The bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-1877, 1877-07-05
Subscription Price, sl.sO 4 Year.
had It's waves like miniature sea. some


helpless crows were blown over my
head, and sinister looking raven skim.
med the moor close by, ultering a weird
croak which fell upon my ears like Q
knell, and chilled my blood. was quite
alone, not q human being In sight, but
suddenly the whistle OF locomotive was
carried to my ears. An engine moved
out Of the station. Another whistle short.
ly aflerward. That train was safe.
watched II glide away over the viaduct.
Five minutes later ! rode into the sta
tioD, and called for the station master.
AS dismounled the clock struck eight
The time was up aud no signal from Nc
Causland. Te.egraphing would now be
easy. A porter CAME out in response to
my summons
/" lm sorry ye lost the express" he be.
gan.
Il don't want the train" replied. II
must telegraph at cnce, though. Where
is the station master 2"
He'll be here in a minute. But ye
can't telegraph. The wires is blown
down. We had to send pilot with
the express to clear the line up to Hand
leigh
Not telegraphl l tell yon, man,
maest stop The traffic. The South Holmes
dale Reservoir will burst this very hour"
"Can this lie truel" inquired cool,
gentlemanly nan at my elbow. 1t was
the station master himself
"Tiue T. echoed. 1T is only t,o
true. have ridden TO tell you. We
mast stop the trains.'' IS
The excursion leaves Handleigh at
sos" nuscd the station master.
There may be time; come with me-" q
lie crossed The line and entered the
shed opposite. followed. just then
loud booming sound rent the air. The
sound came back from the bills like thun-
der.
/" 1t is the signal ! exclaimed The
water is out. Heaven help US now !"
The station nAas.er called out. a clean
I ----Prs., ots. - =
T" Is that engine ready ?"
Yes, sir, waiting for the excursion"
Run and open the points. Now, cir,
get up"
obeyed mechanically, and before
quite realized the situation we had
crossed TO the up line. The station. mas.
ter stopped to get red flag and give q
lew directions 10 his subordinate. now
perceived that we were TO race the flood.
Steam versus water. Which would con-
quer?
A whistle--we started.
The food the Hood |" shouted The
porter.
We turned one ghncs up the valley. A
moving brown wsH, capped with
snowy riGge, was tearing down TO the de-
voted yiaduct. No time 10 lose.
+" Go ahead" cried the station master.
l turned on steam, put sBe lryer over
another notch, aud the race began III
earnest. @ @
We flew along the metals A few
minutes would decide it. We mus, ge.
to the yiaduct and over it first, OF the ex.
cursion, unwarned, would dash to de.
struction. A depression in the ground
ran beside the railroad for short dis.
tance We trusted 10 this IL turn the We.
locity Of the approaching water. 1t was
an exciting race, and oae never 10 be
forgotten.
On rolled the food We were running
neck and neck" for one terrible half
minute. Now the resistl.ss food. bore
directly to the bridge. Stones were rolled
before it like marbles. Trunks of .rees.
haystacks, debris Of every description
Came headlong down upon the. doomed
structure. We fled like lightning over
The rails. Our speed told now.
Sparks few from the chimney. an.
other notch. The beat of the piston,
luickened to an almost inconceivable ra-
oidity. We were ON the bridge. Hur.
'ah The curling wave beneath seemed
o spring forward. 1t broke against the
,uttresses. In a second we were across.
shut off steam; the station.master