The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-31

mnst be done2 1t appeared we were sole wit
nesses of the accident and though The crash
t'might have been heard, and the jar felt at the
Village. who would think of q land slider And
upon the railrondl Ten minutes at least must
have elapsed before We could give the alarm,
and in half that time the train was due.
/ 10 that speeches. breathess moment. be
fore my duller ear perceived it, Betsey caught
the sound of the approaching train, unified as
il was by the bill that lay between It was
advancing at fearful speed rushing on-all
that freight of joyous human life,--on to Ger.
tain destruction; into the terrible jaws Of
Deathi t.f-
was utterly paralyzed. Not SO Mrs
Walkers Befsey. &zs ,-s~ss -.
I'm goin' to run and yelI,' she cried. and
was off upon the instant. Screaming at the
ltop of her voice, keeping near the edge of the
bank from which she could be soonest seen
from the approaching train, plungingl through
tunder-brnsh, and leaping leaping like chs.
mois among the rocks, she dashed on, and
lsounded her warning cry as she went.
Fire! Firel Murder! Hello the housel-
Head The horses! Thieves! Thieves! Mad
dogs! Get out of the way old Dan TuckerI
were a, few of the changes improvised as she
ran. -
followed as could; seemingly in a sort OF
might mare. wondering why I did not shrek
Iyet incapable of making sound; expecting
Ievery moment to fall upon the rocks. yet pick.
ling my steps with surepess ond rapidity that
astonished me even then. iR.s lsa g5 sri
Betsey's next move was TO bend down a
small sapling, and calling to me to throw nv
red scarf upon it, she allowed it TO rebound
Then she bd7me shake it, which did vigor.
onsly- ltstoed at an angle upon the bank
and commanding a long stretch of the raj
road, 1t was most appropriate place to erect
signal. Then ieaping upon the track she
bounded on like deer, shouting and gestieu
lating with redeubled energy. now that the
train appeared ih sight, 1t soon became eyi
dent that the engineer was neither blind OF
deaf for the brakes were speedily applied, ane
the engine reversed. Still it dashed on with
fearful velocity, and Betsey7 turned and rar
back toward the obstructed place in agony
of excitement. -
Gradually the speed iessened, the wheels
obeyed their checks. and when at last the,
came to a full stop, the COW catcher,was with
in four feet of the rock. Many, seeing tbt
danger. had already leaped off; many more
4 tarrifad and unconscious of Z ha -oal no.,ro !,
the danger, crowded the platform, and pushe,
off those before them. 1t was scene of tn,
widest confusion, in the midst OF which m,
heart sent up only the quivering cry of joy
'Savedl saved!
Betsey bad climbed half way up the banl
and thrown herself exhausted upon the grav
el, with her apron drawn over her head.
picked my way down to the train, 10 assist tn,
frightened children. Mr.. Price, the principal
was banding out his own three, and Teachers
and pupils followed like swarns of bees from
hive.
Now, Miss Burke, said the principal in
voice that grew very tremuious, as he looke'
at the frightfu mass before him, 4 wish t.
/
ed us from this hideous fate. Was it you2'
think never felt a glow of truer pleas
ure than then, as answered quickly Il ha
nothing to do with saving your lives and tax
no credit in the matter. The person to whor
your thanks are due sits on the bank yonde
Mrs. Walkers Betsey.'
Every eye wandered toward the crouchin
figure. who, with head closely covered. appeal
ed Indifferent TO all that was passing. M
Price opened his port monpaie Here are tw
dollars be said. which wish you 10 give tn
girl, for myself and children. Tell her as
school, she will hear from us again
I went to Retseys side, put the money
her hand, and begged her to uncover her fac
But she resolutely refused to do more tha
peep through one of the holes in her apron,
the whole school singIy and slowly defled pa
her in the narrow space between the train an
the bank. A more crest. fallen multitude
Dever saw, andthe eyes that ventured to tui
toward the prostrate figure, as they passe
within few feet of her, had shame and CO
triton in their glances. Only once she whi
pered, as a naughty looking boy went pa,
That's the one thatkicked over my basket
! wish I'd a let him gone to smash! i do SO
The children climbed over this rocks, an
went to their homes, sadder and wiser for the
awful lesson; and in twenty four hours Il
track was cleared from obstruction. ~
The principal, though a man but little
clined tn louk for the tapUal side of snch n
prepossessing humanity as Mrs. Walkers Be-
sey, had too strong a, sense of justice. and t,
grateful a sense of his childreHs spared live
not to make make very affecting appeal to 4
, assembled school on the following day.
vote to consider Betsey a member of Il
school, and entitled TO all its privileges, m
with no opposition, aud card of than
couched in feeling terms received the sign
t ture of every pupil and teacher A pus
+ vas next made up for her by voluntary co
tributions, amounting to twenty dollars; a
to this was added an entire new suit of cloth
? and quantity of books. and handsome r
j sha,cl in which her brunette skin, cartf
washed, and her neatly combed jetty hair, 8
peared to excellent advantage. st-i
Betsey bore her honors meekly, and no Ii
ger feeling that she was scorned as an init
g der, came regularly to school. learned rapid
d and, in her new dress and improved mann
n became gradually an atti active as she had
!. ways been a most intelligent child. OF /
own aacord, she went to the teachers a
s. confessed sundry mlschievous pranks and 6
j, snrdities, formerly committed, but firmly {
4 MED any participation in the more serious m
!, demeanors which had been attributed to h
And strange to say no one doubled her stol
: In less than year her mother died, and |