The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1868-09-18
A midnight Ride ona Cow
GHfcf7er

I
'lThe train was TO start at tIl:45, and
it wanted but few minutes Of the
time. AS stood there in the darkness
within few feet Of the Kissing monster,
my heart began to fail me, and I almost
resolved to abandon my hazardous un-
dertsking, What if 1 should lose my
hold and be thrown of in front Of that
ctusbing mass Of machinery? What
if there should be something on The
track7 Such thoughts kept whirling
through my mind, ami l hesitated.
Suddenly the bell rang. Hardly real
iziBg what | did, / hastily leit the dark
recess and stepped on the heavy frame
work in front Of the engine. By means
Of stout leather strap bound myself
on by passing it round my body aud
under one Of the strong bars Of the
COW catcher. While l was thus eBgag-
ed the train had left the depot and
with rapidly increasing speed Was
passing through the city. l had some
fears lest some Of the hag-men at the
street crossing should discover me and
signal TO the engineer; for well knew
that if H. should become aware Of my
perilous situation be would stop the
train and take me Off Ny fears were
groundless. The strong glare Of u
headlight directly over me made ms
position, by contrast, almost invisible
to any one in front
'.Passing the last crossing with
roar, we sped on through the suburbs,
and into the open country. The city
lights disappeared one By one in the
distance, and we were fairly on our
way. 1t was wild night, The light
of the moon struggled with difficulty
through the dard clouds which were
driven before strong wiud from the
southwest. Now and then an opening
would illumine the landscape with a
sudden burst Of silvery light, to be im-
mediately followed by almost total
darknes as the heavy cumuli rolled up
in masses of inky blackucss. The cone
Of light from the dazzling lens above
me would then cut the darkness in its
onward rush with startling clearness.
Now flashing up the rocky sides Of
some mountain gorge, Illuminating
rock, tree and shrub with almost day
light distinctness; anon losing itself in
the surrounding darkness as We emerg-
ed into the open country beyond then
shooting along the rails ahead, making
them look like glisteniug threads until
they disappeared in the darkness be-
yond.
'Mile after mile we sped along. I
had become somewhat used TO my
strange position, but it required constant
attention to prevent my feet from
slipping from the lower bar of the
frame on which l was standing At
best l had but a partial foothold, aud
the constant jar of the engine on the
short curves would almost tbow me oil
In passing through the S. mountains the
road was very rough and crooked.
The ponderOus engine bounded along
with now and then a sudden side lurch
in its seemingly mad effort to plunge
into the black chasms which yaWned
on every side. In one Of these sudden
movements the buckle Of my strap
broke, and | was only saved from in
slant death by -Nedging my hands be-
tween the bars Of the eOw-catcber and
cIasping them underneath. J must
hold on now for dear life. Once 1
opened my mouth 70 scream, in the
hope that H. would hear me. A sec
ond thought convinced me of the utter
uselessuess cf attempting to make my
voice heard at that distance above the
roar Of the engine Even when stand
ing on the foot board it was with diff
ficulty that we could hear each other.
My only hope was that my stitfsning
fingers would hold on for the remain
ing ten miles. An occasional glimpse
of the country showed me that We had
gone twO-thirds of our distance, aud
had also most fortunately passed the
toughest points. Twenty minutes more
and | should be safe
ave bad now passed the mountains,
and the road became straighter and
smoother. As we emerged from the
tunnel on the spur Of the mountains,
l caught sight, far down the line, Of
the headlight Of the c. express. The
road is there perfectly straight for three
miles, and | had an unobstFucted view.
Brighter and brighter grew the head
light till it seemed to CLARA with do
moniac fieTcenesS Although knew
there was no danger, yet the sight Of
that ponderous creature laundering
toward me, sent through ne mo-
mentary thrill of horror, and inrOlun-
tarily cluDg closer aud closed my eyes
as the train rushed past. A long
whistle from our own engine announced
our approach to LIS, aud l assure you
it was music to my ears. l could not
have held on fifteen minutes longer.
As the train stopped, unclasped my
benumbed fingers and stepped TO the
ground, but could not walk three steps,
my legs were so stiff from being SO
long in a oramPed position. At last l
reached the side Of the road aud sat
down.