Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-12-17

and peach blossoms, and fashiont
into garments by domestic spirits f
royalty TO wear.
1.-The engineer sighed and the pit
ture was gone. The walls were greasy
the floor was dirty, the night was dar
and he was once more at his post {
. duty. 1t was midnight, and the Lon
/, Point water tank stood up beside tn
: lonely track like grim and corpuler
spectre. On the right of it rose Til
great trees of the harsh woods. Oh
the left of the track was tie ravine
whose walls were as straight as ston
could fall. The rocky bottom of thi
ravine was fully 200 feet below tn,
rails, which were scarcely ten feet dis
tant from its brink. 1t had always
been dangerous, but the superintendent
said 1t couldn't be helped. The river
which flowed parallel with the track
was as near the rails on the other side
and q bridge OF trestle work half o
mile in length was too expensive. Sc
the danger was unavoidable. The d.
rectors agreed with him and SO did the
needless passengers, who gave the
dangers of their journey little thought
so long as they reached their destina-
tions on time.
The sharp eyes of George Martin
saw the straight rails of the track as
they came TO a point in the distance.
They also discerned outlined against
the lesser blackness of the horizon
the black outlines of the water tank.
! But they failed to see the four deter
mined-looking men crouched in the
shadow of the woods. Neither did
they see the loose dirt, freshly stirred
on the track at the curve. They|
did not see that the rails had been
moved; that they were laid unfas-
tened on the ties so that the slight
est movement would scatter them like
straws before the hurricane, while the
train would dash with lightning spe ed
over the embankment into the ravine
below. On came the train nearer and
nearer. The four men drew CLOSER
and closer together, waited and even
held their breaths in soul communing
anxiety. In one second all would be !
over
"The newspapers issued the follow
ing afternoon contained the following |
dispatch:
Express train No. 10 went over
the embankment at Long Point water
tank at midnight last night. Engineer
Martin was in charge. There were
over forty persons killed by the fall,
q nd nth ,,f
were on the train will die from injuries |
inflicted"
Here the watch stopped.
well" inquired its listeners in |
unison, 'how did the engineer come !
out of the accident?"
II almost forgot shat" continued |
the watch. "Just as the engine was a |
few yards from the loosened rails he
looked at me. As he did so his expert
cnced eyes caught glimpse of the
murderous arrangement. With the
strength of giant and the speed of
thought he pulled back the lever re-
versing the engine, called to his fire.
man TO Jump, and then he jumped
himself"
I'm glad of that" observed the
clarionet with sigh of relief. WAS !
he nurt?"
mot in the least But the jar stop
ped me at that very second"
slow did you come here?"
81 was stolen from his bureau draw
CT, for after that my queen said that !
should never work another day."
'Stoleng' exclaimed the clarionet, |
"why don't you tell the people whom
you belong to2' -
Cant make them understand"
81 can tell them," bravely cried the !!
clarionet, land l will right Off"
"Have you any watches to sell?'
interrupted voicG from within the
store.
Yes" replied the pawnbroker,
reaching for the relator of this tale.
"WhyY" exclaimed the customer,
That's mine. 1t was stolen some
time ago, and | can prove it,"
A second later a policeman entered
the door, and it was not long before
the watch was slowed comfortably
away in George Martins pocket, al
most breaking its case with the vehe.
mence of its joyous ticking.
"Well!" observed the clarionet to
his fellows after quiet had settled down
like dust upon the collection, ~ tor
one, am glad"
80 are we," replied the other col
laterals sincerely and in unison.
$50 are we-every one."
And | think they were.