The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-02-03

lts INFANCY
All could he but have looked ahead
and seen the fearful fate that threatened
could he but have known that the
ferryman whose services he had received
was in reality but the "Charon" DER
Styx"-only in this instance death
awaited on the further side-but | d.
gress.
While vending his way along the
curves of the iron road, and silenced in
contemplation of the engineering genius
who must have been remunerated by
the length of his word, Hathaway sud
denly felt his foot sink between the iron
rails that marked the switch, and trying
to proceed, was thrown violently to the
ground. Arising with difficulty he at
tempted to extlicate the imprisoned
foot, but in vain. 1t had become so
firmly wedged between the rails that all
efforts were fruitless. He struggled,
jerked, tore up the gravel, broke off ties,
but the faithful contractor of the road
had for once performed good job and
the rails were immovably spiked
Thinking it would be a good joke to re-
late when he arrived home, he paused
to rest, then attempted to pull his foot
out of the imprisoned boot, but this too
proved a vain delusion, as his foot hav.
ing swollen rendered such an escape i'm.
possible He looked at his watch how
ever. 1t wanted only ten minutes of
! the time when the up train would pass.
He heard it then whistling at the sta
tion below, and its echoing shrek as it
passed from bluff to bluff up the fast
darkening valley, seemed the shrek of
despair He called for help, but none
came instead came the unmistakeble
sound of the fast approaching locomo-
tive. He moved his lips in silent pray
er, then felt for his knife, while CLEAN
of hope ran through his brain, as he
thought that by amputation at least, he
could be saved. Horrible thought-he
had loaned it that day to a companion,
who, as customary with such, had for
gotten to return it, All pain was now
swallowed up in that terrible thonght OF
the death that awaited him. Adown
the track could be heard the breath Of
the iron monster, that would soon be
upon him. He could hear the tremble
that preceded It's coming. Was there
no escape Would the engineer ses
him !? or, if so, too late to save?
What would Laura say Would
there be enough of him picked up to
have decent funeral ? or would a
small boy answer for coffin bearer, and a
raisin box serve as u burial casket, as
in glycerine and railroad explosions gen.
orally? These were the thoughts that
crowded through his brain. But see
light from the head lamp falls upon him
the engineer sees him not the iron
horse laughs in fiery ordinations at his
victim, and rushes forward to crush out
the young life before him.
At this juncture, James Hathaway
glanced down at his imprisoned member
and thought struck him. 1t struck
him before the locomotive did, and
quicker than the flash of a comets tail
he acted upon it. He began to whirl
violently, and just as the COW catcher
reached him he hoped lightly to one
side, and shouted in mirthful accents to
the brakeman on the rear car, "Sold
again, you blasted wheel jerker-I
wear cork leg"
Such was indeed the case, but in the
excitement he had forgotten the fact
until the last moment, when he discov.
cred it was "game" leg that had be-
come fast, and unscrewing it he had es
capeG his threatened fate He hoped
down to the station, and in few min.
utes small boy brought in the missing
member, none the worse for the encoun
ter, save a few splinters had been knock
ed off from the calf.
He is now married to Laura, has a
double.headed baby, and receives a snug
little income from It's exhibition through
out the country.
HEAUTIFIlI TuOuaUT - AmoDu