Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-03

Ildll Ol Her Cdnuy, appleS anu OCn6r good
les; for him she learned to sew, draw
pictures and write letters, and when she
came to go to school it was to him she
confded all troubles and triumphs and
to him she went for aid and assistance in
mastering hard sums, and so we called
her Fred's protege.
When she first went to school Fred
gave her the name of Orphania, and the
children called her "Orphie," but she
retained her habit of asking questions
about everything, and so, partly for fun
and partly because the name suited her.
we continued to call her Quiz, and thus
things went on until she was twelve
years old and Fred was twenty.
One day Fred went to the city on busi-
ness for papa, and we did not expect
hdIe him h9me "a Hgtgv tgvte&HihGg t&Hi G9N Toward night
there came up furious storm; it
Gnundered and lightened, the wind blew
and ratified the window easements, while
at times the rain fell in torrents. AS we
were all seated around the evening lamp
with our work and studies, mamma
shivered and wondered if Fred had an
ovcrcoat with him, and if papa, who
had not come up from the office, would
think to take one over to the station.
A few minutes afterward Quiz arose
and slipped quietly out of the room, but
we thought nothing of it, for she was
in the habit of slipping away without
saying anything, and we concluded that
she had either gone to the kitchen to
Biddy, or else had gone to her own room.
She had done neither, however. Step
ping quietly into the hall, she had first
H. sa1v to.. Il
bers, then lighted Fred's lantern, taking
his overcoat from the nail, went softly
out of the front door into the driving
storm.
The wind almost blew her over, and
the rain beat hard on her face; but she
only tossed her head defantly, and
whispered:
The elements cannot beat me; ]
know them; they obeyed my voice
once" Just then the wind caught up
her cape and blew it over her head in
such a manner that she could not see
where to step, and stumbled against the
fence and almost fell down.
The saucy wind twisted and pulled al
her clothing, the rain beat into her face
and the thunder rumbled and roared on
every hand.
But Quiz didn't care; she struggled
bravely on until she reached an old dis
used shed near the bridge which she
would have to crose on hrsway to the
depot. Here she paused moment, par.
TALLY shelter d from the storm, to re.
gain her breath before attempting the
highly-exposed bridge.
The village streets were deserted, fol
no one would venture out in such q
storm unless urgent business ca lice
them, yet Quiz heard voices quite neal
her.
She was frightened at first, but listen
ing a moment and finding that they
came from the shed against which she
was leaning, she was about to hurry OF
when sentence attracted her attention
and she stood still and listened.
"But, Jim, the hull train'll go tC
smash"
Don't kere! guess it'll teach 'em no
TIL discharge feller like me fur nothin
Ye see johnson, the enjineer, and Hink
| ley, the conductor, are the ones thet re
anyhow, Corey an Kemph, the bridge
tenders, are dead drunk, and theirs moth
in fur you an l but tu skulk, and see ZEN
all go to Satan"
The bridge turned! Quiz's heart gave
q great jump, and then sank like lead
her head grew dizzy, and she was oblige'
to lean hard.against the shed to keep from
falling.
Then she stepped cautiously aroun
the corner of the shed, and, with beatin
heart, looked down the river. A flas
of lightning showed her the railroa
bridge turned, and the dark river rollin
between it and thebank where the expires
train would soon appear. In imagina
ton she saw the locomotive plung
down the bank, followed one afte
another by the cars loaded with passen
gers unaware of approaching death
She heard the shrieks of the poo
victims as they were buried in tn
crash, and the groans of the dying a
they struggled with the waves, or la
gasping meath the ruins.
Then she covered her face with he
hand to shut out the vision and though
could she save themP But howP Whs
should she dop Go back homep TheI
were none but helpless women there
Hurry on to tell papaP 1t would the
be too late.
81 must save them myself" she whi
pered, and shutting her lips tight, grasl
ing her lantern firmly she dashed dow
a cross street in the direction of the raj
road track.
Then she remembered that Fred, OF
day in explaining to her about momel
tum, had told her that the engine cou,
not easily stop on the down grade on tn
, side of the river, but that it was nece
sary, in order to do so, to go back fro
, the river about a mile and half
where the descent first began, near Il
+ curve.
= To save time she decided to go Gro
lots. The storm increased, but Gu
never paused a moment; over fenc
!. through briars, across bitches, into mi
! and mire ankle deep, she staggered alon
: holding close to the lantern upon whit
, her hopes depended.
Once she fell down and hurt her sid
. but she scrambled up and hurried o
: never needing the pain. AT last 81
= neared the track and saw the headlig
y. of the locomotive just rounding t
curve.
4 She tossed off her cloak, which il
4 peded her progress, and with redoubl
). energy pushed on. Nearer and neal
y came the ocomotive-fainter and faint
4 came her breath-she was growing we
- she stumbled over stone-when s
-. arose the locomotive was almost oppos
u to her-she gathered all her strength a
10 reached the side of the track on til
'F with the engine, she swung her lante
IL above her head and shouted with all
10 might: 1.-THE bridge is turnedm
:. The train whizzed past her and S
70 fell fainting to the ground.
~ PART II.
S. When she came to herself she was
I | A. Io.,.., c.,,1,,.Dl ,,rs1I =, no