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

home to night. He says one of til,
locomotives needs repairs, and h
is to bring it over to the machin,
shop this afternoon. He's to rid,
over on the engine with just a fire
man, and he'll be at home to sup
per. Isn't that grand.
Jack was Katie's brother, and hc
was an engineer in the employ Of 6
railway company. Proud enough
he was when he got his first en-
CINE; aye, and happy, too, for his
mother was widow and far from
rich, and now that his earnings
would smooth away many a hill
and hollow in her daily life.
The line of road he belonged to
ran along not from his mothers
house, after crossing on high
trestle-b bridge the broad river on
whose banks the cozy little cottage
was situated.
1t was one of Katie's delights to
go up the shore to the bridge, and
watch the trains crossing; and this
afternoon, though the road was wet
and muddy, she begged so hard to
go and see Jack come across that
her mother finally consented to her
going. There had been great
deal of bad weather ever since
spring had set in; the ice had bro
ken up suddenly, and the heavy,
rugged cakes had come down the
river all together, piling up on the
shores and backing the water
over the land; then the river
froze again, and after that the snow
and ice melted rapidly, the noun
tain torrents came rushing down to
the river, and the current became
so swollen that it was now several
feet higher than usual, and several
of the frazier bridges had been swept
away.
Even during the last three days
there had been such heavy, continu-
Gus rains as were seldom seen, but
now the storm was over and the sky
bright and clear. ~ ~,
t'Jack said he would be over
about five o'clock, and it is nearly
that now" thought Katie, as she
settled herself down under a tree
close to the great bridge 81 hope
he will, for it will be dark soon, and
mother will worry if I'm not back in
time-it gets dark SO quick at this
time of the year =,
She sat there looking at the
swollen river, finding a strange fas
cination in watching the angry, tur-
bid current rushing under the arch
es and dashing up against the piers
as if determined to batter them
down; only Kate laughed at that
idea, it seemed so ridiculous.
She did not know that it was one
that had occurred to others more
experienced in such matters, nor
that some were even now urging an
examination of the old and the con-
structlon of new bridge to replace
it, for it was very old and had not
been well built in the first place.
The sun sank low in the horizon,
and Katie began to grow uneasy,
for the twilight would be short, and
darkness quickly follow. She was
making up her mind to wait for
Jacks coming no longer, when she
saw the locomotive speeding down
the line far away; then it reached
the bridge, slowed down, and began
to creep along over the high struc-
ture. Nearer and nearer it came,
and Katie jumped up and waved
her handkerchief, delighted to see
that Jack answered the well-known
signal that his little fifteen-year-old
sister was wont to wave him from
her favorite post under the big
tree.
On and on, nearer and nearer,
crept the monster mass of iron and
steel, like some giant animal of
olden times. Katie always watched
the locomotives, they looked SO
strange, moving along without any
visible power to propel them, just
like a living, breathing creature;
and this particular one-why, it
was Jacks hand that was guiding
the huge creature, so no wQhder
that she watched the huge creature
so eagerly.
Nearer and nearer, until it en-
tered on the last span that led to
the solid ground; and then-oh!
What was it? What, what had
happened?
Katie heard a crash of falling
timbers and masonry, the great
throbbing mass of iron and steel
plunged head foremost. down into
the shallow water near the shore,
and then-and then an utter blank
and silence.
And then with a wild cry of
"Jack Jacky' she darted down the
steep bank, reached the spot where
the proud locomotive lay PROSTATE
amid the mud and slime and fallen
timber and stones. r Iftf.
Before she reached it she tripped
over something, and recoiled from
it with a cry of horror as she saw
the body of the fireman, who had
been instantly killed by the falling
masonry of the arch.
Quivering from head to foot, and.
fearing to advance lest she should
find her dear brother lying as was
this poor man, Katie yet forced her
self to hurry on until she reached
the wrecked engine.
"Jack, Jack, where are you" she
cried, and her heart gave a great
leap of joy as the wellbeloved voice
answered her, although it was weak
and shaken by pain.
81 am here, Katie, inside the en-
CINE, pinned down by these heavy
stones, You can't lift them; no use
to try. Where is Williams?"
"Killed, Jacki' sobbed Katie.
'Tll run and find some one to help
you out
yes, 10. like deer girl, these
weights on my legs are fearful.
good heavens, Katie, come
here. Look at the child. Are you
brave? are you steady? Yes, you
are. You used to walk a rail- where
my head would spin round. Katie.
he cried, with wild energy, raising