Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-02-18

get glimpse Of her home-perhaps of her
self. stood at one end of the bridge
| looking across at the house--enraptured u
| the sight of scarlet shawl l knew was
hers, fitting in and out through the frost
bitten shrubbery of the garden.
Sand while was looking at her l hcarc
footsteps, and glancing up, 1 saw nyse!y
approaching from the opposite side Of M'
bridge! l was dressed in this suit of water
prool-my face was pale as death, and mi
wide open eyes were blank and expressions
| less r
"Sr, you think I am dazed, but I am tell
ing you only the truth! While stood star
ing at the vision, it disapr Feared; and weak
and trembling | came back to town. BY
the next day-yeser.!ay, had reasoned
myself out of the belief in anything of the
kind. 1t was an hallucination, | said, and
TO prove it SO, | would 60 out there again
and see if it would appear fer the second
time. | went again yesterday, and, sir, the
same thing was repeated 1t will come once
"Nonscnse y said |. "Come, Earl, be
honest, and confess that you had been ta-
king too much whisky"
81 never drink anytl ing, as you know,
Mr.. Woodbury." returned be, "and this thing
was fearfully real. And of one result, am
satisfied. If run the mail train out to-
night shall be killed, and heaven knows
what will be the fate of the train / sup.
pose it could not be taken off for tonight n
"Taken off! What in the deuce do you
mean p snapped I-''this road runs trains
as advertised-cowardly engineers to the
contrary notwithstanding" fsg
He looked al me sadly, reproachfully-
and could have kicked myself for the way
had spoken to HIM.
at is not on my own account, sir" said
he, ''but it is orly a few days before Thanks
giving, and the train will be full one. II
there is an accident it may be bad one
"Accident,' said |, ptuously, 'fd-
dle-stcks. Come in tomorrow, let us laugh
at you"
He bid me goodnight gravcly, and went
out.
Presently the clock struck twelve, and |
heard the three successive whistles, that told
me the train was nearly ready. T..
A strange feeling OF apprehension seized
nae. What il anything should happen?
Yielding to an impulse which would not
be controlled, | threw on my oyercoat, turn.
ed out the gas, locked the Office, and hurried
over to the depot just in season to catch the
rail Of the rear car and swing myself on
board
Earl Rogers stood at his rost, pale and
silent, yet altered and waichiul. -,t
BY the head light in the locomotive he
could see the track for half mile and his
keen eye scanned every inch Of the track as
the train swept on. Past Roman station =
past the Mil Cut-past Hills Embankmert
and they plunged into the belt OF woods
which >klried Rocky River.
Suddenly, as lLey swept around the curve
Earl's cheek whtened and lie drew his
breath quick and hard
What he saw before the train, warned
him that only death and destruction lay
ahead.
He could probably save himself by leap.
ing off, but that would doom all Oh board
Not moment did be hesitate!
The sharp whistle to down breaks sound
ed--he reversed steam and did everything
in his power to stop the train.
When he saw that his efforts were in vain
that the obstacle which lay across the track
only few rods in advance could not be
avoided, he sprang over the woodbox and
unlocked from the carriages. The engine
released from the drag, shot ahead, and the
next instant plunged into the gulf.
There was a crash-a succession Of shrl
whistles from the escaping steam, and al
w.s still
Not one of the carriages went down The
| first one halted on the very brink Of the
| abyss, as if the more fearfully to impres:
upon the minds Of the passengers the terri
BILE danger they had escaped.
Before the train came to stop / haC
Jumped out and was flying forward, looking
for Earl Rogers.
They pointed into the river in answer te
my inquiries, and seizing lantern from the
hands of one of the brakesmen, soon climb
| ed down the bank and found him.
He lay under the wreck Of the locomo
tive, pale and bloody, with no breath com
ing from his icy lips.
The TWO stokers were little way off, stone
| dead.
| am an old man, but did not feel the
weight of that poor fellow as carried hin
up the bank, and on to The house of Demain
which happened to be the nearest resi-
dence.
or course old Demain could not refuse
him admttance under the circum stances
and in five minutes Laura was with me try
ing to restore the liteless man to conscious
ness.
! She was all courage and hope; but fo
her we should have given him up for dead
and | to this day firmly believe that he
presence and her care brought him bacl
from death.
She never finched while the surgeon am
putated his leg at the knee it was the onl'
way to save him, DIR. Green said, and Lau
ra held the poor head of the patient on he
bosom and his hands in hers Throughout
the whole operation.
| The accident it was found, had been oc
casioned by stick of timber pinned across
the track, and the railroad company Offered
a reward of a thousand dollars for the dis
co,ery Of the rascally perpetrator.
| No matter how we found it out, but it wa
ascertained beyond doubt that Prince
Carlton was the guilty party.
He confessed it when we had him snus
and safe, and said that because he wante'
Earl Rogers out OF tie way, ana because IN
| mated the whole concern (meaning the roa'
and corporalio,) he had formed tbs plan
dabolical revenge.
His father was a millionaire, and boush
up our silence handsomely.
Prince went to California, and l do no
know what became of him.
Old Demain roved himself a trump, al
ter all, and gave up gracefully.
He is dead now, and Earl and Laura liv'
at the old place, as happy couple as l eve
saw.
As for Earl's warning, you may believe
what Won like about il. have no expana
ton to offer.
ALPINE EsOEsisONS.
| ..alnr. Il l. ,tntnl Laun inst los