The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-01-18
OF A BOOT HEEL,
Thrilling Story or an Old Rail-.
rOadcr's Pcrils from .'ErOgs''
In the Track.

An Omaha man found a boot heel
sticking in the frog of railroad
switch, and it reminded him of a
story:
~ was then a young man, bu it isn't
likely that l will ever forget it," and
he cast rueful look at the empty leg
of his pants. 1.-The story is soon told, )"
he went on, turning the boot heel over
in his hand, as if to find inscribed up
on it a story similer to his own. II
was walking on the track near st. Joe,
in Missouri. 1t was terrible dark
night in February, and a heavy snow
storm was prevailing at the time, the
snow and wind Beating In my face
were almost sufficient to have blinded
me in midday. Twas walking briskly
along, not dreaming Of any harm-in
fact, was then returning from a visit
to my sweetheart, who had that very
evening promised to be my wife
when suddenly found my foot fas-
tened in the frog where side-track
joined the main track. Just as this
heel was fastened there between these
rails, at that moment heard the shrill
whistle of a locomotive, and looking
up the track saw through the blind
ing snow light cleaning down upon
me. 1t was an unusual hour for
train, and the idea of meeting one had
not occurred to me before, but now the
awful truth flashed upon me. made
a desperate effort to wrench my foot
from the vise-like grip of the rails, and
the horror of my position was in
creased a hundred-fold when l found
that my greatest strength was power
less to release me. The light was SO
close upon me that its reflection upon
the newly-fallen snow blinded me.
As man will in such positions. !
thought of a thousand things in an
instant; of my aged parents, Of the
events of my life and of my promised
bride; and the thought that | should
be torn from her or be MANNED for life,
was infinitely more horrible than the
threatened death. But I'll not trouble
you long with this painful narrative.
The headlight was blazing like the
fires of hell right in my face. 1t was
this leg that was fastened" he said,
swinging the stump back and forth
YES, yes" interrupted his COM
panion, with pale cheeks, "you just
threw yourself to one side and the en-
CINE just severed your leg from your
body"
Not exactly" returned the story
teller, smiling blandly upon his vic
tim. "The truth is, sir, am almost
ashamed to say, that the light did not
proceed from locomotive, but from
the lantern of a Waterman who hap
pened to be coming down the track"
"And the shrill whistle that you
heard?"
THAT, presume, came from saw
mill not far away"
but your leg-how came you to
lose that"
'As many another brave man has
lost his" came the answer, with a
heavy sigh, accompanied by far
away look, as if to recall the scenes OF
battlefield; Il fell under moving
machine and had it chopped Off"
"Well, all have to say is, returned
the disguised companion. II hope the
girl went back on you and married an
ax-handle maker, or some one else
who could make her happy"
mo, she stuck to me, said the ro-
mancer, sorrowfully. 'She stuck to
me through good and evil report, and
married me one rapturous evening in
the merry month of May, and now
his voice grew husky with emotion
"and now would give the top of this
bald and beetling pate if she hadn't
He turned away to hide his emotion,
while his companion was basily en-
gagged in fastening large pin in the
end of cane and dropping little in
the rear.-Omahd Herald.