Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-01-05


along, holding close to the lantern upon
which her hopes depended.
Once she fell down and hurt her side.
but she scrambled up and hurried on,
never needing the pain. At last she
neared the track and saw the headlight
of the locomotive rounding the curve.
She tossed off her cloak, which i'm
peded her progress, and with redoubled
energy pushed on. Nearer and nearer
came the locomotlve-fainter and faint
er came her breath-she was growing
weok-she stumbled over stone-when
she arose the locomotive was almost op-
~eosite her-she gathered all her strength
and reached the side Of the track on
time with the engine; she swung her
lantern above her head and shouted with
all her might:
"The bridge is turned p
The train whizzed past her and she
fell fainting to the ground.
= . = -. - q
When she came to herself she was
lying on the damp ground with a seat
cushion under her head, and a number
of gentlemen standing around her.
'.Are they all killed ?" asked Quiz,
with shudder
mo; thanks to you, my brave girl.
we are all saved" answered a kind
faced gentlemen, who was bending over
her; ''are you better now ?''
"Yes, thank you; but where's Fred :?
Wasn't Fred on the train ?"
"Anybody here by the name of Fred ?''
asked the conductor, who stood near.
Three or four of them stepped forward,
among them our Fred, who no sooner
looked at poor Quiz than he exclaimed !:
"Why, bless you, it's my sister Dear
Quiz, how did you come here ?" and he
caught her up in his arms and kissed
her before them all.
Her story was soon told, and several
of the gentlemen started off after the
villains, who were found in the very
shed where Quiz had left them, and the
rest assisted the conductor to get the
bridge in place. Quiz was taken on
board with Fred, and when the bridge
had been fixed, the train moved down to
the station, where a crowd of anxious
citizens, who had received premonitior
that something was wrong had gathered
Of course papa was with the rest, and
when he heard what little heroine
Quiz had become, he kissed her very
tenderly and was very thankful that he
had kept and cared for the homeless
little girl whom the strange woman had
thrust SO unceremoniously upon him.
But the strangest part of the story il
yet to come. Among the gentlemen
who came forward to thank Quiz and te
congratulate papa on having such brave
little daughter, was the kind-faced mar
who had first spoken to Quiz when sh'
found herself lying on the ground after
the train had passed her. No soone
did he speak than papa recognized hin
as his old friend and school-mate, Arthu
| Wilburton. whom he had not seen fo
nearly twenty years. He invited hin
to accompany him to our home, and b
did so.
We at home, were still sitting aroun'
the fire, wondering anxiously why pap;
and Fred did not come. and feelin,
thankful that the storm had at las
abated, when We heard papa's night-ke
in the door and in minute more the
came into the room, papa carrying Qui
who was weak and pale, while her cloth
ing was disordered and covered wit
mud. Fred and Mr.. Wilburton follow
close behind him.
Nell uttered little scream as sh
saw Quiz, and the rest of stared i
amazement, for we supposed Quiz wa
safe in her own room, and we could nc
account for her disordered appearance
Papa soon told us the story, and then W
all cried and kissed her and called he
our own little heroine, and when MANN
insisted upon putting her to bed, fearin
the exposure might make her i'll, W
all wanted to sit up and help take car
of her.
The next morning while we were a
in the breakfast-room visiting with MI
Wilburton, and almost smothering Qui
with tender solicitude, the former sue
denly turned toward papa and said:
"You don't know Frederick how muc
your little daughter, Orphie, remind
me of my lost wife. She has the sam
soft eyes and quiet ways. and the sam
tones in her voice.
"Why, Arthur said papa; Il di
not know that you had ever been ma
ried."
"Yes,'' muttered Mr.. Wilburton sac
ly; but did not long enjoy domesti
happines. But few years after Nett
and / we're married, ] became very vi
fortunate in business speculations an
went to California in search of luck.
I had been there two years, and W;
| Il I Il n = Z