Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-06-16

y. was laying on my side between
The engine and tender, with my head hall
over the edge.
Weak and exhausted from loss of blood
which was still flowing from the wound
upon my head, | lay there helpless and hope
less. My eyes wandered to where the mad
man was still standing. l saw him, with
heightened wildness on his c0utenance, his
long hair floating in the wind behind, his
eyes glancing eagerly ahead, his lips NUT
tering words to me incoherent and meaning
less. Now and then he would dance, and clap
his hands with fendish joy, then settle
quietly down again to his sullen mutterIngs.
The rate Of speed at which we were NOV
ing was absolutely frigbtful-not less,
should think, than a mile minute-and |
feared every instant the crash would send
me, madman, engine, everything. whirling
to perdition.
As each moment my faculties grew
stronger. | began to realise in all its force
the horror Of my situation. What if he
should discover in me signs of returning
life? lie would, without a doubt, throw me
from the train, or dash my brains out
Meanwhile, where was the conductor? Per-
haps he had been left behind at Il. The
brakemen-cOuld not some of them come to
rescue me? Had not our wild speed, our
neglect Of the usual stoppages, told those
on the train that something was certainly
wrong? And why, then, did they not come
TO see what 1t was? Surely an end must
soon come Of this horrible affair, in some
way or another.
Heavens Of a sudden remembered
,sfva #bnf,srl+ s oI,s1f.l
me to my very bones and well might make
me cry out in expostulatiOn and terror to
the terrible being before me. We were rapid
ly approaching P-bridge, spanning the
awful chasm, through which, far below. the
T-river leaps and plunges, in three sue
ccssiye falls, to the quiet level of tide valley
below. / had an Hiy pocket at that moment
copg Of a Geographic order from The diri10a
SgpcriHtendent.S stating thdtthe Icesticard-5Ouad
track on fic bridge ,could that morning be Ia
ken up for repairs, and directing al trains 10
scitch Of on approaching the spot, and cross
10 the cGStrard-b0und track.
In momOnt all the horror Of the i'm
pending disaster broke upon me, Should
the maniac persist in his mad purpose only
ten minutes longer, he and |, and all Of US
would be preciptated headlong downward
through the air, crashing through the tim
ders, cars and engine with us, to be dashed
to atoms upon the pitiless, Jagged rocks be
low. On, how prayed in that moment for
forgiveness for all the wickedness of the
past With what unspeakable tenderness |
recalled the parting words Of those dear ones
whom | might never see again, and how
inwardly asked God TO watch over them
after was gone. wondered whether they
would ever find US or know the real cause
of the catastrophe Eagerly | watched the
familiar landscape fitting by, as on, on, On,
We dashed faster and faster. toward the
death and destruction which now seemed all
but inevitable.
L heard a cry of wild joy from my COM
panion, as, gliding like lightning around
curve, the valley, and, in the distance, the
massive bridge, was first disclosed TO his
view.
Now now? be shouted Here we are
come, at last Science, and infnity, and all
the unknown, are mine. mine, mine, forever
lie betrayed me, did he ? and he died Ike
dog lIa ha ha
And be danced and screamed with hor-
Tor zest, which, mocking my anguish and
terror, only made ne more desperate. | tried
to move-a pang Of agony shot through every
nerve. ind muscle, and fibre in my body. 1
sunk down again, in utter despair, and clos
ed my eyes, waiting for death to come and
end it all
.Crack-crack- k-whiz-whiz-a scream
a shout-an0ther crack-an0ther whiz |
I.i.o rrn.frran n
had fallen upon his knees. and with the ex-
preston Of demon incarnate upon his face.
his two barred arms stretched above bis
head, bis powerful form writhing in horrible
c0ntorti0n, was gnashing his teeth, while his
eyes protruded from their sockets, foam
o1zei from his lips, ond a stream Of blood,
ever 50 small tricklei down his shirt front.
Come come come quickly | called
out, as loudly as | could but my feeble
voice was drowned in the clatter, and saw
the monster, weak and wounded as be was,
turn and crawl upon his knees toward me.
Come for Gods, sake, come o. scream
ec but by that time his clutches were upon
my throat, and looked upward TO the clear
blue morning sky above US, to feel my
breath growing slower and slower as the
cruel grip grew tighter and tighter upon
me.
The coarse talon-like grasp relaxed Of a
sudden the din grew less and less, and the
welcome shrek Of the whistle for down
brakes sounded In my cars ike the voice OF
a messenger from God. calling me back TO
life and loved ones, and all that was dear.
| felt myself lifted up ike child in two
pairs ofst1ut, friendly arms. heard sobs,
and shouts Of joy, and the movement Of many
feet about me, and voice whispered loving
y in my ear.
'.Savei -