Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-06-05
PARIS. NAME TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1888

saved my life-whom l knew but too
well loved.
never said one word of love to her,
for | was only tramp, and my love
was too honest, too sincere, to give its
object needless pain.
Deep in my heart l had resolved to
work up to something more worthy OF
her, more worthy of myself. But, mean
while | could not altogether leave her,
and finally through their influence with
men upon the road, men who had work
ed with O'Neil before he was killed,
received position. 1t was only that OF
brakeman upon the night express. Not
much you think. Perhaps not to you,
my scoffing friend, with your credit at
the bank, but it was everything to me.
It was the first chance the world had
given me. 1t was my first step upward,
and | believe l was prouder in that
brakeman's cap than | ever was in my
first gold and black law sign in the old
days of my proaigacy and profession.
ran on the road-it was the p. d..
and G.-for nearly two months making
every night the trip between Plattsmouth
and Delaven, rain or shine.
Now and then of Sunday would go
down to the little cottage of the O'Neils
and thus spent many a pleasant after
noon in talking over the events of my
sickness with the mother, or wandering
down by the river with Florence, my lit
tie love. | began to dream she loved
me, and it made me better man.
One night, think it was of We'd
nesday, we made up our train, an un-
usually large one, and left Plattsmouth
lust before dark. 1t had been stormipg
hard for two days, and it bid fair to be
a dark tempestuous night, special freight
train left an hour ahead of us, which we
were to pass at Somerset.
The night as it grew later, proved to
be one of the toughest l had ever exper-
fenced; the wind blew a perfect hurri-
cane from the north, the glare Of the
lightning was incessant, and the heavy
peals of thunder rolled along the whole
sky.
Watch sharp for red light at
bridge No. ." l heard the train mas
ter say to the engineer Of the freight as
his heavy train pulled out of the yard.
bridge No. 2" was the one close by
O'Neirs-the long one over the river
was just this side and known as "No. l.
their little cottage was nestled in the
thick wood between the two.
Just how it happened | suppose no one
exactly knows, but it seems that "bridse
No. ~ had been swept away by the fury
of the storm, and the red lantern, safely
placed by careful hands to stop the ad-
vancing train, had gone out in the terri
ble gale. The heavy freight propelled
down the steep grade between the two
bridges by its own weight, rushed with
a scream by the little cottage and took
the terrible plunge into the air, down ff-
ty feet to the rocks below.
When | saw it, early the next morning
the wreck was complete, with the dead,
mangled bodies of the trainmen wedged
into the water and crushed down by the
heavy timbers.
"And our train:" you ask.
Well III tell you about that as it was
told to me.
Florence and her mother were about
retiring to rest, believing the lantern to
be safely burning, when they heard the
shrill whistle of the freight, and mo-
ment later the fearful crash. Realizing
in moment what had happened, Flor
ence graspad lantern, and amid the
hurricane of wind, the deluge of water,
the incessant glare of lightning, and the
peal upon peal of thunder, left the cot
tage and started for the wreck.
Her light went out very soon IN the
wind but she bravely felt her way
through the woods and falling timbers
to the very edge Of the rushing waters
that covered the crushed and drowned
men.
She could hear no sound to tell her
that anyone yet lived to relate the story
of that horrible leap to death. She knew
that the long night express, with its
load of passengers, was nearly due, and
none to warn them Of their danger; a
lantern would not burn in the increased
fury of the gale.
The telegraph Office at Somerset or
Maitland was the only place to avert the
catastrophe. To Somerset was five miles,
over hills and through the woods and
long before she could reach there it
would be too late-the express would
have oone down. Maitland was only q