The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-06-22

Painting, with almost bursting bosom, she
reached the switch, opened 1t and stood
clinging to 1t as the car came laundering
over the viaduct.
She looked up at her lover upon the car
He had seen and understood the change in
the switches. His car, helpless though 1t
was, would cross over to the down track and
roll harmlessly along the level line till its
force was spent. He was saved, and by her
ready wit and skill. The passengers in the
train were also saved
She had saved him Love had been her
inspiration.
Great heavens! What's that? The express
The down express was coming.
All was in vain. He was lost She saw
him throw up his arms in despair. The
very plan she had devised to save him would
be his destruction. Better far to have thrown
him off upon the siding as she had intended.
Now he would meet more dreadful death,
and the destruction would include scores of
lives instead of dozen.
All this flashed through her mind like
lightning. She felt her knees give way be-
meath her, and she clung to the switch in
despair. She shut her eyes to hide the COM
ing disaster.
Hark The whistle on the express. They
had seen the imminent collision, and were
doing their best to avert it.
She. too, must do something. With a
bound she sprang to the next switch, tore it
J open and stood painting and moaning beside
. it with the bar in her hand She must save
the train even if she buried her lover under
the splintered wreck of the car.
Onward came the car, laundering over
, the viaduct and just ahead of the train. 1t
t turns quickly at the switch, crossed over
. and shot past her into the siding. He had
one look at her upturned face. 1t was full
i of love and helpless misery. She was send
! ing him to certain destruction to save the
i. express train.
] The instant the Car passed, she closed the
e switch, and sprang back again to the other
switch, and closed it just in time to see the
e express train sweep past in safety.
, In an instant the car ran into the freight
n house with an awful splintering crash. The
e express pulled up opposite the station, and
t in moment crowd of people ran
e shouting and frantic up the line. Some of
d them had seen the whole performance and
=. knew what it meant, but for the majority of
them it was a tragic mystery.
They found Lydia upon the ground by the
n switch, and with the keys still clutched in
her hand. What had she done? What had
e, happened to her?
IL She could not answer. Nature had mer-
cifully taken way her senses. They
N took her up tenderly and carried her to the
ID station and laid her upon a seat in the wait
1t ing room. The passengers of the TWO trains
S. crowded the room and offered every aid, for
I'd in some vague manner they began to under.
stand that she WAS the creditor to the value
er of all their lives She had paid for their
ly safety with costly sacrifice.
i'll The freight train backed down to the cross
ID over switch, and the engineers of the three
e, trains met and began to examine the posi-
ID tions of the switches. A number of men al
d so came from the express train, and among
at them was one who seemed in authority. He
er too, examined the line carefully, and the en-
gineers explained the matter to him, and
Id listened to his remarks with becoming de-
.. ference.
ar The little room in the station was packet
to with people, idlers and others, and they
or could with difficulty bring him in.
"No," said one of the ladies, who wer,
w trying to restore the girl. 'It may be too
ne great shock for her. She must not see hin
at yet.
ay "Make way there gentlemen. The su
Id perintendent of the road is here"
e- The crowd moved slightly, and the su
perintendent advanced into the room. ii
as took off his hat and spoke quietly to the peo
lis pie near and then he stopped over the un
hit conscious girl, and softly kissed her lips a
he a father.
"She saved all our lives, and fear sh
thinks she paid dearly for them"
e. Suddenly she opened her eyes and sat VI
,w bewldered.
"Where is he? Is he much hurt? Oh
de Perhaps he is"
ch "Let me alone, tell you," cried big
ny bold voice in the crowd. 81 must go t
as her."
He escaped from those who would detail
FAR him, and In moment was beside her.
lie. Some of the people laughed in foolish jo.
he others cried. The more delicate and sens
,as BILE were silent, for the meeting was not ft
words or description.
las After slight pause, the superintendel
'as said to the young man;
an II congratulate you, sir. You were c
the carr"
nd "Yes, sir, | was on the car, and / save
les myself at the last moment by jumping o
he | landed on pile of fine coal and got
rough tumble-and that was all. The C
:" is heap of splinters."
nd When the superintendent called the you
man nearer to him, and spoke to him p
yateiy, and presently they both shook han
ar as if greatly pleased over something T
eed young man sat down beside the girl a
whispered in her ear:
md "Iv'e got the place, Lydia. We're
at right now"
ack Then the bells rang, and the people
, to gan to disperse toward their trains. As tn
'me departed, small creature, probably stoC
holder-"bjected to the proceedings, and
her marked to the superintendent that it was
rms best to give fat offices to brakemen for dol
Her nothing.
do Precisely said the superintende
: in "But the woman did something and if y
wish to know the full measure of her splt
ave did deed, go put yourself in her place,
Charles Barnard in Golden Rule.
'he WHAT ALLIED HIS HAIR.-One day
III week, Prof A. Z. Macdonald lectu
lost | .,C,, =, , :, r, . :,