The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-08-22

B e . II y TY L + .

Coming TO tho last curve in the road.
Patsy. at last. caught sight OF the bridge
SO far as he could see, II was all righs.
Perry's Bridge was long uncovered
bridge which ran across the edge OF =
small, marshy pond. If a train should
be wrecked on it, there was nd telling
what might be the sacrifice of life and
limb.
Patsy stopped blankly. Perhaps he
had expected to see the bridge halt torn
up; though if no had, it is hard 10 say
how he could have helped matters. Al
first he felt that he had been the victim
of some mistake, but as he heard the
faint whistle of the train down the val
ley, second inspiration came TO him.
and he said to himself: I'm goin'
over that bridge"
He sat down and hastily pulled on tho
heavy shoes which had nearly blistered
his feet Between you and me, it would
have been very wise proceeding II he
had pulled them off before he started at
all, but he did not think Of that, and
perhaps you and ! wouldn't, even II we
had had the courage to start at ALL
But in less time than 1t has taken me
to write it. Patsy was out on the bridge
walking swiftly in his stockingod feet.
Pretty soon the water beneath his
feet looked so black and so far below
him. and something in his head seemed
TO be swimming around so fast, that he
had to lean over and grasp the slender
iron railing. But he did not give 1t up.
He stopped and looked down the track.
There 1t was! For some little distance
the rails had all been torn up in tho
middle of the bridges
The sight increased Pstsy's speed He
scrambled over the bridge, too fast now
to think of the dark water SO tar below
him. or of anything but the express
train, which he could hear rumning
toward him out of sight.
Therel He can see It, tiny speck
away down the straight track, IL comes,
steadily growing larger. He hurries
off the bridge and little way down the
track. He must stop the train and
warn them. And howP The approach
ing train grows larger as IL comes near
err, and screeohcs rs II IL delighted in
the horror that was so near.
Then Patsy had his third inspiration
Quick us flash. the little fellow pulled
off his red stockings, and taking one in
each hand, ran down the track, frantieS
ally waving them over his head. Tho
train came rushing on like live thing,
nearer and nearer. OH would they
never stop or would they see the signMP
The boy fairly leaped up In his OK
element, and those two red stockings
made more effort to attract attention
than they ever had while walking to
church-and that is saying good deal,
as Patsy himself will own. But the
last effort was success. and the train
with a great ''fuzz" and ''shoo, shoo-
Ing" whlstled for brakes, and came
to a sudden stop.
When moment later, the conductor
and the excited passengers came rush
ing out, they saw nothing more danger
Gus ahead than little freckled-faced
boy. who bashfully told his strange
story. But afterward, after dozens of
them, including tho Superintendent OF
the road, had been down, and exam
ined the bridge, why then good times
began for Patsyl
And l could not begin to tell you how
he was petted and made much of by
the ladies. or praised by the gentlemen
And such stores Of candy and all sorts
OF goodies as that boy had stuffed into
his pockets, his hands, and first Of all,
his mouth, till he seemed TO be full and
running over with themi
When a few hours afterwards, the
"Mountain-train steamed into Green's
Corner, and sat Patsy down on the
platform, there was small package
handed off, too, which his mother found
contained something over fifty dollars
L.. .t... H.