The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-12-21


train now fast approaching clear itspa.
of the encumbrance He chuckles as tb
assurance strikes him fully. Then
smites the bar heavy blow with til
palm of his hand, and dreadful mad
ness glistens in his coal-black eyes s.
he mutters, Fine, tinen A minuR
after, and he is over the embankmeI
again; and half an hour subsequent
when all is confusion and horror an
suffering, he quietly tells the story
his deed, and is borne away with loatt
ing to await the time when it shall
pronounced whether he shall be put OF
of life as malignant criminal, or
henceforth well housed and cared fC
as an interesting lunatic of peculiS
propensities.
Into that train, now coming on to it
fate, there stepped at the terminal sts
ton an elderly gentleman and beaut
full girl. They had come to Americ
from England for the benefit of tb
young lady's not over-strong health.
"What lot of fog we do get heret
said the gentleman, testify. "W
started because it was charming
morning, and now we are in a dam,
mist, getting darker every moment. /
blessed invention, those fog signals, fG
| am sure the engine-driver cannot Sc
his hand before him."
Papa" said the young lady timidlyI
and with the dreamy air which wet5S.!
sociate with the looking back on long
past events, did you notice a gentle
man who entered the train as we were
just starting?"
GA young man with brown hair and
dark gray eyes? Yes, Laura, and |
thought now wonderfully like hewas to
that headstrong lad, Willie Stansfeld,
who will turn up again, / suppose, one
of these days"
"Do you think, papa, it could posi-
bly, have been he?''
There is no saying. We always as
sumed he went abroad. He may be
here-may be in this train. well re-
member the last words | saidto Turner
about him, that he must do something
very praiseworthy before he could re-
turn to my faver. l dare say, like the
rest of the world, he is striving and
struggling Laura, this is indeed
wretched day for travelling"
But Laura's thoughts were upon the
brown hair and the gray eyes.
"This is the station, Laura, before
we come to the long tunnel. On we 90
again. How we all of us cry out for
change! Restless creatures we human
beings are! BAH The idea of my NOR
alizing" and the hard-hearted business
man laughed at the notion.
81 don't see anything to laugh at
papa. feel little dull myself, at the
moment. Do you know fancy | am in
more critical state than you think. |
may not live, you know, papa. may
not. If should die you will not bury
me hereP You will take me home,
and
"My Laura, my Lauram exclaimed
her father, drawing her to him and en-
bracing her, " what has come over you?
What sudden alarm is this?'
They were alone in the carriage, and
the old mans tear dropped unchecked.
cit will pass away, l dare say, papa;
m R%t ana Guri feGG RRGaE % talk ct
er things. 1 wish this journey were
ended, for 1 am rather frightened at
such darkness.
"There is nothing to fear, my girl.
This line is admirably worked, and all
contingencies are provided for, and
-"
No. Not that of a heavy bar lying
on the rails, placed there after the last
trains has been signalled All right"
The huge engine reared up as if in
rage, and fell back on the foremost
carriages. The hind part of the train
was ierked off the line, the carriages
falling around and upon one another in
hideous confusion. Only few of the
center carriages escaped injury. How
many passengers were killed cannot
tell you now. In a sense, they were
favored above the cruelty wounded, for
the summons was immediate, and was
Immediately obeyed
Mr.. Manley rose from the embank-
ment on to which, by some eccentricity
of movement of the falling carriages,
he had been thrown. For a minute all
was confusion in his mind. Then
memory returned. Where was Laura?
She remained in that shattered COM
partment upon which another carriage
was partly resting. He could just hear
her voice now, crying for her father
The old man shouted for help, but
there were far worse cases, and no
help came. A cry then arose that the
train on the other line was Just due,
and the way being blocked by the de-
bris, another accident was imminent
A loud wall of despair issued from the
poor father, as fruitlessly he strove to
remove the great mass of fragment,
in which his daughter was entombed.
Who was this who, attracted by the
doleful cry, approached to render aid!
Mr.. Manley did not know at the mo-
ment. He simply saw young ans
powerful man, and he clutched him by
the shoulders, and then even sinking
on his knees before him, the old MAJ
besought him by all he held dear, by
all his hopes, of present and future, t.
save his child. "Save my Laura, m.
Laura, sir. and all have shall be a
| your commandn'
What a start the young man gave
One more close look into the suppliant
face, and then to work. What super
human force was this which cast aside
this huge bar and that great beam? Se
how the fragments fly, as though the,
were but pieces of child's plaything
To the right, to the left, the masses
,.n1l. ln 70 tla,, bolf damn