National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-08-01
Dead on TIE Cars.
a Countess Dies " IN n Railway Train
A Frantic Husband.


A Frantic Husband.
! / have the saddat story to tell you,
my dear Giobe, thM my pen has even
traced. You may have seen the brief
statement Of the fact in other papers,
but we were in the midst of the sad
scene, and it is terribly vivid yet Start.
ing for n trip to Chicago and st. Louis,
our party We're in the gayest of spirits,
which not even the pouring rain we
found at Omaha could dampen, for our
transfer train was very comfortable
At Spoon Lake, on the Missouri s
eastern shore, our Pullman cars were
waiting for us. There was n little con-
fusion and delay in securing our sec
tions then hats and water proofs were
dotfed and consigned to our African
porter, and we settled ourselves for
quiet chats till the dining car bringing
our supper should be attached. In
and ont among our seats, with child
hoods innocent courage, there fitted a
baby girl, whose sweet face tempted us
all to pet her. The words she tired to
say were sometimes English, oftener
French, and her nurse evidently be-
longed to la belle France. They were
on their way thither, but, she said,
"pauvre Madame was We ill in the
compartment, pointing D the one
little state-room in the car
We saw tall gentleman assing back
and forth with an anxious ok, but we
little guessed how near shadow of
death was lowering. AT alesburg we
saw the invalid as we pa sed through
the car. and the palid face shocked us
all-with the pinched, drawn look about
fixed and CLASSY. 1t was pitiful to hear
the husbands anguished calls; to see
how utterly unconscious she lay, and
to feel that she was fast " drifting
out into that unknown sea that flows all
round the world" A physician was
with us, and no effort was spared to
keep the huttering life, which in health
must have been SO brilliant. The face
was exquisite in its ehiseling, the dainty
hands were strangely peefect, and on
the pale fingers gems glittered and
flashed costly raiment lay in heaps
about her, and evidently her years had
been passed in rare luxury. 1t was
hard to stand beside her now and
watch the life fade, to touch the fore
head and find 1t damp with the chill,
prophetic moisture, and to feel that
with the roar and rattle of the train
about us we must know that death |
stood in our midst. !
The car was very full. In one corner |
a group were busy with cards in |
another section men with bronzed faces
were talking of Texas stock little
children ran about in merry play, and
the darling so soon to be motherless
nestled in the arms of her sobbing
nurse. with a grieved, wondering look
hat was very pitful. | think we shall
none of us ever forget the moment when
lie physician S verdict was given, and
We whispered it from one to another.
The lady was a Catholic. No priest
vas on the train, and the poor husbands
rantic prayers as he held the crucitix
lloft or pressed it to the paling lips,
we're touching beyond all words. The
servants knelt beside their master, kiss
ng the lifeless hands, while we stood
lear hushed aud awe-stricken and
when the last futtering sigh had passed,
10 mothers hand could have beenmore
ender than the stranger touch that
lOSpu tile eyes an loIoeu tHe HhluS III
inal rest With streaming tears on his
lack cheeks, our porter came and went,
Ioing all that could be done. The
onductor was unwearied. and the gen.
lemen on the train attended to all the
ad details that were necessary. We
re apt to think of railroad men " as
huff specimens of American manhood
keen, shrewd and avaricious-but we {
tho were on that train, and who re {
1ainded till the party started for New
'ork the following day, will never for :
ct the gentle kindness of the Chicago, ,
'urlington and Quincy officials. Mr.. ,
,oyle. the General Passenger Agent, I
nd Mr.. Strong, the Superintendent, t
ut aside all other business and de- q
oted time and thought to the stricken c
roup, as if they had been of Their |
Fatigue was unheeded, every V
etail was arranged with the tenderest v
and the poor Count was {
elieved of all care, while the stunning $
,rce of the sudden blowleft him almost |
Cor. Boston Globe. t