The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-04-12
VOLUME Y.


htrke's watch indicated 40.
k,rkc was putting ms watch IN his
pocket as he said
" Garth. are you going with me ON
the FlyAway 9'
No. thank yc, said /, II get enough
%; that sart of thing in my everyday
life. am going 10 do a little swell bust
ness tonight. and take passage lu the
palace car. Want 90 rest my back.
Good night 70 yc, and hold her IN we'll
round Rocky Bottom curve, The voad.
beds httle shaky,
Ave. ave. SIR responded kirkc,
and swuug himself to his position on the
F.yawav.
The byll rug-l scrambled Ia my
compartment IN the Pullman and felt
Aorud.y out II place among the silks and
hroaiclgths anal smell, ~ MUSK BUT l
Was In for tirst-clss>. aud made thc
best If 10 SO etsectually that five minutes
after Gibson, who ancles he owns all
creation because hc has got silver coffin
plate an his breas; with conductor m
It, had shouted " All aboard r. I WAS
sound asleep
What occurred in other quarters to
aiFec, the fate Of hlgke's tram, learned
aitcrWard
Ola Whately. the superintendent OF
the ruad, as l guess l have already said,
hai - country residence IN Leeds, ON
mountain spur. which commanded ANlew
of the surrounding country for more than
q score uf miles. The line II the rail
WAY could be distinctly seen In each di-
rcc,iau fifteen miles, and Whatrlv was
wont 10 say his lookout was worth more
Io the safety of trains than all the tele-
graph wires on the lime
WAntelv was rlch old buffer, kind
enough IN his way. but sharp as ferret
In looking after the roai hands. aud de
termincd that every man should DO his
duty.
lie had but one child. a daughter;
and Floss Whatciy Was the belle Of the
country. She WIS brave. beautiful and
spirited. and more than once. when her
father had been away. had she assumed
the responsibility oi directing the trains,
and she had always acquitted herself
with credit.
Old WhAtelv WIS very proud of her.
as he had a right Ia bc, and he kept all
the young fellows 10 a distance. until IL
WAS said that hc intended keeping his
daughter single t.ll the ciar Of all the
Russlas came ON 10 marry her
This night in November old Wbatcly
and Floss were out ON the piazza of their
country home, peering through the
gloom and fog for the Golo7ha train,
which was nearly due
It's very strange It doesn't come in
sight :" said Whately, laying down his
night glass In disgust Ii is hard ON
% ten now They ought 30 show their
hight round Spruce pond 10y tins time .'
You telegraphed them, father? You
Jet them know the pay train WIS on the
road p asked Floss.
To be sure. And, good heavens,
there Is the headlight ut tle pay train
now See no, tern miles away. and
running ike the deuce. as it always
does '
lie pointed with trembling finger
down 20 the valley gorge, where, far
away, mere spech In the gloom. could
be seen q light, scarcely moving IL syem-
ed, but those anxious watchers knew j;
was approaching AZ lightning spe.i.
Father and daughter looked NJ each
other
The truth was evident. For samo
reason the train from G1loshl was ten
minutes behind time. and il would mot
reach tire siding at perrlug's Cat until
the pay train had PASSED beyond ON 20
the single track And then-2 WHY. %
read under the head uf Appalling
Railway Disaster, - and few more
homes wUuld be rendered desolate, and
few more hearts would be made 10
mourn
Father and daughter looked at each
other IN aismav
is there time asked the old man,
trcubhng,v
Srlim can 10 it, " sail Floss, quickly.
IF 1 can reach Leeds i've minutes be
fore the train-yes. two minutcs-all
viii be well, Do not stop me, father 90
~ he laid & hand ON her arm.
But You must not 60 It is dark
and disnally lonely No. Floss -
Il shall GO, father SeHm knows
only me, and vou could not ride him.
have ridden darker nights. And he is
the only horse In the stable Dpu'ty Won
remember? The others were sent %
town YESTERDAY.
Before old Whately could stop her,
she had ordered the hos.ler 10 saddle
Selim, and she was already huttouing
on her riding habit with rapid nervous
fingers.
The horse came paving to the
door. Floss sprang into the saddle,
leaned down and kissed her father IS fore
head
Pray Heaven to speed me-" she
cTie,i, hoarsely, and touchiug the horse
with her whip, he bounded down the
sharp decliyity.
1t was raining steadily now, and the
gloom WAS intense; but Splim was used
to the road, and he was sure footed and
his rider courageous. She urged him
on at the top of his speed, mp hill and
down. through Pine valley and over
Pulpit hill, aud then size struck upon
the smooth road which stretched away
10 Leeds, two miles, as straight an an
arrow.
She could see the headlight on the pay
train far down the valley, distinctly now.
and to her excited fancy 1t seemed hut a
stones throw away. She even thought
for a moment that she heard the grind Of
the wheels on the iron track, but, no
II was only the soughing Of tho wind in
the pines.
On, and still on she went Sclim
seemed to fly. One might have fancicd
that he knew his mistress WAS ON an
errand Of life and death. The lights Of
the station were in view-nay, she even
saw the station masters white lantern as
he strolled up and down the platform
the white lantern which was 10 signal
the approaching train-to tell them TO
go on, for all was well. On to their
doom
She dashed across the railway track,
flung the reins to an amazed bystander,
aud, striking the white lantern from
the hand Of the astonished official, she
seized the ominous red lantern froa it's
hook, and springing upon the track,
waved 1t IN the very teeth Of the coming
train.
Two sharp, short whistles told her that
her signal was seen, and n moment later
the train came to a stop, and the officers
rushed out to learn what it all meant.
Floss told them in a few brief words,
and one of the men at the station went
forward to confer with the train from
Golosha, which had not yet been tele-
graphed from the next station beyond.
The man waited fifteen minutes before
Klrke's train slid on to the siding, and it
was then known that but for the decision
of one yOunU pirl the tro trains uust