The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1880-11-17
MISCELLANY.
CARE SPRINGEL.

Carl Springel is the name of a boy who is
held in remembrance over half of Germany,
for deed of self-sacrifcing heroism which is
unparalleled in the legends of Greece and
Rome, or the annals of more modern chivalry.
1t is not SO very hard for the soldier to face
bullets and cannon-balls upon the battlefield,
for he knows that while there are many
chances of death there is still some chance for
life.
Carl Springel, poor, lame German boy, to
save many human beings from an awful death,
walked straight into the face of certain death
himself, and met it like hero.
On the 10Th of November, 1867, terrible
rain storm swept over Southern Germany
For twenty hours the rain poured down in
such torrents as had never before been known
in that region, and it seemed as if the day
were to be the beginning of second deluge
Rivers overlooked their banks, and petty
streams were swollen into rivers.
At nine o'clock at night the storm ragged Oh
with undated violence, when Carl Sprnge
set out on his crutches from the hut in which
he lived alone, to carry an evening repast tC
his parent, who was on watch duty at the
bridge over the "Devils Gulch," on the
Great South German Railway.
The Devils Gulch is fanciful name giver
to an immense cleft in the rocks, two hundred
feet wide and hundred and fifty deep, which
had been spanned by q strong bridge of wood
and iron, believed by the engineers who con-
90. Tod II ha 30 Ill
possible assaults of wind and water.
1t was the duty of Wilhelm Springel-Carl's
father--to keep guard at this bridge ON stormy
nights, and warn the oncoming trains of any
lurking danger which might exist.
Beneath the bridge mountain stream boil.
ed and dubbed in ordinary times; on that
night the heavy rains had swollen it to furi-
Gus torrent
Carl Springel hobbled slowly along upon
his crutcbes through the almost Egyptian
darkness of the night, half blinded by the
rain, but buoyed up by the thought that he
was bringing cheer and comfort to his beloved
father.
When within hundred yards Of the bridge,
an awful crash sounded out upon the night
air loud above the din of the storm, and a
young soul.
1t was the bridge-the bridge which had
been deemed rnpregnable. The bridge had
succumbed to the fury of the water, which
rushed down upon les foundations in irresisti-
BILE torrents from the mountain-side.
Hurrying on as fast as he could, Carl reach
ed the railroad track, and his worst fears were
realized. Upon the track, some ten feet
away from where the entrance of the bridge
had been, was his fathers hapd-car, with his
red lantern burning dimly in it, and by the
lanterns light Carl could see the full extent
of the disaster. Every section, every timber
of the bridge, had been swept away, and the
yawning gulf and the roaring flood were all
that was left.
Father father +" cried Carl, in his loud
est tones. "Father father !" he called again,
"where are your"
But no answering voice responded, and
there rushed across his brain the terrible GER
tainty that his father had gone down with the
bridge.
For moment bis breast was filed with un-
utterable anguish. But it was only for a
moment. Quick as thought, it flashed upon
his mind that 1t was almost time for the last
night train from the great city above to come
rushing along with its living freight.
No danger signal cleaned from the watch
tower upon the bridge, and on they would
come, unsuspicious of their peril until il
would be too late, and they would be dashed
in moment into the seethipg flood, more
than hundred feet below.
What was to be done? Forgetting for the
instant the great woe that had befalen him,
Carl decided at once that it was his duty tc
supply his fathers place, and warn the train
of its peril in time to save it, If possible. But
what could ho do?
The tempest increased in its fury, and tht
rain poured down as though it could never
stop. Hank. the train is coming Already
he hears it rumbling on toward destruction
and it must be near, or he could not hear i
above the storm.
He cannot run with his poor, crippled legs
SO he throws himself upon the hand-car, and
nerves himself for mighty effort.
AS though his own life were at stake, b,
begins to turn. Slowly at first, then taste
and faster he drives the car in the direction