The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-06-14

astonish himself, and I actually ran on
the narrow planks 100 feet above the
rocks. One of the boards was loose,
and I dislodged it in my haste, and I
could hear it crashin' down on the rocks
below.
ain half minute had reached her,
for she had made cons. .derable progress
toward me- In three words told her
of the danger and the only way of
avoidin' it.
Even in the terror of the moment I
could see she was beautiful. Her form
was full and supple and unbound by
any lacing, and her face was mixture
of child and woman. Her long
black ha.r blew about in the wind just
like that of tie girl of my dream. Why,
sir, never cared much for girls, but
would have died for this one then and
there.
"No time was to be lost
"The light of the engines eye was on
the track and rocks in the curve, and
we could hear the singin' of the rails.
Our time must be measured by seconds.
Had there been few moments more
I would have found q place where
there were braces across, SO we might
brace our feet. But it was too late.
"Below us was nothing but air-and,
100 feet down, rocks.
"'Trust me" said, as I threw one
arm about her yieldin' form, and in an
instant was lowering her through the
timbers. Clasp the plank tight, with
both hands, said, and hold on for
your life.'
"She was brave little woman, and
said nothing, but did as I told her.
Another instant and / was hangin' by
her side, as it were, between heaven
and earth.
II hung by one arm, while I threw
the other about her waist and sup
ported her there in the air.
"You may not believe it, sir, but at
that moment was happy. The JOY of
holdin' her. even in such danger, was
bliss.
81 he train was now on the bridge,
and we could hear the creakin' and
groanin' of the timbers and feel the
swayin' of it all. Then, with a noise
that was deafenin', the whole train
passed over.
"A hot coal from the engine fell on
my hand which held me up you can
see the burn there now, but I never
moved.
"The excitement had been too much
for my brave girl, and | saw her face
grow white and her form hung heavier
on my arm, though she did not entirely
lose her hold on the timbers.
he strain was terrible. I fear ed
could not save her, but that we would
both drop on the rocks below.
"Had she been able to support her.
self until I could have raised myself up,
could easily have lifted her out of her
terrible position. But how could I
raise myself with one arm while sup
ported her in the other?
II must have support for my feet, or
in one minute more all would be over
II turned my eyes below me. Right
by me was one of the upright timbers,
and scanned it for some foot-rest.
Thank God! There was protrud-
ing bolt of iron wide enough to hold
my feet, and with a burr on the end
which would keep them from slipping.
Il placed both feet on this, and with
an almost superhuman effort swung the
girl over on my form, and then lifted
myself up between the tracks until
found support for my back.
II rested for a moment and then
clasped the girl in my free arm and
threw one OF my legs over the plank.
In another instant was sitting on the
cross tie with the girl clasped in both
my arms and her head on my shoulder
The station master soon saw US and
pushed out hand-car and helped us
on. The girl soon revived under the
care of his wife, and in half an hour
she was talking to me as calmly as
though the whole affair had never hap
pened. She said her name was Mollie
Wilson, and she was the daughter of
old Jim Wilson, the wood-cutter across
| the gorge. The old man was taken
very i'll suddenly, and she was comm
over to the village for the doctor. She
was so used to climbin' about the
woods that she never thought of the
| danger of the walk-and she did not
know there were any trains at that
| time.
"Her voice, sir, was like the chirpin'
| of some bird of the forest, and / knew
then that loved her. We got the doc
| tor and [ took them both across on the
| hand-car.
| "She didn't even thank me for helpin'
her save her life; but when I left her
she let her chubby little hand lie in
mine, and looked into my eyes, sir, in a
way that was worth a whole book full
of thanks.
Somehow I found my way across the
| gu1ch quite often after that. First it
was to ask after her father, and then,
when he got well, to walk with her in
the woods.
Sometimes, in my haste to see her
I walked on the fimsy planks of the
trestle-work, but always took good
care that no train was comm.
"Yes! that's your train, sir; and just
in time, for my story is ended. Over
there in that little house-my house
/ sir-lives the girl that ] saved, and the
purtiest, pinkest little baby that was
ever born.
THANK you, sir, for your cigars
I'll tell Mol1 of you, sir. And this il
for baby? Well, I'll take it for him !
though would not for myself. Good
bye sir!"
A moment after I was seated in the
car, rapidly leaving "Elmwood" behind
But knew that in one of the httl.
houses in that out-of -the-way place
there was as much happiness as is Otter
| found in this life.
Too Truthful q Likeness.
| rRurlinpton Hawkave