SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 353, 2 April 1910, Page 10

SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION.

UNEQUAL RACE FOR A LIFE. "The life of a stoker on the Italian State railway," said Altlo Hinna (writes Frederic Lees in the Wide World Magazine), "is not a very eventful one as a rule. •Perhaps my love of action was responsible for the adventure which happened to me and little Angelina Loiuliardi the other day. "My age is 21 and I am generally on duty on locomotive 5412, in company with my friend Baldinelli, the driver. One morning we were pulling a heavy goods train from Osimo to Varano, and travelling, too, at a great speer.

"All went well until we were within about six kilometres of Ancona. It was 'then that I suddenly heard Baldinelli give a, sharp cry and saw this hand fly to the lever for cutting off the steam. The next moment he had put on the -brake.

"Like a flash I was at Baldinelli's side, and on looking ahead of the engine saw before us, not a train, but a little child, quietly playing between the metals in the beautiful sunlight. We were then about a hundred yards away, but travelling at such a speed that, unless -the little one paid attention to the whistle, and quickly got out of the way, we should be upon her. What was to be done Though the brake was on to its full extent, we still flew forward at wfcat appeared to me to tie a terrible rate. Baldinelli seemed paralysed, and said not a word. Indeed, there was no time for words. Prompt action of some sort was the only means of saving that human life.

"Suddenly an idea occurred to me. I must get to that child before the locomotive—l must get it out of the path of danger even if I myself were to perish in the act. But how was that to be done Then I remembered that I was a good runner, and the idea of racing the engine came into my head. A wild idea it was, I admit, but we often act omwild ideas on the spur of the moment, and sometimes with success. No sooner said than done.

"We were now within about sixty yards of the child. Without wasting time by explaining to Baldinelli what T was about to do, I leapt from the right hand side of the locomotive—fortunately without being thrown on my head. No sooner had T touched the ground than I saw the engine forge ahead, and a race which I shall never forget as long as I live began: a race between a locomotive travelling smoothly over the rails, and a man struggling and stumbling over the sleepers and stone i.' the adjoining lines. But. remembering that, whereas I could put on speed, the engine, owing to the continued action of the brake, was losing its impetus ever - ' second, T made up my mind to set ahead. Yard by va<rd T sained upon it, until at last, with Baldinelli's words of encouragement ringing iu my ears—for be had found his voice on seeing what I was about—l passed in front. At that moment but twenty yards separated the engine from the still heedless child. "Could I reach her in time to drag her out of danger? As I reached mv 2r0.1l the locomottive was only ten yards behind, and I saw with horror that it was still coming on at a good speed. Springing into the middle Of the track. I seized the little girl by, the waist and arm, and prepared to jump aside. But it was too late—the locomotive was upon us! "Another second and we should both have been killed. A sudden inspiration came to me. I flung mvsejf down between the metals, with little Angelina partly beneath me, and, holding my breath, for I almost feared to breathe, forced her flat upon the ground.

"What my sensations were as the train passed over us I can hardly sav. The whole thing occurred so rapidly, and I was so intent on saving the child's life, that mv brain had hardly time to think. But I distinctly remember feeling the hot fire-box of the locomotive pass close to my face, and then the cool wind caused by the waggons rushing ocer us. The train was composed of 34 heavilv-loaded trucks, and it seemed an eternity before the 'aH had gone on its way. Then only did I dare breathe and raise my head. Yes, there was the ■last of the waggons; our lives were saved.

Such was the impetus of the train that, by the time I had got to mv feet and had raised the weeping, terrified child from the ground, thel ast waggon was fully 50 yards away. When it finally came to a. standstill, Baldinelli, who had jumped from his ensine and was coming to meet us at a run, could hardlyl believe that he had left us so. far behind. Mv poor comrade was quite overcome with emotion, for he had eiven us up for dead, and expected to find, as he afterwards confessed to me, only our mangled bodies."