The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-06-25
4" Helm I help 7" / cried.

The walling cry faded away, and
there was no answer Louder and
louder came the thunder; nearer and
nearer came the train. The rising moon
disclosed to me the white column OF
smoke and steam, rising above the hill
beyond the curve and now the regular
~ beating puff and cough of the engine
struck my ear, like the gloating chuckle
OF some terrible monster regarding his
victim. How like frenzy tie thought
came on me that 1t was now too late for
assistance No human being would
venture on the bridge when the train
was within hearing distance, when it
was too dark to distinguish objects in
time to stop the impetuous fire-horse;
and yet, furious and frantic at the
! thought of such death, | stretched my
trembling limbs 20 their utmost, and
shrieked again and again until | grew
hoarse, and the laundering train
drowned the feeble efforts of my voice
And now delirium seized me. L fancied
some giant fiend held down the plank
which | vainly tried to wrench from its
firm position-I could hear the chuckle
of satisfaction that it gave to think it
had me there so safely in its power
The loud roar that now reached my
ear announced that the train had struck
the bridge-there came an end to hope
no power could avert the death that
stared me in the face For an instant |
saw countless demons lowering through
the air. | made n slperhuman effort to
move my body off the the line, fire and
smoke enveloped me-there was
crushing blow, convulsion, dim
recollection of keen pains shooting
through my imprisoned limb, and all
was darkness. l knew no more.
When / returned again to conscious
ness l was lying on an easy couch, in a
room dlmly lighted, but neatly and tidily
furnished. While wondering whore |
was, and trying to recall what had
passed, the door was slowly opened, and
Lucy Ames entered the room. IN Il mo-
ment she was by my bedside, Watching
the motions and the expressions of my
countenance, doubtless imagining that !
was still deluious.
Lucy-Miss Amas ?" | said.
She started back us / uttered the
name, as though unwilling that l should
discover her real thoughts but, in a
moment recovering all self possession,
she looked calmly toward me, and asked,
with II tone of affected indifference
"Do you feel easier now 2"
Indeed. | scarcely know how L do
feel" / replied, "but there is a pain and
soreness in my head, and, in fact, in all
my limbs. 1 must have been badly
hurt
had dim recollection of the occur
renee above narrated, and / felt sur
prised that | should have again awakened
to life. The pain which l felt, on re
gaining my reason, increased now mo-
mentarily. A physician was at hand,
and every effort was made by him, as
well as the members OF Mr.. Ames' fami-
ly Gin whose house | was then lying) in
which, Also Lucy and Mr.. Wesley
joined, to alleviate my sufferings.
In spite of all their attentions my
pains rapidly augmented, and in a short
time | was again lost in the unconscious
delirium of fever. In my vague dream
ings | was again on the narrow bridge,
bending every effort and straining every
nerve to remove the piece of wood that
bound me there. Again 1 was chained
to the huge rock, lii which unconscious
laborers were drilling holes which they
filled with powder to blow the unseemly
mass to atoms. Fiends, shapeless and
hideous, flew about me, chattering In
glee-demons danced on the sharp edges
of the rock, chucllling again like the
measured puff of the engine and at in
tervals they stopped to bind the chain
closer, until the links festered into the
very flesh, and turned my blood to gall
with the poison i'll which they had been
dipped. Caverns yawned on e yery side
TO receive me. All ut once was heard
the long shrill whistle of the engine, and
voices, that seemed the very agony of
despair, screamed on every side of me-
The train the train ~
But all this passed away. | was well
again, and could walk about the house
with the aid of crutch, for ] had left
one foot suspended in the bridge where
/ had SO miraculously escaped death.
Lucy had treasured me of her love, not
indeed by words, but by her actions.
Long and patiently she had watched by
my side; and to her more than any 9TH
Ell do i owe the preservation of my life.
No words had passed between us in re-
lation to the subject which had so nearly
separated us, yet there seemed to be n
tacit acknowledgment of the error on my
part, and a cheerful forgiveness on hers.
But one day, when we CHANGED to be
alone, | REQUIRED to the folly of which j
had been guilty, and more formally asked
her forgiveness.
Freely do L forgive You" she said,
if indeed you have been guilty Of any
act which would seem TO require it.
You doubtless acted according to your
earnest inclination, which / would not
wish to oppose. l supposed your only
object was to secure the hand of another
i'll leaving me, and that -"
Lucy, Lucy ~ 1 exclaimed, {" it was
not sol was mad 1 was fool L be-
lieved too rashly, but now / will believe
nothing, I will not even credit what
see. But tell me, Lucy, how it hap
pened that on one or two occasions, after
excusing yourself from accompanying
me to an evenings visit or party, /
should afterward meet you returning
home in company with Mr., Wesley"
"Still jealous, see, ;" said Lucy