Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-05-27

pOnu, you SnOulu nave as many as you
could carry"
Polly smiled back at him, and then be-
gan to watch him as he made ready to
turn, the great bridge back into place
for the train to pass over. His hand was
already on the crank, when a
rope dangling over the rail
ing attracted his attention. As he
tried to pull it in, it seemed to be caught
underneath. Polly watched him lean
over to get a better hold, when, to her
great establishment, the piece of railing
to which he held, gave way.
There was sudden scream, and a
great splash in the water. But before
the waves of the swiftly flowing river
closed over him, Polly heard the cry:
"The train the flagY
Poor little Polly! She was so alarmed
for the poor mans safety that for some
moments she could think of nothing else
and ran backward and forward, wiring
ing her hands in despair. AS he rose to
the surface she saw that he made fran
tic gestures to her, and pointed up the
road from which the train was coming.
He seemed to be able to keep himself
above water with very little effort, and
Polly saw with joy that the accident had
been observed by the occupants of the
vessel. The man in the water struck
out toward the boat, and Polly could
hear shouts and cheers from tie men on
board.
All at once she was startled by the
whistle of the far off locomotive, In a
moment she understood the meaning of
the fiagman's gestures. She looked at
the opening and then at the bridge. In
five minutes or less the train would
come dashing into that terrible chasm.
POlly's hair almost rose on her head
with horror. 1t was as much as she
could do to keep her senses.
There must be some way to avert the
terrible calamity. She ran swiftly
along toward the rapidly approaching
train. Lying on the ground just by the
wooden house where the fiagman usual
ly sat, Polly saw red flag. She re-
membered having heard that this flag
was used in case of danger, or when
there was any reason for stopping the
cars. She did not know whether there
was yet time, but she flew wildly up the
track.
"Oh, my papa! oh, my mammal she
cried, "they will fall into the river, and
be drowned! What shall dO?' and Pol
ly waved the red flag backward and for
Then came the train around the curve.
She could see the white steam putting
from the pipe, and could hear the pant
ing of the engine.
When 1t was about three hundred feet
away from her, she sawa head thrust
out of the little window of the lOcOmO-
tive, and then, with great putting,
snOrting, and whistling,it began 10 move
slower and slower, until at last, when it
was almost upon her, it stopped entire
ly.
All the windows were alive with heads
| and hands. The passengers screamed
and waved her eff the track She step
ped Off and ran close to the side of the
engine and gasped out:
"rhe bridge is open and the man has
| fallen into the river. Please stop the
train or you'll be drowned"
The engineer stared in amaZement, as
well he might, to see a small girl with
a flushed face, hair blown wildly about,
and four lilies pinned in her belt, wav-
ing the red flag as though she had been
used to tagging trains all her life.
At that moment another remarkable
| figure presented itself to the astOnished
eyes of the passengers. A man, dripping
wet, bruised and scratched, as though he
had been drawn through briers, came
tearing toward the cars, stumbling and
almost falling at every step. As he
reached little Polly, he snatched her up
and covered her faces with kisses.
You little darlingw he cried, "dO you
know what you have done? You have
saved the lives of more than hundred
people,"
Polly, nervous and excited began to
cry. One after another the passengers
came hurrying out of the train and
crOwding around her, praising and kiss
ing her, until she was quite ashamed,
and hid her head upon the kind flag
mans shoulder, whispering, Please take
me away and find papa and mamma"
| Almost the last to alight were POlly's
parents.
"Why, it's our Pollyw they both ex-
claimed at once.
The draw was now being closed again
and the conductor cried, "All abOardl
The passengers scrambled to their seats
again. POlly's father took her into the
car with him, and now she looked calm
ly at the people as they gathered
around, and answered politely all ques-
tiOns put to her, but refused the rings,
chains, bracelets and watches that the
grateful passengers pressed her to ac-
cept as tokens of their gratitude for say.
ing their lives.
At last Polly grew tired of so much
praise and spoke out:
Really, don't deserve your thanks
for / never once thought Ofany one but
papa and mamma; so keep your presents
for your own little girls. Thank you al
the same.'
Those who heard her laughed, seeing
they they could do nothing better thar
let her remain unnOticed for the shOrt
distance she had to 90