Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-03-01

reached him Walters strength had
given way. He dropped at the foot Of
the pole, and the engineer, as the train
dashed by, looked down from the cab
window on a boys still form pillowed
on red flag.
Among the passengers on the express
that day was the President of the railroad i
Mr. Watson-Who, with his wife, son
and party of friends, occupied a hotel
car at the rear of the train. They were
running at the highest speed, when Mr..
Watson suddenly felt the pressure of the
air-brakes upon the wheels; and Hiram,
who was looking out of the window,
perceived at the same moment a motion
less figure lying by the side of the track.
80, papar' he cried, 81 believe we've
run over somebody"
Mr.. Watson started hurriedly for the
rear platform, followed by Hiram, who
could with difficulty be kept from jump
ing off when the train stopped, and before
1t began to back down. In moment,
however, it was moving slowly back to
the spot where the engineer had seen the
boy, while Hiram waited in fever of
impotence on the platform steps. At
the first glimpse of the red flag, before
the cars had stopped, he jumped off and
made haste to the telegraph pole, where
the figure lay. He. could see at once
that the boy had not been run over, and
as he knelt by the motionless form the
dark eyes opened and looked up ques-
tioningly into his.
lis the train safeP'' the boy asked.
family.
Hiram nodded.
"Oyes; it, all right" he said; ''and
wei take you right into our car"
The other breathed little sigh OF
relief.
There a smash-up just ahead" he
murmured. ''Ten the conductor to 60
Slow
Then he closed his eyes, while Mr.
Watson and one or two other gentlemen.
who had meanwhile come up, lifted him
in their arms and carried him on board
the car. Here, however, while the train
moved slowly ahead, Mrs Watson
ministrations restored him to conscious
ness, if not to strength.
lit was awfully silly in me to go and
faint" he exclaimed, apOlogetically, as
soon as he could speak, ''But. you see,
l ran pretty hard, and then l had not
eaten anything since yesterday noon. "
''But don't understand" said Mrs.
Watson. Don't you live round here?''
He laughed a little nervously. 30
no. he said; 'I'm a sort of stowaway.
I got locked up in the freight car at
Wentworth last night. We live in Went
worth, and my father is Judge Carlisle.
1.-THE collision hadn' stove hole in the
car; I d be in there now"
''And where would we beP'' asked
Hiram, soberly.
Walter turned pale again. ''The
wreck lies across both the tracks," he
said. IF you had kept on, you would
men buried in it now, sir''-turning to
Mr.. Watson. every body in the train
was smashed up but me. And the con-
| ductOr wouldn't let me stop to pull him
out. He began to give me a message to
| his wife but he wouldn't even finish
that, because he heard the train coming.
Here we are now, sir''-as the train
slowed up, and finally came to a stop.
please let me get out, I'm all right
now, and l want to tell that conductor
wasn't too late.''
1t was not long before the train hands
were hard at work extricating the in
jured men, none of whom, happily, were
seriously hurt. How they escaped death
no one could tell, but no one suffered
more than few bruises or a fractured
limb, which time would easily repair.
| To Walter's great delight, the conductor
recognized him at once.
''Ah," he said, as cordially as the pain
of his wounds would allow, '.you'r re the
boy that saved the express. Well,
guess Mr.. Watson won't forget it.
Walter turned red.
81 only did what you told me-" he
said.
''Well, you did it right" said the
conductor, as he limped away to the
express. ''NOt everybody would have
had sense enough to do that. Only
don't see where you dropped from jus
at that moment.
The boy laughed.
go, l live in Wentworth" he said
81 was a passenger on your train. You
locked me up in that Blue-line car yon
DER
A look of amazement spread over tn,
mans face.
Locked up in the car. were you
And then brought to this place on pur
pose to flag that train! Well, call tina
| ProvidentiaI. Because if it hadn't beer
for you, you know, that express woulC
have been a total wreck" He paused
for moment as if the Providence wert
more. than he could take in. "Well,
he added, heartily. ''I'n never forge
it, and I guess the company won't
either.''
And the company did not. A few day
after Walter got home, and when the ex
element of his departure and return
had passed away, he received by express
little parcel and by mail an official let
ter from the railway company. Thu
parcel, when opened, disclosed a beau
tiful gold watch, while the letter, which
was signed 'sH. S. Watson, President,
begged him to accept the watch from
the directors of the company in recogni
ton of his services in saving from de
struction the Chicago express.
Along with the letter came note ad
dressed in boys scrawny hand, anC
reading as follows:
"DEAR WALTER ~ ou didn't know papa wa
President of the road, did you? 1 wanted Il
tell you awfully that day, but papa Wouldn'
let me say anything about it. Isn't the Watcl
Deauty2 hope It will keep good time. VIVA
lucky fellow you are, anyhow Not only t.
gee gold watch, but to have the chance o
some day, but suppose shall have to go ii
the caboose. What I'd like - to be brake
man.
{" Now. what want to know is this. Mex
going out on the plains to shoot buffaloes, ant
papa is going to ask your father to let you COM
along. We have a special car, you know, AM
If you can only come we will have immens