Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-12-12
A Life Saved by Heroic Exertions.

TT ere was terrible accident at South
Norwalk, Conn, twenty-five years ago.
The draw over the railroad bridge had
been by some carelessnesss left open, aud
the engineer, mistaking the signal, dashed
on, and down thundt red and crashed
the train. The loss Of life was terrible,
and very many were crushed and badly
wounded. Even now, after so many
years, it is spoken of as one Of the great
horrors.
People living near by, and others who
were attracted to the scene of the acct
dent, worked nobly, and rendered all
the assistance they could. Men came in
boats, and tenderly lifted the dead and
dying bodies from the water, carried
them up the bank, and laid them gently
| down to be further cared for. Among
those attracted to the scene was mid
dle-aged man, who was q stage-driver,
whose route was between New Canaan
and South Norwalk. He saw them
bringing up on the bank the bodies OF
those taken from the water, and one
body particularly attracted him. 1t was
the body Of fair young girl, and 8
strange feeling seemed to tell him that
she was not dead. He felt of her hand.
1t was cold and clammy. Placing his
ear over her heart he could. detect no
beating. Yet something within him said
she was not dead. A physician, after
making an examination, pronounced lie
extinct, and urged the driver to assist the
others in, caring for the wounded.
! He turned to go and again that IRE
sistible feeling impe]led him to try to
save the girls life. Securing tho assist.
ance of two women, he began q vigorous
rubbing of the body. He labored On un-
til the water fairly poured from him.
The lazy curiosity gathered
around and said it was foolish task: she
was past helping. Nevertheless, on he
worked. No change was observed for
| half an hour, and his heart began to sink.
For the last time he began desperate
renewal of his exertions alone,2 for the
women had stopped, and as he drew him
self up to 60 away, the girl, with a low
moan, opened and, closed her ewes With
rush the blood dashed to his heart, and
he almost tainted, aud with open. mouth
astonished the throngs. again gathered
around. After little attention. she was
restored to consciousness; her life had
been saved.
After she had learned the facts she
went tc her deliverer, and with tears of
JOY thanked him. - , -.
She was the only daughter Of very
wealthy parents, and deep was their graf
itude. When the girl took him to her
home, her mother kissed him, embraced
him and cried for JOY. s.,.n
Her father gave him handsome gold
watch and chain and clothing; everything
that wealth could lavish on HIM was
done. He was urged to pass the remand
er of his life with them: but he declined
this, and went back to his own home
thankful for their Kindness. ~
This was twenty five years ago. Regu-
larly every year since then, he has re-
ceived present in money sufficient to
keep him in luxury for the next twelve
months, besides presents. without end
from these grateful hearts. He has only
t. express y wish and it is gladly gratified.
He lives in his lowly way, and be il an
old man, and slowly drawing near to his
end. ~ . -.