Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-04-01

touched the surface they were thrown vio-
lently upward, nearly jerking them from their
positions, and the mad runaway sleigh dash
ed on as before.
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. It was an awful mouent
The sleigh-track spun out behind us like sill
yer 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 recellection now,
and pierce our disobedient hearts with men
tai anguish Thoughts of home and eterni-
ty passed wildly through our minds in quick
succession. The girls olasped 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-catoher, and with a sudden shock
leaped forward and upward. There was q
| frightful changing and kissing around us, and
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 linden
tation, on the rear of the sleigh-box.
The girls uttered wild shrek of despair,
and two 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 engineer and fireman
swung their hats, and a score of handker-
chiefs huttered at the car-windows as they
dashed past us /; but we we're too much fright.
ened and excited to return the congratula-
tions.
Our rate of speed diminished rapidly as we
crossed the little fat, and, shortly after we
struck the ascending grade ceased altogeth-
er. The shock to our nervous systems had
been considerable but nevertheless we soon
recuperated and while the girls slowly wend-
ed their way back to the school house. we
drew the sleigh to its destination.
We returned to the school-room that morn
ing 10 minutes late. The teacher had heard
the st,ry of our narrow escape, but did not
mention it TO us then. Perhaps our blanched
faces and nervous glances revealed the fact
that we had learned q lesson we were not
soon to forget.
Aye, so it was For weeks after that ex-
citing event 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 despairing shriek and awake, trem-
bling 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 / cannot witness the sport any
where near the railway without recalling my
fearful experience, when SO many of us pass
ed through such a narrow escape from a
death so horrible - Golden DdVs