The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-07-09

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One old farmer and his wife drew up
their fat gray mare, and he, handing
the reins to his wife. said, 81 du de-
clare fort, if this ERE house amt fur
sale! Du let me read the sign"
Whereupon putting on a pair of big
round glasses, he began to haw-haw
until old Bess pricked up her ears, and
his good wife was just as mad!-because
she couldn't see herself. and he couldn't
get breath to tell her. But as it hap
pened, half of the gate was open that
day, and he laboriOusly got down from
his wagon and carefully shut it. like q
good-natured old fellow as he was!
But as the old saying goes, it is no
use to lock the barn after the horse is
stolen, and in this case the little runa-
way had gone before the farmer drove
by. Jessie was the first to miss him.
She was only eight years old, but she
was thoughtful child for her age. and
she had seen her dear mamma, and aunt
and the servants so Hurried and fright
ened many time that she thought to
herself, ''This time 1 will not let my
dear mamma be scared. know Benny
cannot be far away. am sure I can
find him myself. 1 will try" So slip
ping her hat on her head, she went out
of the yard. and looked up and down
the street with all her blue eyes.
Now the street, which ran down to
the depot at one end, went straight up
to the end of the town to hill at It'd
other, and then turning, ran over high
railroad-bridge which sprang from one
high cliff of the hill across ''cut'' to
the other side. Jessie could see not
sign of Benny toward the depot; but up
the street, away up so far that it was
only by his scarlet sash that she
knew him, she could see Benny ''put-
ting" for the turn in the road as fast
as his fat little legs could carry him.
With bound and a feeling of mortal
fear at her heart, Jessie sprang after
him. 1t seemed to her as if everything
in a minute. As she sped
along she could hear the latest passen-
ger train just pulling into the depot be-
hind her-and, yes-there in the road
was one of Benny's little silk carriers,
but she could not stop to pick it up.
What if Benny should get to the bridge
just as the train came along, and tum-
BILE off! He was liable to fall, any way,
and the poor little chap knew so little
of treacherous bridges that he might
even run right off Of his own accord.
On, on she ran. her cheeks like fire,
her hat flying off behind her, her fore
head covered with bright little drops!
But she thought nothing of herself. All
her mind, her heart, were in her feet,
and they were leaping after Benny!
He was now out of sight. She came to
a turn OF the road, the bridge was be-
fore her-but Benny! where was he?
She could not see him, but oh! she
could hear him, screaming with fright
and calling, "Mamma, sister, some
body! do tum help little Benny! Oh!
oh -h-hr'
Jessie could see down the track as
she ran to the side of the bridge. The
roaring train was coming along toward
her at a great speed. Where, oh! where
was Benny? Jessie gave great cry.
There he was! hung by his petticoat to
a great spike on the under edge of the
bridge! There he was, tugging and
and struggling to get himself of-and
if he did! There were the shining rails
forty feet below! There was the rush
ing train that would crush him into a
horrible bleeding mass! All this
rushed through her mind while she was
acting. Laying herself flat out on the
bridge, with only her head and arms
over the edge, she said, gently, '.Ben-
ny keep still! Here is sister! Put
up your arms and take her hands!'
The little fellow was usually obedient,
and he instantly did as he was bid.
When she had him closely clutched by
both hands Jessie began to have hope.
She said little prayer in her heart. 1t
was this +: "Dear Heavenly Father. give
me strength to hang on?' That was
al, but she felt as if she would be able
to hang on great while when she had
finished it. But what was this The
train had come along more and more
slowly. 1t finally stopped. A man
jumped off and shouted, ''Hold him,
hold him! I'll be there in a minute -
and he began to climb the sides of the
great embankmept as fast as ever man
could.
Benny by this time was sobbing, but
not struggling. The spike still held his
lress fast, so that his weight was not
July depending from Jessie's arms.
She kept comforting and soothing him,
while she trembled and wept herself,
but still hung onto the little fat arms
with gentle but strong grip. Oh! it
seemed ages before that kind fireman
aid himself down flat beside her, and,
reaching carefully out, grasped the
clothing of the naughty runaway, and
inally set him safely on his feet. But
1t last it was done, and before Jessie
could get her breath to say more than
. God bless you," he had sprang down
he rocks again, and was soon on the
engine steaming away!