Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-04-03
If beq your p.rdop. /" he addressed me.

"f beg your pardon" he addressed me,
"but did not you notice that singular
swaying Of the carriage? l have observ'
ed IL for some time. bat felt reluctant tc
name IT,
No; I had certainly noticed nothing oI
the kind. but being always prone to rail.
way terrors, began - forecast all kind
Of horrors.
"Ob. y,s," he continued. with 9 grave
smile; there. you surely must have felt
that ?"
Still I was obliged to confess my ina.
tilits 20 detect the supposed oscillation Of
the carriage. although my companion pro-
tested that it was most evident, and show
cd great excitement about it.
Il am sure" he said, THAT the train is
overloaded; fha. is the cause of the move.
meut, and we must do all We can to light
en- it," and before I could interpose he
had thrown his handbag and ovcrcoat out
Of the window of the carriage
A horrid dread now crept over me. for
felt sure that he must be insane. aud |
remembered. with sickening feeling at
my heart. which for a moment entirely
stopped my pulse. that the train. which
happened to be fast one, would not stop
before We got to London. which was near
" an hour distant When remembered
this. thought must have dropped from
my seat with faintness at the dreadful or
deal before me- However. l recoilected
having heard that mad people might
be somewhat controlled by the demeanor
Of those they were with, and | made up
my miLd to sell my life as dearly as pos.
sibie.
.Ah," he pursued. .'that does not re-
lieve the strain sufficiently. I lam afraid
glancing furtivcly at my face. "that we
shall be obliged to sacrifice ourselves for
the safety of the other passengers. 1t is.
as you know. a very large train. and very
full What noble piece Of hercism it
would be to save the lives Of so many
hopeless people. who are not, like Us. ac-
quaintcd with their danger would il not?''
b" added. shifting bis seat for one near to
me. and keeping his large dark eyes
steadily fixed upon mine.
With the utmost difficulty resisted the
temptation to scream as he seated himself
next to me.
II shall certainly do So" he pursued
.'bu. fear that you may not have sufii.
eient fot,ltude to do it of Yourself"
And as he said the words. | saw, by the
nervous ,witching Of bis hands and arms,
that he was itching to give me the ueces-
sary impetus out Of the window to insure
the sacrifice. With a hurried prayer to
Heaven for aid. I firmly grasped the ell
bows Of the seat. aud set my feet as firm.
ly as could against the opposite side Of
the carriage. I was just on the point of
sobbing out prayer for mercy to my
companion. when il flashed across my mind
to try the effect of some ruse to obtain
time, knowing that IL could but delay
the sacrifice | mi ght be saved
Would it not be better" I whispered,
for was past speaking aloud. Ito pray
for the safety Of our companions. instead OF
trusting to our own efforts to save them -
and without waiting for his reply. poured
forth Heaven knows what incoherent but
heartfelt prayers for the safety of all those
who were in the trpin.
Nv words seemed to act like n charm
upon my fearful companion. and taking
his basilisk eye. from mine, he gradually
slid down upon his knees and became to
al appearances rapt in prayer. Most hap
PLY for me had been taught from child
hood 10 make my own praycrs-and this
habit enabled me now to keep on with a
volubility which surprised myself. al
though. as the chance of escape increased
| could scarcely repress the sobs which
rose to my throat.
In seasons Of such horror minutes seem
to be as long as hours. bu. it appeared to
me that my time Of probation must be
nearly over. l managed. however, to
keep on little longer. until at last-oh,
joys Of joys!-I saw from the fast t-increas-
ing houses that We were nearing London,
and my prayer was turned into heartfelt,
thanksgiving for my preservation. One
glimpse of my dear fathers face at the
station. where he had come to meet me.
and then all was blank until I found my.
self lying on the sofa in Old Burlington
street. with my father and good DR.. A
regarding me with tronhled locks.
As s5on as was sufficiently recovered
from the strain Of my dreadful journey,
heard the sequel Of the history. Ny com.
panion turned out to have been certain
Sir H M, who had that morning
made his escape from 4 lunatic asylum
near Bureminsser. snd whose figh, had
occasioucd the greatest alarm, rs his pecu
liar crotche, about railway trains was well
known. and bad already led to at lcasl
one fatal result. The doctor. whose charg,
he was. had. however. succeeded at ono.
in getting clue to his movements, ant
bad used the telegraph for his recap.ure
so tha, on stepping out Of the train az III,
terminus be had walked straight into IN,
arms Of an Efficient attendant. and has
beea safely conveyed back to bis asylum
Although my escape is now many year
since. meter even now enter rsilwa,
carriage without some trcpidation. aud
always take especial care neter 10 ride II
one alone With one other person Of eishe
sex. to guard against reearrenee Of m,
peril0os ride.
Al . eclcrcd meeting. a worthy brother
whose picty exceeds hia learrinr, rashe