Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-02-07
aI1pnih's Column.
CARL SPRINGEL.

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 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 death, walked straight into the
face of certain death itself, and met it
like hero. ~
On the 18th of November. 1857, a
terrible rain storm swept over Southern
Germany. For twenty hours the rain
poured down in such torrents as had
never been known in that region, and it
seemed as if the day were to be the be-
ginning of second deluge. Rivers
overlooked their banks, and petty
streams were swollen into rivers.
At nine o'clock at night the storm
ragged on with undated violence, when
Carl Springel set out on his crutches
from the hut in which he lived to carry
an evening repast to his parent, who
was on watch duty at the bridge over
the Devils Gulch, on the Great South
Germany Railway.
The DEVILS Gulch is fanciful name
given to an immense cleft in the rock,
two hundred feet wide and a hundred
and fifty deep, which had been spanned
by strong bridge of wood and iron,
believed by the engineers who construct
ed it to be capable of withstanding all
possible assaults of wind and water.
1t was the duty of William 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
boiled and dubbed in ordinary times
on that night the heavy rains had swol-
len it to furious torrent. -
Carl Springel hobbled very slowly
along upon his crutches through the
almost Egyptian darkness of the night,
half blinded by the rain, but buoyed uE
by the thought that he was bringing
cheer and comfort to his beloved father
| When within a hundred yards of the
bridge an awful crash sounded out upor
the night air loud and above the din Of
the storm, and shudder of horror raj
through his brave young soul.
1t was the bridge-the bridge which
had been deemed impregnable. TIT
bridge had succumbed to the fury of th,
water, which rushed down its founda
tions in irresistible torrents from tn,
mountain side.
| Hurrying on as fast as he could, Car
reached the railroad track, and his wors
| fears were realized. Upon the track
some ten feet away from where the en-
trance of the bridge had been, was hi
fathers hand car, with his red Lantern
burning dimly in it, and by the lantern
light Carl could see the full extent o
the disaster. Every section, every tim
Der of the bridge had been swept away
and the yawning gulf and the roarin
flood were all that were left.
"Father, father!'' cried Carl, in hi
loudest tones, Father, father" b
called again, ''where are you p
But no answering voice responded
and there rushed across his brain th
terrible certainty that his father ha
gone down with the bridge.
For moment his breast was file
with unutterable anguish. But it wa
only for moment. Quick as though
= it flashed upon his mind that it was a
most time for the last train from ii
great city above to come rushing alon
with its living freight.
No danger-signal cleaned from Il
watch-tower upon the bridge, and G
), they would come, unsuspicious of the
peril until it was too late, and the
would be dashed in a moment into Il
seething food, more than hundred fe
'e below.
:, What was to be done Forgettir
n for the instant the great woe that hs
befallen him, Carl decided at once tn
II it was his duty to supply his father
5 place. and warn the train of its peril
time to save it if possible. But VIII
Or could he do?
The tempest increased in its fury, al
h the rain poured down as though it cou
Il. never stop. Hark. the train is cominl
c [Sy Already he hears it rumbling on to
IS, ards destruction, and it must be near,
es he could not hear it above the storm.
to He cannot run with his poor crippl
Mt legs, SO he throws himself upon t
he hand car, and nerves himself for
tie mighty effort.
" As though his own life was at stall
ge he begins to turn. Slowly at first. tn
an faster and faster, he drives the car
st the direction of the approaching train
at at On, on, dashes the mighty iron hors