The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-05-01
MARRIED BY DEATH.
The TefrIbI. Ride on n Railroad Hal
Cara FeaFfaI Revenge

road running from the great iron artery
Of the P. W. and B. railrsad, up through
the pleasant valley Of Chester county,
Pennsylvania.
1t was near Chadd's Ford, and at a
beautifully romantic spot. There is
turbulent stream running between high
banks, on which stunted willows grow,
while further down, at the waters edge,
the weeping variety of the same tree
dips its greenish tresses in the musical
water, which has hushed its riotous noise
to almost a requiem since the death OF
George Ricketts, and Mollie Dolbell-
"as fine young man aud as pretty a
girl" the farmers say, "as you will find
in all Chester county" This is how
they met their death: Mollie was one
of those pink and white dairy maids that
you sometimes meet in the grazing re-
gions of Pennsylvania. Her hair was
bonnie brown, but with just CLINT of
black in it, as if it had been gently
touched by ravens wing. She was
light-hearted and as merry IS the lark
with which she arose-the lark that car.
oiled above her head as she looped her
neat dress, and skinned into the stone
dairy where the painted pans were
ranged in rows, and the yellow pots Of
butter fecked the cool water.
The trouble with Mollie was that she
had two lovers-one, George Ricketts,,
stalwart farm hand, and the other
Hugh O'Donnell, asullen, red-whiskered
man, employed on the small drawbridge
over the Fox Run that we have spoken
of. This draw was seldom used save
for lazy schooner that came up to get
terracotta pipe from mandatory
above.
The two men knew that they were
rivals. and Mollie knew it too, being
sorely troubled in her white soul as she
stood one Saturday evening in the porch
of the house where she lived and prom
ised to take ride on the morrow with
George-not ride in a buggy, nor in a
sailboat, but rattling ride on hand
car, q practice which is frequent on
these lonely lanes, whose rails vibrate
but seldom under the crushing advance
of the engine.
1t is unnecessary to describe the
hand car, that fits the rails, is worked
by q crank, and when started goes like
the wind. The car had been loaned
George by band of laborers who were
making repairs about milo above. He
had busted it neatly, and when the
pretty girl reached him by a short patti
through the woods, he had arranged
the vehicle so cleverly with cushion
for Mollie that it did not seem unlike
Cleopatra's g barge. She was in her Sun
day best, and she laughed lightly in the
sunshine as George swung her lightly
into the seat and then leaped to tht
handles.
There were no Sunday trains there
was no danger.
Mollie crossed her tiny feet, felt the
exhilaration of the movement, az
Georges swelling arms produced the
terrible momentum, and saw her nea
skirts blown about by the rushing wine
beneath the platform. On, on they
went, the glistening rails ringing, thu
bonny brown hair blown about and tn,
Fox-run bridge near at hand.
On that bridge Hugh O'Donnell sa
smoking his pipe. The draw was open
although no drifting schooner was il
sight. Some evil bird had whispered t.
Hugh the Sunday trip of his rival will
Mollie. He determined on murder q
once. This is the reason the rusty draw
was open, while Hugh sat in his sentr.
box on the other side smoking his pip,
and watching up the converging line
of metal that seemed like satin ribbon
tied in bow by the perspective.
He did not have to wait long. Firs
came the rumble-the far-away SCUM
that dies away while it increases-an'
then, swinging suddenly arounda curve
the handcar, bearing the girl he loved an
the man he hated. He drew another whit
of smoke and looked calmly at the tumbri
of death, with it's arms whirling wildly
since George had trusted to the stee
grade and the appalling acceleration h
had given the machine to accomplis
the passage of the bridge, and had SO
down alongside of Mollie with his arr
around her waist. ......-.
Just as they neared the draw, whic
was never legally allowed open on SUI
day, he turned his head and his fac
became white. Mollie felt the chi
, circle her waist as his blood froze in hi
: arms. He sprang to his feet and trie
| to seize those revolving handles, whic
were only blur and mist. He though
of throwing the girl off, but before !
could think of anything else the car toe
: the leap. and as Hugh O'Donnell 81
smoking in his sentry box he saw Il
7 upturned faces, pallid with agony, b,
pressed close together, go down wit
the hand car to the deep pools and cru
l rocks of the Fox run, and as he did I
he said
Course you |" and lighted anoth
, pipe.
b They found him there, but mad-n
!. raving mad, but in that lymphatic sta
q of mania which is beyond reach. On Il
:, shore below, held by the gnarled roo
Il of willow, were discovered the bodi
r of George and Mollie. In the nome
s of death she had thrown her arms abo
l. him, and as the sunlight filtered throul
a the surging branches and fell upon q
nnt11rned faces. they seemed like bri