The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-07-19


swift, on those open ties, creeping
from one to the other Why, j
would have been a hard task for +;
steady head even IN broad daylight
and now in the night, with tn,
darkness all around, the stars twink
ling overhead and the cleaning
water below, it required a stou
| heart to contemplate Che feat with
out a shudder.
"My GodT moaned Jack, "threC
hundred people doomed to deatt
and no one to save themi''
81 will! I'll go, Jack" cried Ka
tie with gasp.
"Dear sister, brave sister! &c
then; go at once. Don't think OF
me, think of all the lives you are
going to saYe-all the sorrow you
are going to spare those who love
them. And don't be afraid, dear
don't think of the water below. Go
now. God will take care of you. ]
feel no fear for your safety-none. -
And it was true. Jacks faith in
his Fathers love and care was an
earnest, living faith, and so he felt
no uneasiness about the noble girl
clambering up the rugged, broken
arch, and then steadying herself on
the heavy cross-ties of the bridge.
He followed the little figure with
his eyes as long. as he could see it
outlined against the dark sky, and
then followed her still with his
heart, needing little the pain that
racked every nerve in his body, as
he lay there alone and helpless,
with the corpse of his unfortunate
companion close by.
And noble Katiel ID
Once her mind was made up, she
braced herelf for the work she had
to do. She kept her eyes fixed
steadily on the great beam beneath
her feet, stepping carefully along
from one tie to another so long as
the faint glances Of light remaining
allowed her to see them.
But all at once, as she neared the
center of the bridge, the last glim-
mer went out, like the extinguish-
ing of candle, and then, at the
next step, she tripped and just
saved herself from falling down
into the deep, swift river ya*ning
beneath her.
And then poor Katie was smitten
with panic as seizes upon a sol
der in battle, when neither pride,
nor honor, nor persuasions, nor
threats, can restrain him from run
ming away from the field. The poor
child grasped the great beam tight
ly, and laid her head down on the
cold rail, sobbinS with terror.
But then Jacks moan came echo
ing to her ears; my God! Three
hundred people doomed to death
and no one to save themr'
II reused her up at once to do
and to dare, to keep on as bravely
as she had begun; and now on her
hands and knees, feeling for the
cross-ties as she crept along in the
utter darkness, the noble girl re-
sumed her perilous advance. No
more panlcs now, no more faltering;
right on she went, and at length,
after a space that seemed hours to
her, but was really only twenty
minutes from the time she had left
Jack, she erept over the last span
and stood on solid ground.
Truly, God had taken care of her.
She drew a long sigh of relief,
and then with all the speed she was
capable of--and she was swift
runner-she rushed along the line
of the road to the little station just
back of the river. The trains. did
not stop there, she knew that, for
she had seen them whirl by at full
speed many time, but this train
must be made to stop.
She was not one moment too
soon. Down the road, only little
way off, cleaning red spot APP
.peared, and heavy rumbling sound
was heard rapidly coming nearer
and nearer.
Stop the train stop itr' she
gasped. "1,he bridge is broken!
Stop it! stop it!
The station master stared at her,
too bewildered to catch the idea on
the instant; seeing this, she snatched
up the danger lantern and, running
out on the track, swung it to and
fro.
A sharp whistle answered the
signal and the train came to full
stop at the station, where it had
mot intended to stop at all.
''What's this for?' asked the con
ductor, who knew Katie. "What is
the matter?''
"The bridge is broken! A loco
motive has just gone through at the
other end. Jack was on it, and he
is there now held down by the
stones from the bridge. And he
would not let me go for help for
himself. And he's there all alonel
Oh, please, send some one oyer in a
boat to help him out~
"And how in the name of Heav-
en-, did yeu get here, child?'
81 came over the bridge on the
cross ties, creeping on hands and
knees most of the way. But, oh!
please send help to Jackr
. BY the time the passengers had
been made to understand how they
had been rescued from certain
death by the bravery of little girl
she was far out on the water in a
boat, propelled by strong arms,
ready and eager to extricate poor,
unselfish Jack from the ruins of
his engine.
One of his legs was brokea, they
found, and he was suffering intense
pain, but his joy that the train,
with it's precious burden of three
hundred lives, was safe, deadened
the pain to a great degree.
There Was y aeavy purse made
up among the passengers for Katie
and Jack, although, as they said,
they felt that this was very small
return for the service they had
done them. Nor was this all the
good that came to them because OF
the devoted heroism they had
shown, the one in unseifish endu-