Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-06-27
"What, both?" gasped Joe

"Both?"
The Colonel did not speak for ;
minute, and then said quietly: IN.
wife was with me. in China. Sh'
sailed with the child for home il
the Petrol. l was to follow 81,
months later. The Petrol wen
down. There was no one saved.
Joe said nothing, but presently
he put out his hand and smoothcd
the other mans sleeve. 1t just sucl
a thing as a woman would 10.
The Colonel added hastily, rs il
afraid he would bctray an emotion
"I'm on my way West now, in search
Of my father who has left New Eng
land. People are easily lost sight
of in America"
"That's fact, sir" said Joe, and
then ho and 1 began to talk about
the engine, glad to get back to her
We had no business to mcddlc will
grief like that. went back on tho
cars again, until we came to that
hill a mile beyond Tanners house
when l stepped back on the engine.
l had an uneasy feeling somehow
about leaving the man there. We
had lost time, and were going al
full speed, when Joe gave terrible
oath, and at the same moment some
thing fluttcred down Oh the bank.
| not twenty rods ahead. The next
l saw that it was a child, and it was
Dan, laughing and running with
both hands out, to meet us. You
know sir, how long a minute like
that lasts. l had time to hear Joe's
mad whistle for down breaks
shricking out through the hills, and
to think it was like the yell of 4
devil, and to thank God that Tanner
was in the back of the train, and
could not see what we would see,
yet it was all but a breath of time.
1t was too late. The engine did
not slacken and the child was
hurrying towards it. Then l saw
its mother above the bank, running
down the field. She had missed
Dan, and would be in sight before.
l remember Joe's lips were white
Yet he said, as cool rs could be.
cit would be death, l reckon; but
if a man could swing himself down
from the cow-catcher-"
! pushed forward, but the Colonel
held me back.
"I'vc nothing to lose" he said,
and as swift as cat he passed
round the ledge and threw himself
headlong down on the track in
front.
shut my eyes. The engine and
the train thundercd on, slackcned
at last and stopped. l remember
how slowly l climbed down and
looked over to field. l did not
know what | would tread into on
the track or sec.
The people poured out of the
train.-In the clay lay the Colonel
like one dcad-clear off the track
sir. lie held the child alive and
unhurt, still clutchcd in both hands
He was only stunned, and camc tc
in a minute and stood up; but he
did not seem to see the train or tho
crowd of men about him; nothing
but the boy, over whose face he was
passing his hand.
"God Almighty" he cried, "my
DAMP
Then I saw the child's mother
down on the ground with bare arms
about her husbands knees, and
poor old Tanner pale as ghost
pulling at his sleeve and crying
"Jack! Jack!'
saw how it was in flash, ant
motioned Joe to whistle warming
and shouted, call aboard, gentle
men. Ten minutes late" Though
I'd have given the world just tc
wiring the old mans hand, it was
no rejoicing for us to take part in.
Though Pve got no better friends
than the Colonel and his father
Joe and l go there by invitation as
Thanks giving comes round. Nc
one ever speaks Of that day, but Il
is never out OF remembrance. Ion
der is the housc-stonc-beyond
the bridge. Want to sec Joe, CHI
He's on the engine, sir. Passengers
never allowed on the engine.
St. Georges! Tickets.-Heort/
and Home.