St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-06-12

river. W hat could II be Ben Spranl
out of bed and to the window with :
fear tugging at his heart. 1t needed
but single glance to tell him the
truth.
''it's the railroad bridge :" he
screamed aloud in his excitement
"Fhe railroad bridge is afire -
He scrambled into his clothes, tremb-
ling with cold and fear, and fling him
self out of his room and down the
stairs, hardly taking thought as tC
what he could do.
The key to the church hung under
the clock in the sitting r0om-for the
deacon held the office of sexton as we'll
lie sped along, and when lie came tO
the church his hand shook so that he
could scarcely unlock the door. The
bell-Tope hung in the vestibule like a
huge, cOiliug serpent. The boy seized
1t IN both hands and flung his whole
slight weight upon it. Back and forth
he swayed with the swaying of the
rolse. clinginS like a squirrel to it, tug
ging at it in frantic desperation. His
bare hands were cut and blistered. but
he did not mind the pain. 1t seemed
hours to the frightened, painting boy
before the deep-toned bell above
answered his summons but it came at
last, breaking through and through the
frosty Tuietude of the night
Clang, clang! Clang, clang.
"Fire! fire, fire = the deep, rolling
tones cried to the sleeping village.
Clang, clang Clang, clang.
In an incredible short space of time
q. Il
church. their voice echoing the cry of
Fire Ben slipped out leaving the
key still i'll the door, and hurried away
to the river with the rest. There was
Il deal of excitement, of shouting and
running to and fro; but it was soon
quite evident that nothing could be
done to save the bridge.
''It'S bound to co." remarked Cap
tain Winter, II stont, jolly faced man.
He had been first on the scene, as he
was usually first wherever quickness
of tho't and action was required. 'It's
Just what | knew'd happen when they
built the cOnfOunded thing
For the railroad was recent insti-
tuition, and one that Capt. Thomas
Winter had stoutly opposed from the
first Il had made Payneville its ter
minus bnt tor short Tune, and then
stretched OH ana away agiun, leaving
'Ilc sleepy illtle place AL the more
sleepy by comparison with the lie
that daily throbbed along its iron
track.
Seldom now unless for Il passenger.
did the daily train, up OF down, stop
at the small, deserted station winch
was quite beyond the village Itself,
and out ot sight oi the bridge.
ANYHOW, us lhckN the hre was dis
covered III tlhhe I" Stnp the tralll,
N;tId the captain, squirting tnnnliy
win the req lght oi the me III MS
eyes: Nv Ii" ana ltE Nho rang the
bell =
No one c"nld tell that, however, I'M
less indeed IL were the boy VINO,
altoSethef uhthouSht OF, Shlank bash
!iilIE INT" lhe lriehu'Y SHADOW OF the
niue group. ne deaCoh ihlSht, per
naPS' nave c"niectufed rightly, but he
had not yer made ms appearance.
ne "id go"d thihS, whoever ne
'S' pursued CaPIain WINTER calmly
am" Pulle VII" the ar "l one VINO 'eeis
lllat ne mas u"he All thaI can P"Sslhly
ne required. sent my man, on
h"rSe-hack' 10 Che oTldSc at dominique
ut the drst alarm. It's eight miles
thtfc- ana Inur more across 10 tlle sta-
'l"li out ne II make 1t easy In an hour
I'm" n"'i' anu SIoP t''e triih .I ut
IiooieS - IL iSIi / uuc mere til tWu
"cl"ck' an" va ille SiliI 'mldhlSht
Just about as .ioiih started.
-NIIl llllt " dS NIt tpN II Nloth OH
"il"Se "'' ''ilS .ll,,. i"'' " Iu"l"S leP'os1"
'"l'"n i, oi me me WIN ms SF% % the'
c"I''u sun VIC t'"',''t, ~ vas VI" 'i''e
Ihuee1' since Aunt oaiiS haScom; her-
sell almost " 'ehitiiari''I' coui'i naTtlS
rehieillper wen 1t n''u ii"' ocG Pieu It's
P"S''l"h II, 'n9 "c.i'S ''I ~ 'ne "iu 10"
mouse: As CaP'' " iIlVer HI'iSiie',
speaking, A"uuGh Iecol't ttioi ilasIie"
across ben NINA, ana Il hOrrloie, Icy
fear clutched MS heart. For an instant
he stood as II turned to stone; but II
was only I"r ah instant
20, captain winter, he cried
SprlngInS forward ana catchlnS the
captain sieeNe, tht-Ihe olu cioch
doesn strike right. l know IL doeSh
1t only struck hNe Wheh IL was SIN, To-
nlSht, ana Dedcon IlS1I S'iiu II must
oe out o, NIi'er ana "ou'" nave To oe
seen To- ".
Capta,h lu'er iooheu az ms W"tch
rs IL had h0I occurred 10 nm 10 10 oe'
i9re. lie shuu II again Wl5ho9l "oru
his lace lookeu Gr'Wh II ana l'iiriy gray
III the WaVerlhS ilSht. 49,,
"Meh ne crleu sIlarpIy, Ihe UraIi
Tor Princeton Is dne mere IN exactly
twenty three minutes. DO you under
stand :"
Did they understand they stoo'
with blanchlng laces and hard-drawl
b.eaths gazing dumbly INTO eact
others eyes-those strong men, 50
helpless now IN Their strength! Ih'
little, horror-strlcken group was mo
mentarily augmented 10y fresh arrivals
and there was no one among them al
| but took III AT once the Wnole dreaoiIi u