The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-10-02

deepening upon her cheek.
"'The season is over. she replied. 3
have already stayed longer than in
tended
81 can not bear it, l said, impetu
ously. 1 can not see you. be near yor
always. do not care to live Octavia
do you not know that I love you?'
"'You should not talk to me so,' shs
returned. agitatedly. You do not NEAR
what you say. We have only knowr
each other two weeks.
1.-TWO weeks or two years, / cried
1T IS nothing to me. l could not love
you more, shall never love you less.
"'We are almost strangers she an
swered, gently. Such sudden love a.
you profess for me can not be lasting. L
is only a fancy which you will soon for
get
"'If it should SO chance that BY Civ
ing my life l might save yours, YOU
should know if it were only a fancy, a.
you call it; or love SO deep-rOoted in m,
heart that only death can silence it.
"'Hush!' she said, giving me hel
warm. white hand; do not speak o.
diving. Such chances as you speak o.
do not occur in these commonplace
days. Let us talk of it no more. w,
are friends, are we not?' she added
looking up ut me with her soft ewes, il
which there was a strangely tender ex
preston. You shall call upon me IL
the city. and perhaps when you know
me better you will be glad that l did no
take You at your word
EYES, let us talk of it no more,
[ responded, sorrowfully. Il should
have known that there was no hope fol
mt. l am not worthy of such love e.
yours
II pressed my lips to her hand con
vulsively and rushed away.
The morning of her departure broke
dark and stormy. The rain poured
down in binding floods and the eSui
noXial gale roared through the sert
woods and over the roofs of the hotel
l had not the heart to bid her forma
farewell: but after she had entered thu
carriage tn be driven to the station,
took a short cut through the grounds
hoping to catch last glimpse of hel
from the train as it passed the bridge.
"Evcn in this region of tempests sucr
a commotion of the elements has beer
rarely known before. The valleys were
converted into turbid lakes. The great
trees groaned and creaked overhead,
the air was full of flying branches and
more than once had to climb ovel
some huge uprooted trunk. When ]
reached the open space upon the bluff
the wind was SO violent tnat could only
keep my feet with a great effort. The
river below was now a swollen torrent.
choked with fragments of wreck and
dashing against the piers of the bridge
with II noise like continuous thunder.
''As l crouched behind one of the
heavy iron stanchions l began to be
aware of some startling change that was
taking place in the great structure be.
fore me. felt a series of shocks vibra-
ting along the trestle. as if Titan's
hammer were beating at its base. As
continued to watch it, the faint tremor
grew to visible rocking motion, and.
before 1 could fairly comprehend the
cause, a seam opened between the iron
work and the stone anchorage. Then
l understood what was going on. Un-
der the combined power of the wind
above and the torrent below the bridge
was giving way. At that moment the
bridge-tendor came leaping along the
ties with face of fear.
1.-The bridge! the bridge" he cried.
1T is going! 1t will be down in five
minutes
"Then, with thrill of horror, re-
membered the approaching train, al
ready overdue. Under its weight the
bridge would go down like structure
of cards.
".The train, the trainr 1 shouted, in
reply; stop the train.
He comprehended me, and, seiz,ng
his danger signal. ran up the road AT
the top of his speed. But at the same
time felt the peculiar jar which an adj
vancing train communicates to the
rails, followed by the shrek of the es.
Gaping steam as the startled engineer
reversed his brakes.
''Shail | ever forget the agony of tsat
nom ,nt as saw the engine and one car
flash into view around the curve. pour
ing forth clouds of vapor. like the
breath of a laboring giant? On it came.
presenting to my terror-glazed eyes the
likeness of living thing struggling
against its own destruction. beheld
the engineer standing grim and deter
mined at the throttle-valve: l beheld the
face of the woman / loved pressed
against the car window and the glimmer
of her white hand waving an adieu. In
n frenzy of despair l determined to
spring upon the platform, determined to
share her fate, but missed my grasp
and the huge mass rolled heavily on.
''Great God. how the bridge swayed
and shook! l saw the top of the car
sink down, first on one side and then on
q few PAGES further and stop directly
over the central span; while the engine,
which had become detached. shot on
and reached the shore in safety as the
section it had just left crashed down al
most from beneath its trucks.
1.-The car remained upon the central
span, so close upon the verge that one
of the wheels hung over the gulf. And
now the hither section, connecting with
the bluff upon which stood, was sink
ing inch by inch from its anchorage.
Bolts, pins and braces cracked with re-
ports like cannon, until but one twisted
and splintered girder supported it. Mad
with despair, l sprang down upon it
determined to make my way across it to
the car, but was seized by one of the
crowd. which had quickly gathered
upon the scene. and drawn back.
''.What are You going to do, sir?'
cried voice. You will be dashed to
pieces.
''.What do / care / returned, strug-
Cling with those who held me. Men,
men. in Gods name let me go! The