The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-08-14

after the frcigl I had switched .ffl
lie could not remember whether
tho freight had passed or not. He
did not know whether lie had
locked the switch twice or on &c, or,
good Heavens not at all. Tie
past was swaying vacuum, the
future strange and dreamlike. lie
closed his eyes, he pressed his
temples ne it, either hand, had
becnn wise Of iron, in the wild
agonizing effort to recall the last
half hour. 80
10 God - he groancd 'aloud,
as he threw himself on his face in
tho we, grass, "Am I going madf'
Something hard struck against
his breast-bone as. he flung him
self down: it was the fatal Aask.
lie tore it out, half full of dark
red poison, and dashed it passion.
ately into the bushes. It was that
that that had dvne all tho mis-
chief.
20 Heavenly Father!" I've cried
aloud, in his great anguish, "if II
pleases Thee TO avert from me
this awful crime Of murder done
a thousand fold-and naught but
one OF Thy miracles can avert it
now swear before Thy pave
rnent of stars to touch that devils
broth no more! . God, hear inc
y Christ, save mel" ..
Tho earth beneath Ills grovel-
ing breast thrilled aud qnivcrcd
as the express train flew over the
rails, and Israel Esmayne held
his breath, monentarily expecting
the awful crash which should stain
his soul with the, eternal brand
of Cain. .sgr lass
Hush! An owl hooting aEir oil
in the woods, the cry Uf some sad
voiced nightblrd overhead, and
then-anoiher whistle clear and
CHEEKY. The express had passed
through llurstley- passed through
safe and sound! AID Israel Es.
mayne, staggered to his feet,gazed
around him All instant, clutcl,ing
vaguely at the air, aud then fell
unconscious.
"a "Uncle, he is coming 10. Oh,
uncle, l I,kucw-l kneao that lie
was not dead ~
And the soft eyes Of Dorothy
Beers were the first thing Israel
Esmaync saw as his soul came on,
of the world of shadows and obliv.
Ton, with old Jonath IN leaning on
his cane just beyond.
Tell me, Dotty," he gasrcd.
"Ilow vast? The-the switcl,csl''
1T was my girl did it," said
tho old man. "Shc come by, and
she heard the freight a whistliu,
and she see the switches wasn't
right, nor no signal, nor notlin.
Something's happened says my
girl. 'IsraePs been took i'll, OF
dead,' says she. And there lay
the key in the middle Of the track,
and she catches It mp, and she
unlocks the switches you showed
her how to it yourself, Esmayne,
one summer AFTERNOON -and she
hangs mp tho white lantern. And
there sl,c stands, with her heart q.
beatin' fit to choke her, till the
freight gets off. And shc calls to
one Of the brakesman, Set these
ere right for the express says she,
Quick! or there may be a thousand
lives lost where's the switch.
tender!' says he. s.Godonly knows,'
says ny Dotty. And SO she comes
back after me. e 'Uncle,' rhc sage,
all whiteaud tremblin' like, 'come
with mo- 'lviat fo,?' says r. fTc
hook. for israel Gays she. q don't
eleep this night says my Dotty,
fill we've found him psb 3a,os ~
"God bless lierl" criod ont EsI
maync, in u cl,oked voice. i"God
be thanked for all Ills mcrcies!'
"Was it. a. fiti''Yssidr tho 1old
man, curiously. sIlow did 81
come or ." 7a'isi euyu 81
But Israel Esmayne spcke no
word on the subject, either then
or ever. lie married Dorothy
Beers IN the Spring, and he has
sccrcJly kept his vow. II he lives
to be hundred years old, he will
still keepit. Ard Doity, thongi'
shc never knew II, had redeemed
him. .,,,., ., .r,tl
r. >- ~ 2
THE Tawas Gazette says: "On
the 22d, Geo. p. Smith. Of the