The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-10-29
RAVENNA, THURSDAY, OCT. 90, 1857. &


foot protruding through the narrow cracl
but promised to present difficulty in remOv
| ing the plank. - !. !, W. ! .'''' ~.
| smiled to think how, curiously I hat
been entrapped, and stopped down to re.
move the plank and free myself from 5,
dangerous position, The task was not s,
easily performed as 7 had imagined. The
plank was wedgedin, in such mann er .tha
no effort Of mine could remove it, / strov,
with more than mortal powor, but it wa
in vain; nor could extricate my foot, whict
was lacerated and bharting with the pail
lnits close confinement. oi 80 agl;8, cd
At first did not consider the extent o
MY peril, but I soon began to perceive tn
danger of my situation; and shuddere,
i, with horror to think that | should be oblig
ed to remain there, and be crushed to deatl
by the train! II was cold day In Deeem
'bef, and yet the beaded drops burst from ev
cry pore. A moment of frenzied deliriun
succeeded, and when rallied again, | founc
myself sitting between the rails, my foo
still aprisoner, anu no prospect Of delivery
4 looked at my watch; it was half past three
At FIVE the down train would pass, or il
that shouIdbe late, the EXPRESS would COUP
at half past five; and at half pas, four /;
would be dark. .... ..,5.,.,..,, -, ,.,, A..
1t was impossible, nay improbable, that
some one would pass by before it should be
too late. THIS wSy wss nearer to the vii.
lage than the road, though always regarded
as more dangerous on account ofthe narrow
ness Of The bridge, IRON which there would
be no possibility of escape, in case a train
should come in sight while passing over it.
Already had one been Killed by endeavoring
to cross at time when the train was due /;
and shouId:I be the second to perish there! (!
How the thought tortured me; and once
again ! tugged at heresistng plank, With
all my strengthT tried'to Withdraw my foot,
and leave the boot; 'bht imbossiblel l57,aF
1twds four o'clockzlin half an hour it
would be dark another half h6tGnr, and death
would be certain! | shouted for aid, but no
'habitationwas within half mile, and no an
swer was'returned to my cries. Again and
again shrieked, while the despairing ech.
oes reVerberated in the distance, as though
they would mock meiin misery. And then
with oil theHccumuIated strength of mad.
SIS, Iwrenched the plank, but could not
move iiftom its Place. 1t could not be that
! oh uld- be obliged to sit there and be crush.
ed to derth, when human ala was 80 near.
Had been in some isolated forest, some
d:th Q country distant from town and cot
tdEe, my osom au ght have BEEN more Ger.
tci's Once again shrieked with agonized
fu'y;' wihf!g, desp rat"Iy, the sounds of my
voice fun cot ." The rlIlipg air; while
nothing but the msekiug iechoes made reply
4 The sun had set, anu the darkness gather-
ing fast DIVER the valley Below .Already
the las ddenlng & ow of sunshine was
G cleaning on The tops ot the. trees. Ny ir--
fevocable destiny. became every moment
more and more appurent. iHark! my God! \
the train! No, mol stretched forward
and listened with breathless eagerness.
There was not sound to break the silence;
/ must have been deceived. But list, Al
voice! voice! Thank God! '9 o,..
"Help! help! help!" | cried, and each
TINA | shouted the word, seemed in de-
spair, nerved up to a greater power OF
speech. and calling louder and louder each
time. Did he hear! There was no answer
all was still! oh, merciful heaven, is
this last chance of life denied me! gsaagst 4
/ "Halloo. 10 go.!1,l a,!l 10 rr.. r.
The voice was distant, but oh, how my
blood leaped with Joy al, the sound! ' q
/ Again / called with oil, the strength Of
my lungs, and again was answered. In
little whiiea figure appeared advancing to-:
ward me, but It was growing already so
dark, / could not recognize him,, nor did I
care to- but when he came close to me, one
gltnce's Showed me it was Arthur Wesley!
Should l let him pass by, nor ask him to
assist me? Would he do So! As he ap.
preached he asked: .5st!e ba, ,sgsgg 'S
s.dsl this you, Mr.. Worthington! Bless
me, are you hurt! '.afast -7abs .slg
,"No, thank you, I am not much hurt, bat
see, Il am SO nicely trapped here, that, I could
could not free myselfat all, alone, and l
thing it is nearly time for the down train to
ha tt.F5lt "a sa1lssaS. ,aGiJft.assf IL
yg Ii was growing dark very. fast; SO dark.
indeed, was it that l. found it impossible to
discover what time it wasaby my watch. He
never :Resitatea a moment, but seized the
detested ,plank, with both hands. and ct the
same instant, also initiated his movements.
The accursed thiag resisted all our efforts,
and remained obstinately immovable,--
What should be done! / half an hour the
train would be, due-- would there be time to |
90 for assistance bring an axe and lib
crate my foot! ss He wouid.try!i .sssa .i,r1
.ptssF or Gods sake, Mr.. Wesley said I, as
he star rtedsta 60, sbe expsditiors itisi too
horrible 10 be Obliged to- cit here, and face
death lhwiflingIy,,'' b fsf.2 gai ktsi!gl lgd |
Il + was al alone again. The wind sighed
mourbfally about Fe, but felt relief i
even forgot my danger, and turned, my. ctr