Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-12
ar ruLn SPEED.
An Incident of the Franco russian
war.

From. the Courier des Etats CaisySt
arrived at the station at the appointed
hour. | entered, or rather was thrown by
an attendant into the car nearest ~ me.
The door was quickly shut. The whistle
was blown and we were on.
Curiously enough, the car was not
crowded. | formed the fifth passenger.
Two OF the corners were occupied one by
an officer and the other by ctViiian'
Facing me was a woman about 30 years
old, neatly and modestlY dressed, and
beside her sat the most beautiful little
child ever saw-a little girl about years
old, with a flood Of blonde curls waving
under her immense straw hat.
Now and then the child would look
through the window In the direction Of
the engine, and then her eyes seemed to
wander in the infinite space that was
unrolling itself before her. We came to a
station. The train stopped. The little
girl put her face TO the window.
81 don't see him." she said TO the lady
beside her. 81 don't see him."
Then suddenly her face frightened and
her eyes lit with golden bues, shining with
indesorbRble Joy, while her lips came
down upon two hands that came from the
exterior and we're placed upon the frame
Of the open window.
"Ah, papa; here is papsv exclaimed
my little neighbor with the exuberRnt and
innocent Joy OF her six years.
1t WAS the engineer of our train. who
had come to speak 10 his little daughter
and his wife, who were seated in front of
me.
1--WE are going very fast" said the
woman.
1--WE must make up for lost time" re-
piled the man. "Were you afraid,
Jeannew
mo" said the child, "because knew
that you were driving"
We'll, by-by," said the man, as he
left
"By-by, papa" said the child, throwing
herself into his arms.
The train started and gradually reached
an extraordinary speed. l worship chill
dren, and began to worship the little one
in front Of me. She was full Of life and
good humor. She amused herself with
everything and nothing; cajOling with her
mother, inquisitive with the window, and
severe with her doll. She was carrying
on a thousand different conversations all
at once, and with a noise that was almost
deafening, when suddenly the gentleman
in the other corner exclaimed:
DECIDEDLY we are going too fast; the
train will surely run off the track"
"Oh, don't be afraid" said the child,
seriously; "papa is driving"
The officer Was reading. He looked out
Of the window, and then resumed his read
ing without making any observation.
The other gentleman again began TO
talk
"This is certainly Madness" said he.
Yes, madam be continued. addressing
the lady, 'your husband IS either drunk
or crazy"
"Oh, sir" said the lady. "my husband
never gets drunk. You saw him little
while ago. Certainly the train is going
at a furious rate; | don't understand
it,"
The officer closed his book and stretched
himself along the seat.
81 would advise you all to do the same.''
SAID he, with the greatest GOODNESS. "It
you keep seated your legs will We smash.
ed Remember the Versailles accident"
Certainly the train was running at a
terrifying rate. What in the world could
the engineer mean by such drivingS
81 am afraidp' said the citizen, white
with terror.
Then the officer took me aside.
"Here is my name and address," said
he. "lf | am killed or wounded in the
accident to which we are running, and
you escape, promise me now that you will
carry these dispatches, without a mo
ment's delay, to the General whose name
you Will find by opening this envel
ope."
| promised.
The woman took the child in her armi
and covered her little face with tears an(
kisses. She seemed to wish TO make
rampant Of herself tn protect the little one
against the frghtful smash-up that wal
momentarily expected.
Il am not afraid" said the child, smil
ing; papa is driving"
And she alone among the passengers o
the car, and doubtless she alone among al
on board the train, had faith and conf
! donce. We could hear in the other car
cries Of terror and wailings Of despair
and, in spite of the mother. the chill
/ leaned Out Of the window in the back dor
and shouted out with all the force of he
/ little lungs:
Don't he afraid; papa is driving"
An, that sweet little girl. in The genera
| terror, WAS tower Of strength with tina
sacred love Of a child Tor a fatheT-al
affection that nothing can break down.
Gradually the train sloweh and thel
came 10 standstill. We were at a sta
| ton. The engineer came to the door.
]
he; 'but at all events we must get T.
Reims before the PrussiaUs. That W
must do at the risk Of being blown up O
smashed to pieces on the way. I'm toll
that we are carrying important dispatch
es." and he looked at his little girl wit
tears in his eyes.
"Giye me YOUR hand" said the officer
'you are + brave fellow. 1t is | who nav
the dispatches"
"En route" then said the man. and h
gave parting glance at the tsir form O
his child as if to bid her farewell
But Jeanne was not afraid; and. more
over, nobody in our compartment wa
afraid any longer. Weknew that we wer
risking our lives for our country. and tina
satisfied us. AS for the train IL recon
! menced its furious race.
I This was in the month Of September
1870, on the Eastern line.
~ rr1rHrnrTu.