The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1879-02-13

And make us lose the good We oft might win,
BY fearing TO attempt
With flushed cheeks, smile. parted
lips, flashing eyes, and braced nerves
and muscles, they gave no heed TO
the thousand dangers ahead-almost
longed to have them rise defiant ia
tneir path-so strange paradox is
man.
A sudden, sharp curve and they
awoke from the dream OF security to a
sense OF the situaiion-to a forciblc.
realistic view OF what was before.
The fireman leaned to the engineer.
and shouted so as to .be heard even
above the jarring and clashing OF
machinery and elemental war:
"We will soon be upon Deep River
Bridge, and"
God help US il we cannot, see the
red signal, and anything Is wrong,'
and thought and heart flew back TO
the wife and little ones waiting
prayerfully and tearfully for his re-
turn.
There was not another word spo-
ken-the heart was too full for mean
ingless words; bat, with strained eyes
and bated breath and troubled brain,
they looked ahead-fearing, hoping,
doubling.
Another curve, short, straight,
downgrade run and they would
thunder over the long bridge, il, in
deed, it remained still standing--if
the draw had not been swung open
for the passage OF ice running In
mad, rioiing destructive force with
the swollen current toward the sea.
"If?" Never in thir lives, perhaps
never in that OF any man, was more
concentrated in that little word:
never more surely hung upon it life
and widowhood and orphanage,
wreck and mangled lips had crushed
out breath Years are condensed in
to heart throb at such a moment
4
and prayers into pulse-beat; all of
hopes are swift as the passing OF a
sunbeam, all of love into a single
glimpse Of heaven; all OF despair Into
a feeting shadow, and all the dread
and horror OF death into spasm.
The curve was made; the track
lay straight before them; Dick Elliott
leaned still further out and gazed
ahead with strained eyes. The sleepy
snow had thickened. was driven moie
furiously on by the howlicg wind,
and clung to everything it touched.
until the scene was as that OF Arctic
land and Polar terror.
"Charley," whispered the engineer
hoarsely, "can you see the signal at
tie brid ye?"
"Seei" answered the fireman, ga
man might as well be blind"
Then heaven keep us"
"Why not stop and"
"Be forever taunted as a cowardl
Neverl Jump if you are afraid. L go
through. engine and ALL"
The hands of the two men almost
involuntarily met in a grasp OF the
most brave friendship. and the eyes
flashed determination. Whatever
befel one would both, and, with bell
ringing and whistle screaming, they
kept their onward course. silent and
watchful.
1.-The signal, Dickl I see itl" at
length exclaimed the fireman.
Red or white?'
"Whitei"
"God be praised!'
But the jubilant hope was instantly
dashed to the earth. In such storm
with every thing numbered and clad
in ice, the red glasses might easily
be transformed into sheeted white
and the signal of danger shine as one
OF safety TO lure and destroy!
"Charley?"
"Dick?"
Another instant will be life oi
, death! II you pull through and dc
, not look after my wife and children
oh, my God the red signal is up, the
bridge is open or gonel'
The heat within. the whirling blas
, without, or both combined, had clear
ed the glass OF the lantern, and i
| flashed out crimson for moment
flashed out upon the chasm 4
bloody warning OF doom and death
: Reverse? 1t was too latel Upor
the icy rails there was no possibl,
3 cohesion; with all OF steam shut of
they would still slide downward swif
4 as the sled of the boy upon the snow
A packed hill. They knew, felt in ever,
fibre OF their being, the certainty o
3 an instantaneous and terrible death
. saw the black gulf OF the river yawn
g ing for their bodies: the fingers G
: fate reaching out for their souls, an'
yet had no power to avert. Swiftl,
9 as the lightening's flash they wer
Q speeding on, and equally swift thei
hearts were turned to home an,
0 loved ones, and then stood still as
7 suddenly frozen to ice.
. Before them, in their very path
crouching down between the rails
almost under the wheels OF the pant
ing running engine, they saw tn
L form OF woman, pressing to heart
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