The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-03

with every bounce and Jolt, until at last,
out of WEAKNESS, Walter fell asleep.
Once or twice in the night he woke up,
cramped, hungry and chilled, though it
was not so cold as he had feared it would
be, and the flight of time gave him a
little more courage.
By-and-by, through the creyices of the
door, he discovered the welcome day
| light. So much, at any rate, OF his jour
ney was accomplished; but what would
he not give for good breakfast? As
the day went on, and his watch told him
it was nine o'clock, he fancied the boys
going to school, and wondering why he
did not appear; his father and mother,
filled with increasing alarm, going here
and there in search of him; the papers
getting hold of it, and announcing in
startling head-lines "Boy. lostn' But
all Walter could do, though he was tired
and faint and anxious about the anxiety
of those at home was to wait--and this is
always the hardest duty in the world.
1t wanted few minutes of noon when
Walter was suddenly startled by feeling
the onward motion of the train checked,
and the car in which he was imprisoned
violently shaken from side to side. For
a moment, as he himself was rolled about
on the floor, he thought that the car was
going to upset; but presently it righted
and stood still. Evidently an accident
had happened, though as to what it was
Walter could not form any idea.
Now, when the train had stopped
however, was his chance TO make HIM
self heard. Whhall his might he kicked
against the door, and cried out at the
top of his voice; but no one came. He
thought of stories he had read about
people who were shut up in dungeons,
and imagined himself to be one of them.
If he had been uneasy before, he was
almost wild now. What could be the
matter? How could he make any one
hearP He was putting these questions
to himself, when all at once, from the
rear of the train, came aterrible roar and
crash, with the sound of splintering
wood. Before he could think what had
happened his own car rose up on end,
and Walter found himself swiftly hurled
down its inclined floor
AS the boys senses cleared he realized
that a second accident had occurred.
Looking up to the rear end of the car,
now, above his head, he saw that it was
broken away, and through a wide gap
he could see the blue sky. If he could
only climb up to it, here was a way of
escape. Fortunately though good deal
bruised he was not hurt, and the excite
ment of the occasion gave him strength.
The car had been raised up at an angle
of more than forty-five degrees; its floor
was smooth and slippery, and it was
with the greatest difficulty that Walter
could scramble to the end.
When, after several reverses he finally
reached it, and put his head out of the
opening, he witnessed a scene of the
widest confusion. Whatever might
have happened before, this time the
train had been run il to from behind.
Cars were piled one upon the other,
and across both tracks and their
contents were scattered everywhere
around. The car in which he had
been imprisoned had been the last
one, it seemed, to feel the force of the
shock, and was thrown up by platform
car passing underneath. Nota mar was
| anywhere in sight.
Walter did not waste much time in
getting down from his elevated position
and walking back to the scene of the
collision. Here he discovered that it
was wildcat engine which had
done the mischief, and had wrecked it
self in the operation. There was no one
around, but as Walter drew near he began
to hear dismal groans coming out of the
debris, and to realize that of all the peo-
pie on the train-conductor brakemen
and engneer-he alone had escaped in
jury. For a moment he feltsick, but as
he heard a voice calling him from the
ruins of the caboose, he hurried up, and
presently discovered the form of man,
whom he took to be the conductor, I'M
derneath mass of wreckage. The voice
was very feeble, and Walter had to bend
over to hear it.
Say" the conductor exclaimed
"what time is that Chicago express due
| here?"
Walter started. He did not know
anything about the Chicago express
except that it was due at Went
worth at midnight. Why should the
conductor ask him? And why should
not the conductor be more concerned
about his own escaped
I'm sure l don't know" he said.
''It isn't due now, is it? Hadn't you
better let me help you out of that?"
The man shook his head. '.No, no."
he cried; "the express is due presently.
and if it isn't tagged 1t will come around
the curve ahead and run into this wreck.
Is there man around to run up the track
and flag itP''
Walter looked up and down the
track. 1t was lonely place, miles it
seemed from any settlement, and not a
person could be seen. His own heart
began to beat more quickly.
NO." he said, ''there isn't any one.' y
"Then you will have to 60" said the
conductor. "We're all smashed up
here. First the engine went off the
track, and that broke up the engineer
and fireman; and while the brakemen
and were getting our wrecking tools
out of the caboose. something ran into
us from behind and broke us up, too.
| suppose it was a wildcat or else
there would have been somebody
around"
Walter nodded his head. ''Yes,' he
said, lit was wildcat, and / guess the
engineer of that came to grief, too. But
is there anything can do for you be-
fore gop"
The conductor uttered an exclamation
| of main