St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-03-13

gercd back 4 pace or two, vainly eudeav-
oring TO recover his equilibrium, and then
fell
/ Fell, great heaven, directly across the
iron track
/ | made an instructive step forward to
save him, but Barbara Wycklitfe's arms
We're claSpcd tightly around me, her voice
was crying wildly:
''Reuben Reuben. for my sake :"
/ And in the same breath the Lightning
Express rushed over the track like fiery
serpent. and | knew that Walkers ac-
counts with time were closed forever.
/ The engineer and fireman of the Ac-
commoda,ion train, which was standing
on the branch road, had in the glare Of
/ til" locomotive witnessed the struggle.
had heard Barhara's screams, and now
came rushing forward. In awed silence
they removed the body from where it
/ lay. trariul!y crushed and mangled, with
4iaZrd eve, upturned, and brow still con-
tr.cieI with the >cowl of mortal rage.
/ So the man died. and there was no
living soul To mourn his death.
-is the engineer of the Accommoda-
ton comprehended the situation, and eX-
plaincl it 10 The wondering passengers,
hc turned to me, as | mechanically re-
adjusted the switch to allow the Accom-
mudation TO pass, and said
''Lucky for you, old fellow, that the
Lightning Express was five minutes be-
hind time -
Five minutes behind time-and those
iivr minutes had held the destiny of ltc
and death within their pui>ing seconds,
~ the last crash and rattle OF the van
i~hin4 train. which now sped ON its way,
,mote upon my ear. my duty tor the
might wholly done. all the fictitious
strength that had lent vigor to my arm.
and nerve to my limbs. seemed then tax =
cn from me. My friendly crowbar drop
ped with Il duh sound from my hands,
the lar off crcSt> OF the purple hills Seem-
cd To reel and trcmbc and fell like IA
Iog 10 the ground. weak and tainting,
with Barbar;l's sweet face bending over
me. like the face OF an angel.
When thought and sense returned to
me once more. days after. was in my
little cabin. and the Wycklitfes, father
and daughter. were mini>tcring TO me.
And ,L,. ,,rnrr fold m, bnn, the neonle
tram ali ,,i,nnt th. rountr, had come tu
i,,L .,t ,l.. I,..,I man and L.,r tI,,. ycr.
jirf o., rho r,i.,,rr'- il urv and f. .e,. how
,,.,rr,,,, b.,,.,.-..,,.r. -, ,l,,. ,,.,, trims
l...I ...,.,,,.I 49,, J1.., ,b,t L,J ,,r,s
lawn. .u.,.., him, I,la 80, .,,,r.,;,., .n;rit
81 It'll ~. +, u,,L. ,hoir. lI,nd rn,
,.,I,I >.,i'I rb,. nII farmer ..TLav r,lla
my l;r,ie Girl , Lrroiur. and I amt .ur.
h,if thr,'r,. rioft'
..Btrnua. ,aid |. when the old man
had -nnr To- the >prin. for water. and W,
v,r. i.tt ai,ur together. ..how did il
laap.u now d.a Won know that he
III. told mo him-eIt.' said she. in :
low and troubled voice.
Wnrn -"
That evening. after had lett YOU al
the bridge"
md YOU. Barbara. what did vor
,ay -'
AZ first screamed with terror.
Then he told me that when he got youl
place ne would marry me. What coul,
do dared not turn back to you
for there was murder in his eyes, and h,
would have stabbed you-perhap> me
too, long before could have reachc,
YOU. - let hin taucy-God torgiv,
mc-;hal would be his accumplice il
hi- wicked scheme, and be his wife al
| tcrward. lie told me all he had done
80 when he had left me | went straigh
10 where had seen my fathers crowba
, lyin1 by tie track: and oh, Reuben, i
seemed ~ ii | should never be able t,
draa lis weary weight through the wood
T., ,,ur. INST E',,r,, rrSI, nf tL, min,