The Osceola times., 1885-10-03

| ,,,a. -, t"ht YOU are gong
away, cried. What shall doP7
"Shc looked at me with faint blush
deepening upon her cheek.
1.-The season is over she replied. Il
have already stayed longer than in
| tended
4 can not bear it,! / said, impetu.
ously' i can not see you, be near YOU
always, do not care to live. Octayia.
DO you not know that love you?'
"'fou should not talk 10 me so sbo
returned. agitatedly. You do not mean
what you say. We have only known
each other two weeks
1.-Two weeks or two years | cried
III IS nothing to me. could not love
you more, shall never love you less
1--WE are almost strangers she an
swered, gently. Such sudden love as
you profess for me can not be LASTING. II
IS only fancy which you will soon for
III it should so chance that by Civ
ing my life | might save yours, You
should know if it were only fancy. as
you call it; or love so deep-rooted in nv
heart that only death can silence it,
"'Hush' she said, giving me her
warm, white hand; do not speak of
dying. Such chances as You speak of
do not occur in these commonplace
days. Let us talk of it no more. We
are friends. are we not?' she added.
looking up at me with her soft eyes, in
which there was a strangely tender ex-
preston. You shall call upon me in
the city. and perhaps when you know
me better you will be glad that | did not
take you at your word
"'fes, let us talk of it no more
! responded, sorrowfully. Il should
have known that there was no hope for
me. ! am not worthy of such love as
| 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 equi-
noxial gale roared through the sere
woods and over the roofs of the hotel.
! had not the heart to bid her formal
farewell; but after she had entered the
carriage to be driven to the station.
took short cut through the grounds.
hoping to catch a last glimpse of her
from the train as it passed the bridge.
Even in this region OF tempests such
a commoton of the elements has been
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 over
some huge uprooted trunk. When |
reached the open space upon the bluff
the wind was SO violent that 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 noise Ike continuous thunder
"As | crouched behind one os the
heavy iron stanchions | began to be
aware of some startling change that was
taking place in the great structure be-
fore me. felt series of shocks vibra-
ting along the trestle, as il a Titan's
hammer were beating at its base. As |
continued to watch it, the faint tremor
grew to visible rocking motion, and,
before | could fairly comprehend the
cause, seam opened between the iron
work and the stone anchorage. Then
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-tender came leaping along the
ties with face of fear.
1.-The bridge! the bridget he cried.
1t is going! 1t will be down in five
minutes.
"Then, with a thrill of horror, / re-
mcmbered the approaching train, al
ready overdue. Under its weight the
bridge would 90 down like structure
Of cards.
1.-The traia the trainN shouted, in
reply; stop the train.
''lie comprehended me, and, seizlng
his danger signal. ran up the road at
the top of his speed. But at the same
time felt the peculiar jar which an ad-
vancing train communicates TO the
rails, followed by the shrek of the es-
Gaping steam as the startled engineer
reversed his brakes.
"Shall ever forget the agony of that
nom mt as | saw the engine and one car
flash into view around the curve, pour
ing forth clouds of vapor, like the
breath of laboring giant? On it came,
presenting to my terror-glazed eyes the
likeness of living thing struggling
against lis own destruction. | beheld
the engineer standing grim and deter
mined at the throttle-valve; ! bcheld the
face of the woman ] loved pressed
against the car window and the glimmer
of her white hand waving an adieu. In
frenzy of despair | 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, | saw the top of the car
sink down, first on one side and then on
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.
,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
ipp inch bv inch from its anchorage.
Bolts, pins and braces cracked with re-
ports ike cannon. until but one twisted
and splintered girder supported it. Mad
with despair, l sprang down upon 1T
determined to make my way across II to
the car, but l was seized by one OF the
crowd. which had quickly gathered
upon the scene. and drawn back a.,
".What are You going to do, sirF'
cried a voice. You will be dashed to
pieces.