The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-11-22

u ] pictured 70 myself broken rail aud
n yawning gulf on each side. VIII" teri
tle accident II would make; vhata srieh
i ful chasm in which TO plunge. Thew
remen bered Nell and the queer look tbs
4 camc over her fas when shc gave me ths
4 singular caution, BE careful Of the Fran
ksns,ein trestle. We was seArin th
: bridge. sure enough. On the up grade 4
, Was maxim about 20 miles an hour. and il
less than 10 minutes We would be over tb
! trestle or--I caught my breath, for at tha
moment those warning words flashed int
my mind once moro.
III I am ever TO be cured Of such stun,
says TO myself, "now's my chance. Wha
would Nell know about the bridge? III
put her across At full specdl"
| A tall white birch that stood on spur
OF the mountain was the landmark which
showed me that we was comm 10 the
straight piece which led across tho bridge.
put my hand on tho throttle to pull open
the valve, whom
Well. gentlemen. / don't suppose you'll
believe me, but It's true ~ I'm stAndin'
here. my wiis's voice whispered in my ear:
mo that one, Bob, The brakef
II gave me such : start that before /
knew what I did l had opened the West
inghouss brake for al she was worth. and
the train came TO standstill in less than
three lengths. Not waitin' to answer any
questions from Dan. I grabbed my lantern
and rushed up the track TO the bridge and
walked along the middle plank ill ]
reached tho other side and then back
again. Not thing was out Of place, ev.
cry rail secure. and the bridge was sound
as when first put upl
"Idiot~ thought l. $50 much for your
foolish nonsense. This freak will cost
you your job.
could see the lights Of the conductor |
and brakemen who with number Of pas. |
sengers came out to see what was the mat.
ter. How the boys would laugh. was
afraid should never hear the last Of it.
was sneakin' back. when I came 10 the
witch Of short siding that had been laid
10 run gravel cars .on. 1t want very
ong track, not more than hundred odd
'eet, and ended within couple Of yards
II the prscipicc Noting something pc.
,uliar. / held up my lantern and found
hat large tree which had just blown
lown had fallen across the switch rod,
breaking the fastening and throwing the
ails OF the main line into the siding.
l tell you, boys, it made my hair stand
IN ond. In minute moro that whole
rain and them directors would have gone
If the cliff and not one would have lived
o tell about i'll
"What's the row, Bob2' says the con.
|uctor.
"Row enough. says I. "Look At that
witch, Ireckcn l pulled her up just i,
ime."
"Great heavens!" exclaimed fat d.
ector who was standing by. 'whsre
oes that track lead TOP"
ITO the other world says T.; .sand we
anne almighty near making the trip"
"Well, you never see a more grateful
OF Of men. They made up q purse Of
500 on the spot, and when we got to Fa-
yan's they telegraphed the super as how
was to stay with them during the excur-
ion. and went to all the sights in Mon
real with 'em just as il had been one OF
he regular party. Not content with that.
hey gave me an elegant gold watch and
hsin, the president Of the road, who hap .
ened to be among 'sm, making . neat
peech. ! tell you, peep into tho jaws
I death will put rich and poor men on
he same level-nothin like it to take the !,
igness out o them.
"Well, the boys all made lion Of me
hon l got back to Portland, and Nell !,
ever seemed SO glad to see me- That
ight's work was the maxim OF me, for the !,
iper gave me . good show, and finally :,
ot mo this job. | never told tho boys :
by | stopped the train, for knew they
ould laugh at me. and don't know as
Id my wife for long time. One day,
,wever, she came to me and says:
Bob, l had queer dream about you, v
10 night OF that affair at the Frankenstein. 81
dreamed ] was on the engine with you b
mewhere, and we was goin' at fright. "a
! rate. Way in the distance saw what IL
emed to be q big gulf, aud you thought al
: gettin' good headway you could jump bl
| knew, Of course, you couldn't, so
hen you started to open the throttle ]
id, mo- that one. Bob, the 6rale," Then >
woke up
Then told her tho whole story, and,
ntlemen, whenever hear similar yarn.
d / have heard number Of 'em, don't
rn up my nose, and say. "Nonssnse!''
,ere's moro in ones feelings than most IN
ople think for. At least. mindine my
slings saved my neck that night on the N
trestIs. There comes the Ia
press. Good night" bu