The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-25
AT THE FRONT.
A THANKSGIVING DAY STORY.

al 64A ASOA IN -
A THANKSGIVING DAY STORY
The engine of the Eastern express
broke her crank just where the line
crosses ''Big Wapoo" Creek. There
was an up grade both ways, so that the
engineer could not run by gravity in
either direction. 1t was about 4 o'clock
in the afternoon on the day before
Thanksgiving, and there was at least a
dozen people in the train who were on
their way to a family reunion somewhere.
There was demure little Yankee school
mistress and her sister from ever the d.
vide. They were bound for their broth
er's, who had a ranch near the road a
hundred miles farther east. There was
a family-father, mother, and some five
hearty we'll cared-for boys and girls
who were on their way to the old folks
home still other hundreds of miles to the
eastward, and then there were several
men who wanted to get somewhere in
time for the Thanksgiving dinner, and
had trusted to the time table to enable
them to do it.
Of course there were Westerners and
Southerners on board who had no
Thanksgiving traditions to look back
upon, and rather scorned the time
honored New England festivities as q
Yankee institution whose Importance
was not for q moment to be weighed
against the business engagements to
which they were themselves fastening.
All, however, agreed that it was a great
nuisance to be detained here in a noun
tain valley, far away from all help, with
nothing to do but wait until the train
was missed and extra engines telegraph
ed for to haul it out of the way. We
were gloomily watching the darkening
landscape, when some one, with sharper
eyes than the rest, looking keenly up the
valley, said: isn't that a man on horse.
back just by the turn of the foot hill on
the right"
All eyes were turned forthwith in the
direction indicated, and easily made out
an alert, vidette like equestrian figure,
just where a tolerably practicable noun
tain road rose over the crest of a low
ridge. AS we looked it was joined by
another similar figure, aud tie two sat
on their horses apparently consulting
about the stationary train.
Presently they both put spurs to
their horses and came dashing down the
valley after the wild Western fashion of
Craftsmanship. We passengers were
standing and sitting, some inside and
some outside the cars, for the evening
wa not an unpleasant one for the season,
and there was p%erceptible among us an
instant disposition to look to our revolv-
srs. One or two ever drew and cooked
their six. shooters, for the region was
lonely and all had read of road agents
and their daring raids. Just at this juno
ture the conductor came along, and
seeing the approaching horsemen, reas.
sured everybody by a CHEEKY recognition,
as the two riders pulled up abruptly at
the foot of the e~mbankment.
: "How do. colonel2 Here w are,
stalled for the night, I reckon. Hope
you won't fire us off your premises"
"No fear of that. Glad to have you
stay as long as you like. But what's the
matter2"
'Crank broke" and then followed ex-
plantations and %conjectures.
"When did YOU get your last dispatch
from bellows" asked the elder of the two
horsemen.
"Thtec hours ago, at Blizzard City,"
Then you can't have heard about
Salt River bridges"
"No. What's the matter with it,"
"swept away. There was a heavy
rain in the Cross Hatch range night be-
fore last, and the run flooded and got
away with a lot of felled timbers up
above. The logs gorged at tho bridge,
and away she went. There's a CON
struction train expected before morning,
so I heard, but of course you can't cross
for several days"
II should think not!" said the con-
ductor, adding some remarks which were
perhaps justiiable at the time, but need
not be repeated here.
A meeting vas presently called in the
rear car and the conductor stated the
case. The wrecked bridge in question
was some twenty miles distant, beyond
q rough mountain chain. C~onveyances
could not be had for all hands anyhow
and there seemed nothing for it but to
picnic where we were. A few Of the
more athletic of the men determined to
start at once aud walk the distance so as
to catch the first train to the eastward.
The rest would stay by the train.
This decided, he whom the conductor
had addressed as "Colonel'-he had dis
mounted and entered the car with the
rcst-stepped upon a seat and removing
his soft felt hat, claimed attention Tor s
moment.
"Gent'cmen and ladies'" he said, 'you
do not know it, but you are in a manner
my guests. The road runs through my
land here and our ranch is just out OF
sight over the rise yonder. I want t.
make you all welcome to my house.
have enough for you to eat and can give
the ladies comfortable quarters. The
men will have to put up with shake
downs on the floor"
This hospitable offer was gratefully
received. Some of the passengers, how
ever, preferred to stay by the train. Thu
outcome of it was hat about a dozen
including the three ladies aforemen
toned, equipped themselves for the wall
to the rancho.
1t was soon reached, and the colonel;
companion having previously riddeI
home to give warning, there was a grea
hustle of preparation. The building wa!
a log house of palatial dimensions ane
we men were told to make ourselves a
home in a large room on the groune