The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-09-13


on the switch frame. What had hap
peneds Two tiny pufis ofsteam rost
from the engine. II was standing
alone on the track.
M Twas moving backward. II
4 wa beginning toFolldowHthe grade
IL was moving faster and faster.--
/ There was man omit her lover,
IayoIuntarily She spread out hel
lhaods and let them fall to her side
three orfour times in succession
the signal to put on the breaks,
How foolisbl He cannot see me,
band''
She leaned against thes switch
frpme,and shook with fear and ago.
my,
The brake was broken.
Swiftand swifter rolled the dis
shled ar fxaa coming down the
track gaining speed at every rod.
She sprang to the middle of the
track and tried to shout to the en-.
gineer of the train at the station
She made the motions to back down
out of danger. Her tongue Glove to
the roof of her mouth, and her cry be.
came an inarticulatc groan.
Onward came the car. She could see
her lover upon it frantically waving
his arms from right to left. What
did it mean? Her brain seemed to
be on fire. She could do nothing but
gaze on the advancing car in dumb
horror
Ali The passengers Could she
not save them?
With u violent wrench she open
ed the switch again, and stood hold
ing the bar in both hands. Better
so.-better one life lost than a dozen.
Her feet seemed bolted to the heground.
She must stay and see him killed,
and by her own hand.
All! why had she not thought Of it
before?
The cross over SWITCH Could she
reach it in time she might save him.
She snatched the key from the switch
and ran with frantic speed up the
line. She never knew how she open
ed that switch.
With means and cries she threw
herself across the line and began to
run down the other side. Could she
reach that switch boGoretho car2 Its
roaring rllng'fn' her ears. Painting,
with almost bursting bosom, she
reached. the switch, opened it and
stood clihging to us 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 cur,
helpless though it. 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 he inspiration.
Great heavens! what's that? The
expresSl 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 de-
viscd to save him would be his de-
struction. Better far tohave thrown
him off the siding as she had intend
ed. Now he would meet n more
dreaful death, and the destruction
would include scores of lives instead
of a dozen.
All this flashed through her mind
like as lightning, She felt her knees
give way beneath her, and she clung
to the switch in despair, She shut
her eyes to hide the coming disaster.
lIarkl The whistle on the express,
They had seen the imminent coils
ion, and were doing their best to
avert it.
She, too, must do something. With
a bound she sprang to the next
switch, tore it open, and stood pant
ing and moaning beside it with the
L.. l., L,, l..,,l OIL .,,,,oI ,,.,,o Al, =.