The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-01-20

some slower train tnat stopped there, were
to be seen watching us as we flew past
But they never saw me as l clung, with
desperate grippe and aching limbs, to the
swiftly-hurrying mass of wood and iron
Twice during that phantom ride heard
the shrek of the steam-whistle of com.
ing train, and twice 1 saw the red lamps
and flame Of the advancing engine, glarine
through the dark like the angry eyes and
lurid breath of some monstrous creature
rushing down upon its prey. And then,
with clang and clash, and deafening roar,
and in the midst of gust of wind caused
by its rapid progress, the long array Of
carriages went by me. On, on, as if i'm
PEELED by demons force, we flew; and
still feebler grew my arm, and 1 felt des-
pair and fatigue benumb my faculties, and
was half tempted to let 60 my hold and
drop, and face the worst at once beneath
the grinding sway of the merciless wheels.
Should we never be at C. How
long would that hideous night continue /!
Was it possible that my tired muscles
would much longer endure the strain up
on them7 And then came new thought.
l remembered that in dear Carry's last let
ter she had made me half-playful prom
ise that she and my sister Clara and the
rest would come down to the station and
meet me there on the arrival of the night
train. That recollection filled nv tortured
heart with new anguish, as l thought of
our mutual love, of the wedding day so
soon to come, and Of poor CaroIine's grief
when she should be left, widowed of the
betrothed bridegroom of her choice. And
then the mental pain was conquered by
physical weakness and distress, and nv
dulled brain preserved nothing but vague
terror lest | should fall-fall beneath
those pitiless iron wheels SO close to me-
And then l seemed to fall again into a
waking dream, through which the lights
of { station cleaned very brilliantly
Real lights! real crowd. though the
figures seemed to waver dimly before my
dazzled eyes. The train had come TO 4
dead stop. We really were at G l
saw commotion among those on the plat
form. | heard shout of surprise. and
men came running and lifted me from
where l lay. and carried me between them
into the station. the centre of a number of
eager faces and cries of pity. amazement
and alarm. Among those faces was tha,
of Caroline Lethbridse. and as she saw
me, pale, bloody, and apparently dead.
and heard me called dead by the needless
lounges around her, | tried in vain TO
speak. us | slw her totter and sink faint
ING in my sisters arms. And then |
swOoned again, and when medical care
and rest brought back my senses. read
in the pitving looks OF those about me
that some fresh grief was in store for me
1t was even so.
My Caroline WAS dangerously i'll of a
brain fever. and though her life was saved
her reason, poor stricken thing. never was
restored. As for myself. a long illness
followed, and left me broken in health and
spirits. and with hair that the horror of
that hideous night had sprinkled with pre-
mature gray. Our two happy young
lives were blighted by one stroke. A
for the Russian and his accomplicc. all
clue to them and the stolen Jewels was
lost. Yet. soon or late. | cannot doubt
but justice will claim her own.-Once a
Week.