The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-09-03


one to whom he could tell his fear
But no one was in sight He climbed
up to the ticket window and looked Al
the clock. He had just learned to tell
the time of day. 1t was FIVE minutes
past five, and the long, crowded, mount
ain express train was due at six!
Then Patsy had an inspiration.
Without stopping to put on the ragged
straw hat, which reposed gracefully on
the depot floor, he started down the
track. towards the bridge, on the keen
run. A mile is a long way for an
eight-vear-old boy to run under hot
sun; but Patsy's courage never failed
him, although for the last quarter of 4
nile before he reached the bridge, bis
speed tagged little.
The cows which grazed in the pasture
along his route, stopped eating to gaze
in mild-eyed wonder at the diminutive
youth who went flying along so wildly;
and Patches old cross crittera' bel
lowed furiously at the sight of his
bright red stockings, and ran after
him. But there was fence between
them, and besides Patsy did not notice
the creature. His energies were all
bent on reaching the Perry Bridge be-
fore the six o'clock train was due!
Coming to the last curve in the road,
Patsy, at last, caught sight of the bridge.
| So far as he could see, it was all right
Perry's Bridge was long uncovered
bridge which ran across the edge of
small, marshy pond. If train should
be wrecked on it, there was no telling
what might be the sacrifice of life and
limb.
Patsy stopped blankly. Perhaps he
had expected to see the bridge half torn
up; though if he had. it is hard TO say
how he could have helped matters At
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 off the
heavy shoes which had nearly blistered
his feet Between you and me, it would
have been q very wise proceeding if he
had pulled them off before he started as
all, but he did not think of that. and
perhaps you and wouldn't, even if we
had had the courage to start at all
But in less time than it has taken me
to write it, Patsy was out on the bridge,
walking swiftly in his stockinged 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 it up.
He stopped and looked down the track.
There it was! For some little distance
the rails had all been torn up in the
middle of the bridge!
The sight increased Patsy's speed. He
scrambled over the bridge, too fast now
to think of the dark water SO far below
him, or of anything but the express
toward him out of sight.
There! He can see it. A tiny speck
away down the straight track, it comes,
steadily growing larger. He hurrieS
off the bridge and little way down the
track He must stop the train and
warn them. And how? The approach-
! ing train grows larger as it comes near
er, and screeches as If it delighted in
the horror that was so near.
Then Patsy had his third inspiration.
! Quick as flash, the little fellow pulled
off his red stockings, and taking one in
each hand, ran down the track, frantic
|, ally waving them over his head. The
train came rushing on like live thing,
nearer and nearer. Oh! would they
: never stop or would they see the signale
! The boy fairly leaped up in his ex-
element, and those two red stockings
made more effort to attract attention
: than they ever had while walking to
J church-and that is saying a good deal,
as Patsy himself will own. But the
Z last effort was a success, and the train
. with great ''fuzz'' and stshoo, shoe
ingn VIII stled for brakes, and came
to sudden stop.
) When moment later, the conductor
J and the excited passengers came rush
. ing out, they saw nothing more danger
. Gus ahead than little freckled-faced
4 boy, who bashfully told his strangG
story. But afterward, after dozens d
them, including the Superintendent d
q the road, had been down, aud exam
4 ined the bridge, why then good time.
y began for Patsy!
And / could not begin to tell you hoV
: he was petted and made much Of b
. the ladies, or praised by the gentlemen
), And such stores of candy and all sort
y of goodies as that boy had stuffed int.
Y his pockets, his hands, and first of al
A. ~ his mouth, till he seemed to be full ant
d running over with them!
When few hours afterwards, th
mountains train steamed into Green
y y Corner, and sat Patsy down on tn
~ platform, there was a small packag
handed off, too, which his mother founl
~ ~ contained something over fifty dollar
\ in money. And the Superintendent
!. himself said to wondering Mrs. Green
70 See that that boy has the best educa
ton the land affords, and will pay 70
=, il He saved my life.
~ And Patsy mother still keeps Patsy
~ !, red stockings among her choicest pos
!. sessions, in her top bureau-drawer. !
- Helen NJ WiasloSc, in ChristtG,s
AZ Work.
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