The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-08-08

But no one was IN Slpht. lie climbed
up to the ticket window and looked at
the clock He had lust learned to tell
the time of dav. 1t was five minutes
past fiye.and the lone, 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 lone way for an
eiUht-ycar-old boy TO run under n hot.
sun; but Patsy's COURAGE never failed
him, although for the last quarter of a
mile before he reached the bridge, his
speed tagged a little.
The COWS which orazed in the pasture
along his route stopped eating 10 gaze.
in mild-evcd wonder at the diminutive
youth who went flvinp along so wildly;
and ''Patchc's old cross critter' 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 OF 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 Bridge was a long uncovered
bridge which ran across the edge of
small, marshy pond. If a ira n 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 sad to himself: 81 IN goln'
over that bridge.
lie sat down and hastily pulled OIL the
heavy shoes which had nearly bliStered
his feet, Between you and me, it would
nave been very wise proceeding II he
had pulled them OIL before he started at.
all, but he dld 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 it has taken me
to write it. Patsy was out on the bridge,
walking swiftly i'll his stocknged feet.
Pretty soon the water beneath his.
| feet looked so black and 50 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 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
train, which he could hear rumbllng
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
inc 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
Oil his red stockings, and taking one IN
each hahu, 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 signal?
The boy fairly leaped up in his eN-
cltement, 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 Il great luz and 'shoo, shoe
ing VIII stled for brakes, and came
to a sudden stop.
When Il moment later the conductor
and the excited passengers came rush
INC out, they saw nothing more danger
Gus ahead than little 1reckled-faced
boy, who bashfully told his strange
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