 1884 — Saving a Fugitive. [ARTICLE]

Saving a Fugitive.

“It was before* the war. I was runaing an engine on the B. &O. In those lays there were a good many slaves get;ing away from’'their masters in Virginia and making-for Pennsylvania. So ;he owners clubbed .together audjpstab: lished a patrol afong the B. &07 For more than 100 miles they kept an average csf, three men to every mile ‘where there was timber, watching the track nights .with dogs and guns to catch any dave that would attempt to cross. One sight I was running a freight west. All if a sudden before me in the light from my headlamp I saw a colored man standS’ gop the track.. He had a heavy stick his hand and was fighting for life with a pack of dogs. Down the track I saw three slave-hunters running toward the negro. I tell yon it was a sight that made my blood boil. Acting on the impulse of the moment I shut off steam, whistled down brakes, and set up a fearful whistling. I also released the safety-valve and made her blow off steam*. I hoped to frighten, the dogs, and did. They turned and looked at the big light of the engine, and some of them rap away. But the slave was nearly as badly frightened as the dogs. He stood motionless on the track. To this day I can see his figure as it was outlined against the darkness. It was a statue of despair. Fearing that we would run over him, I clambered out to the pilot and shouted to him just in time. He roused with a start, jumped to one side as I passed and called to him to get on the train, which by this time was running slowly. I watched him get on, when I gave her a full head of steam, whistled off brakes, and we sailed by the slave hunters so fast that they could not get on. They fired at me, but missed. My fireman carried my dinner bucket back to the negro. He devoured it like a starving man. He must have been a peculiar negro, for when my fireman came back there were streaks down his coal-begrimed face. He had been crying. He said that nigger had embraced him on the top of a box-car. My bucket was empty when it came back, and then the fireman took his back to our passenger. It was emptied, too. The man was famishing. Well, that slave got into Ohio, and after an investigation my case was laid before Mr. Garrett. To satisfy the slave-owners he discharged me, but got me a job on the Pennsylvania Road, and paid me full wages all the time I was idle. ” Chicago Herald’s “"Train Talk.”

Flowers and fruit are always fit presents; flowers, because they are proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world. Their gay nature contrasts with the somber countenance of ordinary nature ; they are like musio heard out of a work-house. — Berz.

The best and most important part of » man’s education is that which ho gives himself.— E. Gibbon.