The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-05-16
MARRIED BY DEATH.
The Terrible Ride on "a RAiIroad Hans
Cara FearfHI ReN ehEe.

The Terrible Ride on "a RAiiroad Hand
Cara Fsarfai HeN ease.
A most horrible affair took place re-
Gently ON branch line Of the TAliating
road running from the great iron artery
Of the L. W aud B. railroad, up through
the pleasant valley Of Chester county
Pennsylvania.
Ii was near Chald's Ford. and at a
beautifully romantic spot. There is a
turbulent stream running between high
banks, ON which stunted willows grow,
while further down, al the waters edge,
the weeping variety Of the same tree
dips its greenish tresses IN the musical
water, which has hushed It's riotous noise
10 almost requiem since the death of
George Ricketts, and Mollie Dolbell--
+" as fine a young man and as pretty IA
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 har was
bonnie brown, but with just IA CLINT of
black in II, as II il had been gently
touched by a ravens wing. She was
lght-hearted and AS merry s. thelark
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 loyers-one. George Ricketts,,
a stalwart farm hand, and the other
1 Hugh O'Donnell, asullen, red-whiskered
man. employed on the small drawbridge
over the Fox Run that we have spoken
I Of This draw was seldom used save
\ for lazy schooner that came up 20 get
terTacotta pipe from mandatory
] above.
The two men knew that they we're
rivals and Mollic knew 1t too, being
/ sorely troubled IL her white soul as she
stood one Saturday evening IN the porch
/ Of the house whore she lived and prom
I ised 10 take a ride on the morrow with
! George-not q ride in buggy, nor in a
sailboat, but IA rattling ride on n hand
car, a practice which is frequent on
these lonely lanes, whose rails yibraie
/ but seldom under the crushing advance
/ Of the engine.
/ Ii is unnecessary 10 describe the
hand car, that fits the rails, is worked
I by a crank, and when started goes like
the wind. The car had been loaned
l George by Il band of laborers who were
making repairs about a mile above. Ee
had busted il neatly, and when the
pretty girl reached him 10y q short path
| through the woods, he had arranged
I the vehicle so cleyerly with a cushion
for Mollie that il did not seem mike
Cleopa,ras barge. She was in her Sun
dny bets, and she laughed lightly in the
sunshine as Grurge swung her lightly
into the seat and then leaPed 10 the
handles.
There were no Sunday trains there
was no danger.
Mollie crossed her tiny feet, felt the
cxhllaration Of the movement, rs
Georges swelling arms produced the
terrible momentum, and saw her neat
skirts blown about by the rushing wind
beneath the platform. On, on they
went, the glistcning rails ringing. the
bonnv brown hair blown about and the
Fox.run bridge near az hand.
On that bridge Hugh O'Donnell sat
smoking his pipe. The draw WAS open,
although no drifting schooner was IN
sight. Some evil bird had whispered 10
Hugh the Sunday trip Of his rival with
Molhe. he determined on murder At
once. This in the reason the rusty draw
was open. while Hugh sat in his sentry
box on the other side smoking his pipe
and watching up the converging lines
OF metal that seemed like satin ribbons
-. -. H. Ella vsnwev.s.~tsx-a
He did not have 10 wait long. First
came the rumble-the iar-away sound
that dies away while il increases-And
then, swinging Suddenly arounda curve,
the handcar, bearing the girl he loved and
the man he hated. He drew another Whit
Of smoke and looked calmly at the tumbril
Of death, with its arms whirling wildly,
since George had trusted 20 the steep
grade and the appalling acceleratlon he
had given the machine 10 accomplish
the passage Of the bridge, and had sat
down alongside OF Mollie with his arm
around her waist.
Just rs they neRred the draw, which
WAS never legally allowed open on Sun
day, he turned his head and his face
became white. Molhe felt the chill
circle her waist as his blood froze in his
arms. He sprang 20 his feet and tried
10 seize those revolving handles, which
we're only blur and mist. He thought
of throwing the girl of. but before he
could think Of anything else the car took
the leap, and as Hugh O'Donnell sat
smoking in his sentry box he saw the
upturned faces, pAllid with agony, but
pressed close together, 60 down with
the hand car to the deep pools and cruel
rocks Of the Fox run, and as he did SO
he said
Course You - and lighted another
pipe.
They found him there, but mad-not
raving mad, but in that lymphatc state
of mania which is beyond reach. On the 4
shore below, held by the gnarled roots
of a willow, we're discovered the bodies .
Of George and Mollie. In the moment 4
Of death she had thrown her arms about f.
him. and as the sunlight filtered through /
the surging branches and fell upon the 1
upturned faces, they seemed like bride
and groom in the sleep Of happiness. /
So they we're married, but death had |
been the minister. - Cincinnati In /
gIirer.