St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-02-11
mad runaway sleigh dashed on as be-

mad runaway sleigh dashed on as be-
fore.
The engineer seeing our situation
as we afterward Handicapped the
throttle and threw on every pound of
steam the engine was made to bear.
Fearing for our lives, he made the effort
to pass the crossing before we reached
there. 1t was an awful moment. The
sleigh-track spun out behind us like
silver ribbons, and the stumps and
corners of fences seemed to dash past
us like flashes of lightning. Little pieces
of ice from the road-bed flew spitefully
in our faces, and the wind blew so hard
we could scarcely breathe.
Oh, how forcibly did fathers kind
words of warning come back to our
recollection now, and pierce our dis
obedient hearts with mental anguish !!
Thoughts of home and eternity passed
wildly through our minds in quick sue
cession. The girls clasped each others
hands, and with staring eyes and bated
breath tremblingly awaited the dread
moment. A moment only we had to
think; and we were at the crossing,
and the crisis was at hand.
The sleigh struck the iron rails Just
ahead of the cow-catcher, and with a
sudden shock, leaped forward and up
ward. There was a frightful Changing
and kissing around us, and a deafening
screech from the steam-valves as we
leaped the track. The hot breath of
the fiery monster fairly swept in our
faces as we dashed before him and he
even left his mark, in the shape of
long and deep indentation, on the rear
of the sleighbox.
The girls uttered wild shrek of de-
spair, and tive of them tainted in each
others arms. Billy Smith sank down,
pale and trembling, and the steersmen
tottered and shook as though their
almost palsied limbs were struck with
deathly weakness.
1t was all over, however. We had
won the race; we were at the bottom
of the hill, and we were safe. The en-
gineer and fireman swung their hats,
and score of handkerchiefs futtered
at the car-windows as they dashed past
us; but we were too much frightened
and excited to return the congratula-
ton.
Our rate of speed diminished rapidly
as we crossed the little fiat, and, short
ly after we struck the ascending grade,
ceased altogether. The shock to our
nervous system had been considerable
but nevertheless we soon recuperated,
and while the girls slowly wended their
way back to the school house, we drew
the sleigh to its destination.
We returned to the schOol-room that
morning ten minutes late. The teacher
had heard the story of our narrow es-
cape, but did not mention it to us then.
Perhaps eur blanched faces and ner-
voas glances revealed the fact that we
had learned lesson we were not soon
to forget.
Aye, SO it wasi For weeks after
that exciting event, l often saw in my
dreams the great, kissing iron steed
just dashing upon me, and with the
alarming scream of the steam whistle |
would give back the answer with a de-
spairing shrek, and awake, trembling
with mortal terror. Father kindly for
gave us when he heard of it, but it was
the last of our riding down hill; and
from that day to this l cannot witness
the sport anywhere near the railway
without recalling my fearful experience,
when so many of us passed through
such narrow escape from a death so
horrible.