Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-02-09
3Mistellanu.
Carl Springel.

Carl Springel.
Carl Springel is the name of a boy who
is held in remembrance over half of Ger
many, for deed OF self sacrificing heroism
which is UNPARALLELED in the legends OF
Greece and Rome, or the annals of more
modern chivalry.
|, is not so very hard for the soldier to
flre bullets and cannon balls upon the
battle field. for he knows that while there
are many chances of death there is still
some chance of life.
Carl Springel. poor lame German boy,
to save many human beings from an awful
dea h. walked straight into the face of GER
tain death itself, and met it like a hero.
On the 18th of November, 1867, a terri
BILE rain storm swept over southern Ger
mauy. For twenty hours the rain poured
down in such torrents rs had never been
known in that region, and it seemed as if
the dav were to be the beginning Of a
second deuge. Rivers overhowed their
banks. and petty streams were swollen
into rivers.
At o'clock at night the storm ragged on
in unabated violence, when Carl Springe
set out on his crutches, from which he lived
also, to carry an evening repast to his par
cnt, who was on watch duty at the bridge
over the Devils Gulch," fanciful name
given to an immense cleft in the rock, two
hundred feet wide and hundred and fifty
deep which had been spanned bv a strong
bridge of wood and iron, believed bv the
engineers who constructed it to be capable
of withsranding all possible assaults of
wind and water.
1t was the duty of William Springel-
Carl's flthcr-to keep guard 1T this bridge
on s.ormy nights and warn the oncnming
train- OF any lurking danger which might
exist
Beneath the bridge a mountain stream
boiled aud hupbcd in ordinary times; on
that light he heavy rains had swollen it
to furious torrent.
Carl Sprngel hobbled very slowly along
upon his cruches through the almosl
Egyptian darkness of the night. half
blinded bv the rain. bul buoved up by the
thought that he wa, bringing cheer and
comfort TO his beloved father
When within hundred yards of the
bridge IN awful crash sounded out upon
the night air loud and tbove the din OF the
storm, and shudder of horror ran through
his brave young soul.
1t was the bri1ge-the bridge which had
been deemed impregnable The bridge
had Succumbrd to the fury of the water.
which rushed down its foundations in
irresistible torrents from the mountain
side
Hurrving on as fast as he could, Carl
reached the railroad track and his worst
fears were realized. Upon the track, some
ten feet away where the entrance of the
bridge had been, was his fathers hand car
with his red lantern burning dimly in it,
and by the lantern 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 were
left.
Father father" cried Carl in his loud
est tones. Father, father" he called
again, where are youP"
But no answering voice responded and
there rushed across his brain the terrible
certainty that his father had gone down
with the bridge.
For Il moment his breast was filled with
unutterable anguish. But it was only for
a moment. Quick as thought, it flashed
upon his mind that it was almost time for
the last 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 it would be too late. and they would
be dashed in moment into. the seething
flood, more than hundred feet below.
What was to be done? Forgetting for
the instant the great woe that had befallen
him, Carl decided at once that it WAS his
duty to supply his father place, and warn
the train of its peril in time to save it if
possible. But what could he dop
The tempest increased in its fury and
the rain poured down as though It could
never stop. Hark, the train is coming!
Already he hears it rumbing on towards
destruction, and it must be near, or he
could not hear it 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, he
begins to turn. Slowly at first then faster
and faster, he drives the Car in the drec
ton Of the approaching train.
On. on, dashes the mighty horse nearer
and nearer it comes. Oh, if he can get
far enough off to save the train from rush
ing headlOng into that horrible grave.
Around the mountain side, on the curv-
ing track, the train speeds along. The
gleam of its lights is now shed upon the
valley, and the boy knows that the
supreme moment is at hand
On thunders the engine, and the track
trembIes beneath the heavy burden. Sud
denly, around sharp bend hundred
feet away, full on his Sight bursts the
blazing headlight of the engine.
Ceaslng from his labor, Carl Springel
braced himself with one hand, and grasp.
inc the red lantern in the other, swings it
above his head.
The bridge is down! The bridge is
down. lie cries with all his power. "The
bridge Is down! The bridge is do
The engineer has seen him, but cannot
save him. With II dull thug, the engine
clears the obstruction from the track and
dashes along-but slower and slower now
Tne hand-car and the boy are hurled
fifty feet through the air, and when the
boy Is found his body is crushed, man.
glcd anu Iieless But the train is saved
Trembling, grasping, staggering. the en-
glne haIts -halts not Il dozen yards from
the mouth Of he yrwning chasm-and
all on board are saved by the unparalleled
herol>m OF this crippled boy who had given
up his life that they might live.
Two years ago. in quiet village ceme-
terry IN the south Germany, | saw the
grave in which he sleeps. Upon modest
tombstone ut his head, erected by the
gratitude of those whose lives he had
preserved was this inscription:
CARL SPRINGEL,
AGED Ia
ale died the death of hero and mar.
tyr; and saved two hundred lives"
A hnrn and nlarLVr he Was indnnd annnn