The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-02-28


on the platform of the carriage to smoke.
As the train few along the track, lit
tie snow-storms came up from all the
wheels in clouds Of powdered dust.
BERTHE was fascinated. Past sleeping
towns and villages, past black chimneys
rising into the murky sky from white,
unsullied roof, past close-shut windows,
meath whose sashes the yielding but re-
sistless snow wormed itself like herring
bones and hung outside in slow-dissolv-
ing flakes for King Frost to weld closer
Past huddling heap of humanity, be-
meath the shelter of the embankment,
on which the merciless, though tender
falling winding-sheet was surely wrap
ped. Past all these, and many more
sights, did the Pullman carriage rush
and scream, and yet no stopping for the
train.
But ten miles further on the trap was
laid. In deep cutting, the northern
wind and drifting cloud conspired to do
battle with the boosted power of man.
Lie closer still, o, drift blow fiercer
still, o wind! Ye wait the daring mon
ster who boasts he can outstrip the
wind, and rattle wildly over the snow
clad fields
A roar through tunnel-Bertie had
once again turned in-the train emerg-
ed; it slackened speed; a long deep
whistle. The engine stopped dead short,
and pushed up a siX-foot mound of
snow, melting it for one brief half min
ute; the water dashed at its enemy, fire,
I and Kissed its vengeance in its burning
ears. The fiery foe collapsed; the
mighty monster lay embedded in the
drift, harmless as fettered giant, but
/ still noisy in its protests.
Clouds of steam anxious to be free
from that fatal cutting rushed upwards
and disappeared, or, unable to escape,
fell in warm teardrops on the virgin
snow-white carpet. The engineer let
the boiler run empty, and sent his fire.
/ men back to the last station for assist
ance. Man was powerless against the
snow.
The soft, the gentle snow!
The passengers awoke, and shivering
came one by one out at the end plat
form of the train, asking questions and
not waiting for replies. No need to ask
what was the matter second time. The
helpless, lighted train glowed like a
long lighthouse beneath the snow-clad
embankment. A bank in front, tun-
mel behind yawning darby like an i'm
mense hole cut in white paper, biting
wind and driving snow told the tale all
too clearly.
Showed up! Not doubt of it. When
could assistance arrives? Were there
any ladies in the train? No ladies
only % travellers and all men.
But BERTHE was due at his Manchester
office at O'Clock this morning. 1t was
now about a quarter to 4. He must get
on, and he expressed his determination
aloud to his fellow passengers.
81 will accompany you-Where are
we, guard?"
"Atween Ambergate and Matlock-
but don't know where, though, gentle
men, exactly. Ask Ben"
Ben" the engine-driver, informed
them that they were about an hour and
a quarters run from Manchester, and
added a word of caution. But BERTHE
companied by two other passengers, he
started on his venturous expedition.
Once out of the cutting they trusted
to be free. Surely the stoppage of the
line would be telegraphed by this time
and, perhaps, train in waiting to take
them on. So they stepped manfully
out, sinking deeply at every step, but
still making progress.
The snow had ceased; the sky was
clearing fast, and frosty-looking stars
peeped out to view the desolation The
wind was bitterly cold. Every now and
then the snow would be dashed into
their faces, as by handfuls caught up by
spirit fingers to obstruct their progress
For awhile they kept side by side.
Struggling against the blast they press
ed on till, unknowingly, they mounted
the side of the cutting and wandered far
away across a level field, and over the
distant hedge, covered up with newly
fallen snow.
The sudden ease with which they
stepped now had the very opposite eff
feet to what might reasonably have
been expected. They knew they had
strayed. Where was the railroad? They
must regain it at any risk. But the two
older travellers determined to remain
where they were, sheltered compare
lively behind the hedge, in only foot
of snow, till daybreak. BERTHE rashly
made up his mind to return in his tracks,
which were plainly discernible, and
/ against the advice of his comrades he
acted upon his resolution.
His one idea was to reach Manchester.
| If he did not succeed in averting the
! impending crash there, all his pros
poets would be ruined. His hopes of
ever winning his lady-love would be
completely shattered, and what was life
without love? He must succeed, though
he persisted in the attempt; he would
do his duty, whatever happened.
So he manfully struggled on at times
up to his knees in snow; once; CON-
pletely buried in the drift; he fell
down, down, until nothing but small
star was visible overhead! The snow
kept closing in. He breathed hard up
wards toward the hole. (His hands
were fastened to his sides by pressure of
the drift.) By breathing hard at the
tiny hole it became larger and larger.
The snow melted, and he got a hand
free. At length he got his head out,
and after a severe struggle he fell for
ward, half insensible from cold and
nervous exhaustion. He rolled over the
harder snow for space; down, down
it seemed as if he would never stop-a
hard substance received him-a crash
of glass, or ice, moment afterwards
fell upon his half-unconscious ears, and
he lay insensible on the ground. A light
was burning steadily over his head.
The spirit remained in the body, but
the clay tenement refused to acknowl-
edge the presence Of the master Sense
lay wrapped within the brain, and be
hind the sullenly closed lids. Speech
was there, but somehow it could not
force its way through the stubborn lips.
The ears were open to catch the slight
est sound, and eagerly they drank it in
but the shaken nerves refused to listen,
or at best only grudgingly as yet.
And thus lay BERTHE in a trance dead,
and yet alive; ready to speak, dying to
utter his thought, and yet dying because
] his speech was locked: the nressure ON