The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-07-19

PaSsepaItout joined the group, ana heaio
the guard say:
'"There is no way to pass. The bridge at
Medicine Bow is broken, and cannot sup
port the weight of the train"
1t was a suspension bridge, thrown over
rapid mile distant from tie place wnere the
train had stopped. As the guard said, it
meuaced ruin many of the wires were bfok-
en-. and it was certain death to RI the pas
sage He had exaggerated aothlng,nin affirm
ing that they could not cross. fassepartout,
not daring to warn his master, listened with
sbut teeth. immovable as statue
All h, % cried the Col. ''We are going. I
imagine. to remain here, and take root in the
SNOWY
Colonel replied the conductor, IA tele-
gram has been sent to Omaha for assistance,
but it is not probable. that it will arriv. at
Medicine Bow in less than six hours"
six hours!' said Passepartout. ''With-
out doubt" said the conductor. Besides, it
will take all the time to reach the next sta
ton on foot"
"But it is only mile from here" said one
Of the travellers.
ga mile, it is true, but from the other side
of the river.''
Can we not cross this river in boat?"
inquired the Col.
'IMpossbe, the creek is swollen by the
rains. There are rapids, and we shall be
ODUGeu 10 make TURN, lcH liiiieS ~ tHc Hoi'h
to find a ford
broad side of oaths upon the conductor
and company, burst from the mouth of the
Colonel-and Passepartout, furious, was
ready to join the chorus with him. The dis
appointment was general among the travellers
who, not counting the delay, would be oblig-
ed to make a turn of 10 miles across plain
covered with snow.
This hubbub - EXPLANATIONS, hurrahs -
haxy ipl,r al
of Mr.. Fogg, if he had not been deeply alb
sor0ed in his play; meanwhile Passepartout,
| finding that he must inform his master, turn
| ed with bowed head toward the car-when
| the engineer true Yankee, named Forster,
raising his voice, said,
"Gentlemen, there may be perhaps way
to pass"
cover the bridge?" asked a traveller.
''Over the bridge"
with our train % demanded the Colonel
''But the bridge threatens DEATH" said the
conductor.
"Thats nothing" said Forster, 81 believe
that in II shng the train at her greatest speed,
we should be able to pass -
sic diable!' said Passepartout.s
A number of the travellers were tempted by
the proposition-it pleased particularly Col.
| Proctor. His burning brain found the thing
| very feasible. He remembered that certain en-
| gineers had had an idea to pass rivers with
out bridges, by fired trains, rushed at their
greatest speed, &c, &c.
All interested, sided with the engineer.
1--WE have fifty chances to pass" said one.
''Sixty," said another.
'Eighty, one hundred.''
Passepartout was stupefed, although he
was ready to attempt any thing, to make the
passage of Medicine eek The endeavor
seemed to him little too American.
| SReSidoSo Thought he '.thera is a simnlar
thing to do, and these gentlemen have not
thought of it. Sir, said he, to one of the trav-
elers. ''the means proposed by the engineer
seem to me little hazardous. but
Eighty chances replied the traveller
| turning his back.
81 know WE'LL" said Passepartout address,
ing another gentleman, "but simple refec-
| tom
mo reflections, answered the American,
struggling his shoulders, ''the engineer as
sures y)u that we can pass"
"No doubt, but it would be more pru-
| dent"
''What prudentr' cried Col. Procter-this
word, heard by chance, made him jump.
with great speed, they tell you; do you
understand? tremendous speedr'
Il know, comprehend, " answered Passe-
dent, although the word shocks you'll at least
| more natural,''
''Who? what? what? What does he mean
| then-this one with his natural - cried the
| travellers on all sides.
The poor servant knew not how to make
himself heard.
care you afraid % asked Col Proctor.
81 afraidv' said Passepartout, swell, per-
haps shall show these men, that a French
| man can be as American as themselves ~
" All aboard, all aboard" called the con-
ductor.
Eyes, aboard" replied Passepartout, sal
aboard! and quick too. But they will not
prevent me from thinking that it would have
been more natural to have crossed first the
bridge, on foot. the train following afterr'
No one heard this sage reflection, and no
one would have acknowledged its truth. The
travellers entered the cars-Passepartout took
his seat, saying nothing of what had passed.
The players were entirely absorbed in their
game. The locomotive gave short sharp
whistles-the engineer reversed the engine
running back more than mile, retreating as
a jumper who wishes to make spring. Then
another whistle, the train moved forward
her speed acceler ated-sOon it became fright
ful-they could hear nothing hut the noise of
the engine-the pistons beat twenty strokes
to the second-they felt that the train did not
rest upon the rails-the speed had destroyed
the gravitation. They passed on like flash
of light, saw nothing of the bridge. The train
sprang. II we may say so, fro Il one bank to
the other, and the engineer could not stop
the train until they had passed five miles be-
yond the station. Scarcely had the train
crossed the river, when the ruined bridge fell
with crash into the rapids of Medicine Bow
CHAPTER xxx.
The same evening, following its route with
out hindrance, the train passed Fort Sanders,
crossed the Cheyenne Pass and reached the
Evans Pass. Here the road reaches its high
est altitude, about 500 feet above the level of
the sea- The travellers had now only to
descend TO the Atlantic over limitless plains