National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-05-10

nlSHt, ana nll3lIN Oaut me gOOt
night and took her departure.
presently made all fast and seatet
myself for a quiet evening with m,
pipe aid books. BY and by | be
gan to hear the mirth at Pete,
shanty, away at the other end of the
street, waxing fast and furious.
heard the noise until ten o'clock.
when | turned in and was soon
asleep.
The next sound | heard was a
stunning blow on my door, and a
confused murmur of voices outside.
To seize my revolver and jump into
my trousers was the work If an in.
stant, and on areptition of lie blow
| called out, Stand clear outside
I'm going to fire tlwOugh the door
The second blow had nearly dashed
in the frail pine boards, and as
spoke, the third shattered the door
and | could see 10y the dim starlight
a dozen heads and sticks pressing
through tie doorway. Aiming il
at the leader, | pulled the trigger,
and heard the click of the hammer
on the capless cone. Quick as
thought | tried two more barrels,
hurled the useless thing at the near
est head, and seizing a chair smash
ed 1t to pieces on the next. Then
came a sharp crack or two over my
own head, and the stars faded away.
the dim room vanished in greater
darkness, and | was senselcSs. How
long | remained unconscious | can
not tell, but it could not have been
long, for when | first felt the damp.
cool air blowing over my face |
could hear the rctreating steps and
drunken laughter OF party of men
who concluded were my late as.
sailants. Gradually III Y senses
grew clearer. | found first that !
was bound tightly hand and foot.
Presently | opened my eyes. | lay
on my right side, my head resting
on a cold, hard substance. Then |
distinguished the rush Of waters
afar off, against the piers of the
bridge. AS my eyes became steadi-
er, | saw that the cold substance
OH which my cheek rested was a
railroad track. | could see a few
yards Of it, with its companion rail,
on which my feet rested. Beyond
and around was the dark prairie,
and a quarter of a mile away twink
led a solitary light in one of the
cabins. All this | stupidity realized
as my stunned faculties returned.
when suddenly the trightful ques-
ton flashed pom my mind: Has
the night express passed In an
instant every sense was acutely
awake. | was lying bound to a
cross tie my head slightly raised,
rested on rail. / was not very
near the head of the bridge, but far
enough up the grade to look out
over the prairie.
Evidently Pete had planned a
vengeance terrible indeed. Yet how
did | know but that the train had
passed ? / twisted my neck till the
cords cracked, and made out to see
the all right signal twinkling at
the bridge. | shouted and yelled
for help, but the more earnest | be
came the more every one within
hearing would think my shouts only
the maudlin cries of some drunken
Irishman. The signal man at the
bridge could not leave his STATEN
for any ordinary cause, and certain
" the cries of a drunken man on
Saturday night was not eXtraordi
nary. All this passed through my
nil as | shouted, untilmy strength
VS. cone. Then | lay and silently
thought. My servant must have
removed the caps from my pistol.
Why should she : What cause for
such treason had | ever given her 7
Why had / 10. ated the cabins so
far from the track ? Think as |
would the stern fact of my situation
remained, aud | could only hope
that one o'clock, and h e train too,
had passed.
But now low down, on the very
edge of the black horizon, my eye
caught faint red CLEAN. Toooften
had | watched the trains to doubt
for moment. | knew the very
spot at which that dreaded light
would appear. SO then twenty
minutes, ut the very longest, pre-
viding no accident happened, was
the lifetime remaining for me.
strained every fibre to break my
bonds or twist my neck clear of TIL,
track, bnt the rope was too strong
and u couple OF stakes driven, OH,
on each side of my neck, forbade
any motion except slight latera
one. In the intensity of my muscu
lar strain had shut my eyes. Al
opened them | saw before me
nearer, brighter, stoadier, the shin
inc reflection of the advancing train
A gain shouted, again | strained
but to no purpose. Then | lay an'
watched the light, as had Otter
done in happier times, until it seem
| ed to me that my brain must Civ
. way. closed my eyes and tried T.
, pray, but that fearful light shon
through my cyelids and banishe,
every other thought. And now
t faint, yet terribly distinct rumbl
Q began 10 fl, the air F; 1t seemed II
Z though my utmost soul felt tina
!. sound. Yet | remember noticip
> the most trivial things--a crickt
t that sung near by,a toad that climl
y ed on the iail, prowling cat tbs
II came suddenly upon me and ra
Q frightened away--fOr even in tbs