, 1884-01-24
THE BISHOPS VAC.
BOND.

Saturday morning all three-the Bishop,
the ~vagabond, and Talboys-started for
Charleston TaIboys, however, did not
know that the Bishop was going. He
bought Demming's ticket, saw him safely to
a seat and went into the ~smoking-car. The
Bishop was late, but the conductor with true
southern good-nature, backed the train and
took him aboard. He seated himself in front
OF Demming, and began to wipe his heated
brow.
"Wby do you want to have a fire in the
stove this weather. said he.
"WeI," said the cracker slyly, Gyou see we
hain't all been r%unnin', an we're kinder
chilly"
"Humphl" said the Bishop. After this
there was silence. The train rolled along;
through the pine woods, past small stations
where rose-trees frightened trim white cot
tages, then into the swamp lands where the
moisture painted the bark Of tall trees, and
lay in shiny green patches among them
The southern moss dripping from the giant
branches shrouded them in a weird drapery,
soft as mist. There was something dreary
and painful TO a northern eye, in the scene;
the tall and shroudsd trees, the stagnan
pools of water cleaning among them, the
vivid green patches of moss, the barren
stretches of land. The very beauty in it all
seemed the unnatural glory Of decay, repell-
ing the beholder. Here and there were
cabins. One could not look at them without
wondering whether the inhabitants had the
ague, or its South Carolina synonym, the
"break-bons fever" AT one, a bent old
woman was washing. She lifted her head
and Demming waved his hat at her. Then
he glanced ut the Bishop, now busy with his
paper, and chuckled over some recol-
lection He looked out again.
There was a man running along the
side Of the road waving a red dag.
He called out a few words, which the wind
Of the train tore TO pieces At the same in
slant the whistle OF the engine began a shrill
cutlery. "Sunthin' IS bust, l reckon" said
Demming. And then, before he could see, or
know, or understand, a tremendous crash
drowned his senses, and in one awful moment
blended shivering glass and surging roof and
white faces like a horrible Kaleidoscope.
The first thing he noticed when he came to
himself was q thin ribbon of smoke. He
watched it lszily while it melted into the
blue sky and another ribbon took its place.
But presently the pain in his leg aroused him.
He perceived that the car was lying on one
side, making the other eide into a roof, and
one open window WAS opposite his eyes. Al
the other end the car was hardly more than a
mass of broken seats and crushed sides, but IL
was almost intact where he lay. He saw that
the stove had charred the woodwork near
IL; hence the smoke, which escaped through
Il crack and fioated above him. The few peo-
pie in the car were climbing out Of the win.
dows as best they might. A pair of grimy
arms reached down to Demming, and he
heard the brakeman's voice Che knew Jim
Herndon. the brakeman, WE'LL shouting pro
fanely for the next
"Wbsr's the Bishopf' said Demming.
Reckon he's out answered Jim. thought
us well come yo'selfi H you've broke
yo' legl"
Pull away, jes the same. ! dom wanter
stay yeIe an roasti'
The brakeman pulled him through the win,
dow. Demming shut his teeth hard; only the
fear OF death could have made him bear this
agony every motion gave him.
The brakeman drew him to one side before
he left him. Dsmming could see the wreck
plainly. a freight train had been thrown
from the track, and the passenger
train had run into 1t while going
at full speed. THE brakes wouldn't work, y
Demming heard Jim say. Now the sight was
a sorry one; a heap OF rubbish which had
been a freight car; the passenger engine
! sprawling on one side. In the swamp. ike q
huge black beetle; aud, near 1t, the two fore
most oars OF its train overturned and shat
tered. The people Of both trains were gath.
cred about the wreck. helplessly talking. a,
Ia the manner Of people in an accident. They
were, most Of them, on the othor side of the
track. No one had been killed; but some
were wounded, and were stretched In q
CHASTITY row oil car cushions The few
women aud children in the train were col
lected about the wounded.
as the last man outf' shouted the couduc.
tor.
Jim answered, "Yes, all out-no, d. it'll /
see a c~oat-tail down here"
Look at the tirel' screamed a woman. "Oh,
God help himl Tn cars a-irsi"
Hes gone up, whoever he Is" muttered
Jim. "They amt an AK nor nuthin' on board,
an he's wedged in fast. But, come on, boys.
I'll drop in onct mo-"
"You go with him." another man said.
"Here, you fellows, l can run fastest; III 90
to the cabin for an AK. Some Of you follow
me for some water"
Demming saw the speaker for an instant
an erect little figure in II foppish gray suit,
with Il "cat's eye cleaning from his blue
cravat. One instant he stood on the piece OF
timber upon which he had jumped; the next
he had flung off his coat and was speeding
down tho road like a hare.
ID eff t amt the Cunnel, " said Demming.
ACome onl" shouted Talboys, never slack
ening his speed. Hurry
The men went. Demming, weak with
pain, was content 10 look across the
gap between the trains and watch those
left behind. The smoke YVES growing denser
now, and tongues of flame shot out between
the joints Of wood. They said the man was
at the other end. Happily, the win blew the
fire from him. Jim and two other mon
climbed in again. Demming could hear them
swearing and shouting He looked anxiously
| ahoItt SaakipU n familiar fo1tra ha ,nnll not
find. He thought it the voice of his own
fears, that cry from within the car. "Good
God, it's the Bishopr' But Immediately Jim
thrust his head out of the window, and
called, +rhe Bishops in hyarl Under the
cyar seatsl He amt hurt, but we cyant
move the Internal things ter get him Quit"
"oh, Lordy" groaned the vagabond; "an'
Pm SO broke up l cyant lif a ham ter help
him.
In desperation, the men outside tried &c
batter down the arrivals with a broken tree
limb. Inside they strained feverishly at the
heavy timbers. Vain efforts all, at which
the cracking flames, crawling always nearer,
seemed to mock.
Demming could hear the talk, the plying
comments, the praise OF the Bishops "Sucl
a good mani" His poor daughter, the
only child, and her mother deadi7 "rhsy
were 50 fond Of each other, poor thing
poor thingi" And a soft voice added. Let
us prayi"
"Prayin'," muttered Demming. @jes' like
wimmeni Laws, they don't know no better.
How'll l git ter himf'
He began to crawl to the car, dragging his
shattered leg behind him, reckless of the
throbs OF pain 1t sent through his nerves,
| can only STAN Il till l git ter himl" he
moaned. @Burnin' alive's harder spr this. y
He felt the hot smoke on his face; he heard
the swapping and roaring Of the fire; he saw