Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-02-18

The time was now approaching when the
two o'clock train was due. There was death
like silence, broken only by the mournful
tones of occasional gusts of wind, which, like
evil spirits sporting round US, rushed to and
fro through the ill-made cars, unseen, but
painfully heard and felt
Everyone had huddled themselves in what
ever they could find as a protection from the
biting cold. Although hardy and strong, l
began to feel exhausted and benumbed; and
probably should have fallen into dangerous
stupor but for my mind being racked with
thought.
How should | act ?
If | gave these two men up to Justice (sup-
posing the overseer survived,) what proof
was there that they had poisoned the d par
alytic ?"
[ asked Alice-so We will now call her
whether the overseer had the spoils with him
or not: She said he had admitted to her
that he had gold, notes and securities to
very large amount upon him.
then searchedthe still sleeping Doctor !"
he so motionless and deathlke that be-
gan to fear lest the chloroform had had a
fatal effect upon him. | found nothing but a
| few dollars, and a revolver, which | took ;
| and with his wnneck-handkerchief, securely
tied his hands behind him.
1t was now showing heavily again; but
| sailed forth once more into the snow, and
found the overseer still under the engine,
| frozen as hard as the iron which covered him,
and doubtless quite dead.
| With fingers almost as lifeless as his own,
searched him, and found, besides the expected
loaded revolver and bowie knife, large can
vas belt, fastened round his waist, containing
the stolen money.
| fastened back with it to Alice, fearing
she might be overcome with the cold, and
| fall asleep.
| Just as [ had my hand on the door of the
| car, heard a well known sound there was
no need to think twice-the driver of the
expected train, blinded by the snow, had not
seen the danger signal With criminal neg
ligence they had not telegraphed our non
arrival from R; the train was rushing
on US
| shouted loudly to the occupants of the
| ears to save themselves, and sprang into ours
for Alice.
Even in the short time had been absent
she had nearly gone to sleep.
No wonder, poor girl She had experienced
hunger, thirst, (for she dare not take food
from the overseer, lest he should poison her, J
excitement and cold-btter cold such as
happily we don't know in England
l seized her in my arms, and had scarcely
| leaped from the car before the crash came
[ will not dilate on the horrors of the col
| hslOn-we have too many such descriptions
in our daily papers. Happily, my shouting
had aroused most OF the passengers, but some
| three or four never knew how death came
laid the fainting body of Alice for a few
! moments, carefully wrapped up, on the snow
whilst | searched for our late evil com
panons.
The murderers had met a milder fate than
they deserved. The frozen overseer was com
pletely smashed beneath the engine Wheth-
er the 'doctor" really died from the effects
Of cold and the chloroform cannot tell, and
do not like to think.
| He also was bruised and almost shapeless
mass both had died painless deaths.
| The engineer and stoker Of the train which
run into US had jumped into the snow, and
were unhurt. The passengers were very few
! and, surprising to say, only one was killed.
We made great fires of the debris, and wait
ed the morning, when help should come.
Amid all the horrors of the scene felt a
thrill of happiness in having Alice looking at
me as her sole protector and through the
night laying her head on my shoulder, in sheer
WEAKNESS and exhaustion, suffering my arms
| to support her.
felt as if l had known her for years. Was
the gentle girl who leaned unconsciously on
me- whom | had met under such strange cir
cumstances-was she soon to be severed from
me? No never! And with that thought |
| clasped her closer to my heart.
| At last help came; about ) o'clock in the
morning an express came fran R, ex-
| pecting to find breakdown they took us
| up, and we arrived at R about eight
| o'clock.
| | asked Alice what she would wish to do !?
In some confusion she said:
81 know not what to say ~ But, putting
her little hand in mine, she said "Win
you who have watched over me through that
dreadful night, who have saved me from the
horrors of which | cannot think, see me safe
back to my own home-my own, indeed,
now; it will be very lonely, no one to vel,
come me but the servants; but it is my right
place Am asking too much ?"
Need | tell the reader my answer e?
offered myself, poor surveyor, as her
husband as well as protector
She did not say no.
We gave up the plantation; for I could
not reconcile myself to my owning slaves, al
though theirs was anything but bondage
The railway accident was universally be-
uncle, the oyerseer, and the "doctor;" AL
ice with pardonable deception, explaining
that the Doctor" not finding Dr. VI at
his own town, insisted on going to the next,
to some other surgeon.
Alice and have now lived happily in England
many years; but we never see the snow w.
ing thickly on the ground, without shudder-
ing at the recollection of the night which we
passed in the snow drift.
The GOLD MEDAL FOR GEN. GRANT.-Leutze