The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-05-06
.Yes, it's the 2fth. But let's SEE your
letter, and 1 can tell you what they

who read it aloud slowly:
'"sDEAREsT PoLLY:-Papa finds he can leave
his business for n short time. so We have con-
cluded tospend the remainder OF your vaca s
the train that reaches Willow Grove at 4:3O p,
m, on the cath. Tell Aunt Mary to meet US If
she has time.
"'MAMMA AND PAPA.
"Well," said Mr.. Ward, as he. gave
Polly back her letter, 8. they II be here in
about half-hour, for it's almost four
now. guess I'll be moving; it's time
was back to the store" So he chirped
to his horse, turned the wagon and was
soon out of sight.
As Aunt Mary would not return before
five o'clock, Polly determined to- walk
down to the railroad station and meet
her father and mother alone She had
often been there with Aunt Mary to
watch the trains come and 60. 1t was
a small station and very few people
stopped there.
Just before reaching the station the
railroad crossed draw-bridge. Polly
liked to watch the man open and shut
the draw as the boats in the river passed
through. There was a foot-path over
this bridge and Polly had once crossed
it with Aunt Mary. They had stopped
to speak to the flagman, who was pleas
ant and good-natured. He told Polly
where she could find some beautiful
white lilies in a pond not far away. That
was more than week ago, and the flow
ers were not then open, and now as
Polly ran down the road she thought she
would have time to gather some for her
parents before the train arrived. u
When Polly reached the station she
found no one there, and on looking at
the clock, saw that it was only ten min
utes past four, SO she had twenty min
utes to wait. Then she ran on quickly.
The fiagman stood by the draw, and
Polly saw, some distance down the river,
a small vessel coming toward the bridge.
She ran along rapidly, and as she passed
the flagman he called out: Il Il hsi
."G0ing for the lilies? The pond was
all white with them when went by this
morning. u'i issaf4s's lf'aa 'ii'5'
"Yes, sir; / want to pick some for
mamma and papa. They wrote me a
letter and said they were coming in the
next train.''
"You don't say so! Well, / guess
you're glad. Look out for the the loco
motive, and don't take too long picking
your flowers, and you'll have plenty of
time to get back before the train comes
in"
Polly thanked him and ran on. In
about five minutes she reached the pond.
How lovely the lilies looked, with their
snowy cups resting upon the dark water!
But their stems were long and tough,
and most of them grew far beyond her
reach. She contriyed to secure four.
Polly was sorry to leave so many behind,
but was afraid if she fingered too long
she would miss the train. So, gathering
up the blossoms, she pinned them into
her belt, and scampered back toward the
bridge. .t.f y. sfisHh.fl i9 irf
The boat had just sailed through the
draw, and the man stood ready to close
the bridge, when Polly came up. He
looked over at her from the centre of
the bridge, and called out with smile:
"Couldn't you get any more flowers
than those? If 1 had time to go to the
pond, you should have as many as you
could carry 's#F 81 3'Y5'ae2 $50
Polly smiled back at him, and then
began to watch him as he made ready to
turn the great bridge back into place for
the train to pass over. His hand was al
ready on the crank, when rope dang
ling over the railing of the bridge at
tracted 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 horror,
the piece of railing towhich he held gave
way. ~ 1858 i.6sit ~
There was a 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:
1.-The train-the flagr'
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 wringing
her hands in despair. As he arose to the
surface she saw he made frantic gestures
to her, and pointed up the road from
which the train was to come. He seemed
to be able to keep himself above water
with very little effort, and Polly saw
with Joy that the accident had been OBJ
served by the occupants of the vessel.
The man in the water struck out toward
the boat, and Polly could hear shouts
and cheers from the men on board.
| All at once she was startled by the
far-off whistle of the approaching loco
motive. In a moment she understood
the meaning of the flagman's gestures.
She looked at the open space and ther
the bridge. In five minutes or less the
train would come dashing into that ter;
rible chasm. Polly's hair almost rose
on her head with horror. 1t was as
much as she could do to keep hei
senses.
There must be some way to avert the
awful calamity. She ran swiftly along
toward the rapidly approaching train
Lying on the ground just by the small
wooden house where the flagman gen
orally sat, Polly saw red flag. She re
membered having heard that this flag
was used in case of danger, or whcr
there was any reason for stopping tn,