Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-09-22

"She ought to have been in school
for the past two or three years" ex-
planned the Doctor.
Alexandra was sent to the pr mary
school the next dav, but when the little
scholars lau shed at her rea ling, she
snatched up her hat and ran home. and
nothing would Undue. her to return.
But the Doctor had SO impressed A.
Bean with the necessity of an education
for Sef, that all other devices failing.
he sent her away to a g rls boarding
school kept by gentle-mannered
| FIR ends.
Five wears had passed, full of self
denial and hard work to A. Bean. Ii
was the last day of June. and that n ght
BY the owi-train Alexandra would come
home. She had progressed SO rapidly
that he had readily assented to her de-
sire to fit herself for teaching. 1t was
not what he had anti ated at first; but
she had grown so tall and beautiful, he
did not like to think of her bending
over wig blocks, and making switches.
"Sef's human bein', though she hap
pens to be female, an an orphan, as
was took in he solilo Iuized after he
had read her letter. "'Twouldn't be
healthy or nobody to set up an tel me
what 1 should or shouldn't do, much
more SO, if they said, got to. Life has
to be worked out anywa s, there amt
no short cut. I'll let her work it out
her own way"
1t had rained all day, and the wind
blew so hard the curious tree by the
back door had broken Of short at the
root. A Bean, though he had great
a ersion to seeing the moon over his
left shoulder, and dreaming OF fish,
Trided himself on his lack of supersti.
ton. hut the destruction OF the tree
affected his spirits. and by night he
had worked himself into a fever of
nervousness. he started out, deter
mined to take long walk before the
train was due. Unconsciously he
crossed the river, and followed the road
that lei a mile south along its bank to
the railway-bridge, which was provided
with narrow way on each side of it
for iOot-pasSengers. 1t was also draw
bridge. A. Bean was walking along
mechanically, when he fe t the bridge
mo e. Like all short-sighted people
his sense OF feeling was acute. The
movement was slight. it was a gentle
swaying as if the br dye were lie to it
self and the current. He heard the
owl-train whistling at the little stat ON
a mile and a half away. He ran shout
ing to the middle of the bridge. No one
was there. 80 Lord" he shr eked
"On' y to know how to NIX this here
bridge" He ran toward the coming
train grooming at every step. 20
Lordn' he cried, with be eeching hor-
ror. "She's aboard of it! Think OF
her, Lord. an them that with her, all
expected by folks! Hear. Lord! Oh!
You must, just this here oncep'
At the end of the br. ID re, he saw by
the d m light of the tiickering gas that
the bridge had swung around about eight
inches, yet the light which sa d I'All is
welr' was in its place, burning feebly,
it is true. but the night was RAINY. A.
Bean took OF his hat. 1t was damp.
He managed to hang the old umbrella
IN his head, and tearing off his shirt,
heaped that with his handkerchief into
his lat. There was q sudden rush aud
roar, and shrlll whistle which was re-
spOndCd to on the other shore, and the
train came in 81 hit around the sharp
curve. and began owly to approac the
br dge. The matches were damp. sOh,
Lord, if you must have some ody, take
me" he gasped, as they went out one
" one in h s tinge S. Il telieve TIE
Devils runnin' this here job. but Lord.
I'm ready" The rags blazed up. The
little man stood in the middle of the
track, wav NO his hat to and fro under
his dripping um reila. The burning
linen dropped on his face and blistered
his hands. Would the Il a sweep over
him and into the river? No, it stopped
Just where he had s.ood.
His back is injured" said doctor
whD had elm ed out of one of the cars.
"He can live but few minutes.''
Il agreed to it." A. Bean slowly
opened his eyes and looked wistfully
a out. where's Sef? She's aboard
of it,
They had lifted him upon some car
cushions. The men who had come to
see what was the matter ST. cd one side.
The women sat in the cars anxious and
wondering. In a moment a young girl
was kneelng beside A. Bean upon The
sodden ground.
Il agreed to it dearie," he mur-
INJURED, feeb Y. AN the Lords come.
The river-in the midst of the city,
hear that. An Sef, He sad a child
you know-of such is the kingdom. l
never should "a know'd about it if you
hadn't come. The Lord Christ-bless
YOU"
The doctor closed the sightless eyes,
and gently lifted the unconscious Sef
from the earth. There was no sound
but the rush of the great river.
The bridge is swinging iree." said
the eng neer, who had with the inst net
of his craft thought first of the cause OF
the warning. ''there amt soul on it
The Devils got the Waterman, filled
him full of whisky or stole him out
right and swinging his lantern
around and taking OF his cap. he turned
toward the dead man lying on the
crimson cushions in the rain-"Three
hundred and more of us saved. That lit
tie dried up fellerr'
There was breath of silence, and
then a brakeman bent and grimy,
tou hing himself lightly on his brow
and breast, said, reveren.ly: ..Gol rest
his soul Amenp-N. Y. Examiner.