The Northern Pacific farmer., 1884-08-28
IN A WRECKED CAR. :

letter by Miss Fannie W. NJ Platt
now in Lynchburg, to her father in this
city: We left Washington on Saturday
night on time. I was alone in my berth.
mother and Annie were together across
the aisle and only little while before
we struck the bridge I awoke, sat VI
and found to my relief it was day, bu
noticed that we were tearing like mad
over the road, swinging so from sid,
to side that I lay back on my pillow
again. In a moment felt great Jerks
jumps and fearful turn of the car t.
one side, back again to the other, an
I saw through my curtains, which
through Gods mercy, had RENAME,
nearly closed, that mother and Ami
had been thrown out of their berth O,
the floor. I saw things falling a. tn,
forward end of the car, and as We be
gan to 60 down, down, down, I though
great God :! it has come at last, and tor,
back my curtains. Not seeing mother O
nnieany where I commenced calling an,
begging to know if they were hurt, bu
could hear nothing from them Then
reached back for my crutches, whici'
were in my berth next to the window
thinking must get to mother and An
ME somehow. The car settled eas''
and in some way my window shade VIZ
up and I saw that we were in water a.
that men were standing on some foatil
logs. But not for one instant did r,
aize where we were or I woul hay
died then. I turned to spring out of m
berth and to my Joy saw mother stand
ing there, but with wild, dazed loo
in her face that to my dying day I Wi,
never forget. Iasked, Where is Annie
Are you hurt?" Annie stepped to m
side and mother said, Something struci
my head" Annie said, "The water j
coming in" Some man said climb t.
the upper berth. Mother and Ami
caught my hands and began to dr.sg m
up. We clung to the curtain rods an
stood ON the lower berth while the waite
rose nearly to our shoulders
The car seemed to have settled, f(
the water came no higher, and feelin
that we would be saved came over m-
but how I could not tell, as the vent
lators in the car-top were the only opel
ings that remained above water. The
are little frames of glass in front
them, and he twisted the frame from
hinges, making for them, howevt
small an opening to the beautiful wor,
outside. Annie broke our glass, b,
her weak little hands were not equal t
the task of twisting the hinges Of VIII:
use, anyway, when the outside was CO..
cred with a stout wire network that iD
prisoned us still; but our hearts bounde
with joy as we heard the voices of me
in boats outside. We quietly begge
them not to leave us and were assure
we would be saved. Mrs. Farden Aande-
her baby out through the ventilator al
the next thing we saw she was goingo
of the seven inch hole in the quicke
possible time. could scarcely belle
my eyes when her husband followe
apparently without any effort, and til.
sickening feeling came over me VIII,
l saw that we were alone in the cart
had gone Do not think I mean
blame anyone. Oh, no; God forbi
for truer, braver set of gentlem{
never lived. Some one called for 4
axe and told us we would be saved ths
came the first stroke on the 70,
with dull axe that man broug
from the shore in the first boat th
came. y -
Annie very quietly directed the
where to cut so as not to strike Ii
head. I do not think this quietne
came from our not being frightened
much as it did from kind of despa
Every stroke of the axe rebounded Ii
a mallet and we wondered how 10,
we must wait, how long we could wa
for our suffering from the cold was We
great, and it was so hard to have
stand and see the agony in each othe
face, yet never dare to say tend
word, fearing it would unnerve the
and all would be over We heard the
say: "Oh, what dull axe; cunt y
get hatchet or something better?"
At last there was a crash AL t.
blessed light shone through; more c,
ting and waiting while the lamp
was being torn out and the floating III.
tresses and curtains handed out by
ME, that we might pass to the no
Then one after the other Annie. mys
and mother, just as we stood, W.
lifted from our horrible prison
noble, brave men, who had worked
hard to save us.