The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-11-03
A GIRLS DARING.

1t was fearful night in the latter part
of November. The frozen rain beat
ceaselessly against the easements of a lit
tie cottage situated high upon the brow
of one of the hills of the Pentland range
Of mountains and the wind ratified the
wooden door-latch SO fiercely that you
would have thought the fingers of a
ghost were seeking to unloose the portal.
The blue smoke of the pine knot fire up
on the hearth in the humble kitchen was
blown out into fantastic wreaths in the
faces of the occupants of the room, and
the sleek gray cat in the corner opened
her eyes in amazement at the " uncanny"
proceeding. Rachel Wharton sat by the
fire holding in her lap the sleeping form
Of her little sister Grace. The two girls
were alone in the house, their parents
having gone down the river two days
before, to dispose of their little stock OF
butter and cheese, and bring back in re-
turn groceries for winter consumption
Far away from all human habitation
the cottage of the Whartons stood but
Rachel was brave girl-born and bred
among the hills-she felt no fear.
Tonight, for some reason which she
could not explain to herself, she had fail
ed to retire at her usual hour; and now
her eyes were bright and wide. open,
gazing fixedly into the glowing fire. Sud
denly she rose up, and putting her sister
upon bed in corner of the room, she
threw her apron over her head and went
out into the night.
1t was pitchy dark. and the frigid
gusts of wind pierced through her thin
clothing, but she did not heed for ris
ing above all the din of wind and waters
came to her ears the crash of timbers
and the clanking of iron chains She
listened with strained nerves and hushed
heart; again there was a low, heavy
rumbling in the distance-the solid earth
beneath her feet quivered-a momentary
pause, and then the dull, dead shock o
some heavy object falling from a great
height
She understood it now the railway
bridge which spanned the river a mil,
below in the valley, had been swept
away, and the destruction of the hug,
pile of masonry and falling of the chain
ed timbers, had occasioned the strang,
sounds to which she had listened. Sh,
had scarcely had time to arrive at thi.
conclusion, when another thought strucl
her.
The express train bound east was du,
at Hartstein, the next town, at clever
O'Clock it must now, even, be near tha
hour
She flew back to the room she had Jus
left, and examined the clock upon tn,
mantle. The hour hand pointed to tn,
figure Of ten Rachel clasped her hands
in despair. o'.
"Oh, Heaven but one hour-one lit
4 tie hour between the train and destruc
ton! The maddened river cutting me
off from all other help-what can do p
She stood a moment in silent thought
and then again She spoke aloud =
Yes, l viii venture it; can bu
fah-and it is my duty. The river i
swollen and wild, but | have manage,
the raft in many storm-I will try m,
skill again God forbid that l shoul,
stay here in safety to know that SO man,
of my fellow creatures are hurrying OIL
to such death unwarned %
While she was speaking she hastil,
gathered basket full Of pitch knot
from the pile in the corner of the hearth