Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-05-10
And he turned away to give some brief

And he turned away to give somc brie
orders to the firemen.
Jack Halliday was thcrc-he had b,c1
strolling in and out Of the oom for thu
past half. hour, smoking a cigar, ane
swearing at the bad weather. His trair
did not leave until near midnight, 50 hi
had plenty of the time to swear.
We all went to the door and took &
look at the weather, and unanimously
voted it deuccd bad, and then NC walked
up and down the platform, and smoked
our after-supper cigars, and by the time
VIC were through it was time for the
tram hands to be getting into their
places. Both the clock in the engine
room and Kirke's watch indicated : 40.
Kirke was putting his watch in his
pocket as he said:
"Garth, are you going with me on the
Flyaway!"
"No, thank ye," said I, II get enough
Of that sort of thing in my everyday life.
I am going to do 4 little swell business
tonight, and take passage in the palace
car. Want to rest my back. Good night
to you, and hold her in we'll round Rocky
Bottom Curve. The road beds a little
shaky."
a yc, aye, sir" responded Kirkc, and
swung himself to his position on the Fly
away.
The bell rang-I scrambled to my COM
partmcnt in the Pullman and felt horridly
out of place among the silks and broad
cloths and smells Of musk. But I was in
for " 6rst-class,'' and made the best of it
80 effectually that five minutes after Glib
son, who fancies he owns all creation be-
cause he has got a silver coffin plate on his
breast with conductor " on it, had shout
ed, "All aboard" l was sound asleep.
What occurred in other quarters to at
feet the fate Of Kirke's train, I learned
afterward.
Old Whatlcy, the superintendent of the
road, as l guess l have already said, had
a country residence in Leeds, on a noun
tain spur which commands a view Of the
surrounding country for more than a
score of miles. The line of the railway
could be distinctly seen in each direction
fifteen miles, and Whately was wont to
say his lookout was worth more to the
safety of trains than all the telegraph
wires on the line.
1lulClN WIS Il llNA OAN OuAACAs nAAV
enough in his way, but sharp as a ferret
in looking after the road hands, and de-
termined that every man should 10 his
duty.
lie had but one child, a daughter, and
Floss Whstely was the belle of the coun-
try. She was brave, beautiful and spirit
cd. and more than once, when her father
had been away, had she assumed the re-
sponsibility Of directing the trains, and
she had always acquitted herself with
credit.
Old Whatcly was very proud of her, as
he had a right to be, and he kept all the
young fellows at a distance, until it was
said that he intended keeping his daugh-
ter single till the Gear Of all the Russians
came on to marry her.
This night in November, old Whately
and Floss were out on@thc piazza of their
country home, pecring through the gloom
and for the GolOsha train, which was
nearly due.
Its very strange it doesn't come in
sight! They ought to show their light
round Spruce pond by this time!"
You %tclegraphed them, father? You
let them know the pay train was on the
road ?" asked Floss.
ITO be sure. And, good heavens!
here is the headlight of the pay train now!
Sec! not ten miles away, and running like
the deuce, as it always docs!!'
He pointed with trembling finger down
to the valley gorge, where, far away a
mere spcck in the gloom, could be seen u
light, scarcely moving it seemed. but
those anxious watchers knew it was APP
preaching at lightning speed.
Father and daughter looked at each
other.
The truth was evident. For some rea-
son the train from Golosaa was ten min
utes behind time, and it would not reach
the siding at behring's Cut until the pay
train had passed beyond on to the single
track! And then? Why. to read under
the head of" Appalling Railway Disaster"
and a few more homes would be rendered
desolatc, and a few more hearts would be
made to mourn
Father and daughter looked at each
other in dismay.
is there timc::" asked the old man
trcmblingly.
"Sclim can do it," said Floss, quickly.
If I can reach Leeds five minutes before
the train-yes, two minutes-all will be
we'll. Do not stop me, father" Is he
laid a hand on her arm.
But you must not go: 1t is dark and
dismally lonely! No, Floss"
II shall go, father! Selim knows only
me, and you could not ride him. l have
ridden darker nights. And he is the
only horse in the stable! Don't you 70
member, the others were sent to town
yesterday"
Before old Whatelv could stop her, she
had ordered the liostler to saddle Selim,
and she was already buttoning on her
riding habit with rapid, nervous fingers.
The horse came paving at the door.
Floss sprang into the saddle, leaned down
and kissed her fathers forehead.
Pray heaven to speed me" she cried,
hoarsely, and touching the horse with her
whip, he bounded down the sharp leclivi-
ty.
1t was raining steadily now. and the
gloom was intense, but Selim was used
to the road, and he was sure footed and
his rider courageous. She urged him on
at the top of her speed, up hill and down.
through Pine Valley and over Pulpit
hill, and then she struck upon the smooth
road which stretched away to Leeds, two
miles, as straight as an
She could see the headlight on the pay
train far down the valley. distinctly now.
and to her excited fancy it seemed but a
stones throw away. She even thought
for a moment that she heard the grind of
the wheels on the iron track, but, no! it
was only the songhing of the wind in the
pines.
On, and still on she went. Sclim seemed
to tly. One might have fancied that he