The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-09-14
plyinp their brakes with all their

plying their brakos with all their
strength. 1t wasa grand sightl Tho
magnificent engine full oflife and glow.
ing gwith color, came tearing along at the
very top OF her speed; then suddenly
tho majestic stream of white cloud,
which had been gracefully sailin, in
her wake, disappeared, and she, u. il
her wheels had all at once been paral-
yzcd, began to quiver like q thin. in
fear. A cloud OF dust arose from the
line, and q shower OF sparks flew out
from the rails over which tho wheels
were now rolling unwillingly. or not
at all, while the guards vans behind
were carried along with their wheels
perfectly still, immovabIy skidded
and scattering, as if in indignant pro-
test, IL simmer Of sparks though the
thick black dust which was rising
from the ground below them.
"Tllnnk God! its done! brcatl,ctl
Granard to himself, as he fell rather
than stepped from his elevated
position. For u moment ho sat on
the ground. for hc could not stand;
every limb was trembling and every
nerve quiverlng; though until tho sig.
nal had been seen ho had known no
lack OF nerve or muscle. But now
that his task was done. aud the train
was saved, he found himself all
nt once exhausted and PROSTATE.
lie saw that the train lad stop
ped, and that tho guards were com.
ing back to him. He shook himself
together and walked unstcadily to.
ward them. His throat was too pnrch-
ell to speak, but lie pointed forward
toward tho cutting, and passed for.
ward to the engine, where he got Il
drink from tho driver s tcacan. Then
lie found voice to say, "rhe Scl,d's
come to grief" They allstood asl,ast,
scared ut tho nows. The driver was
the first to speak.
els she off the road, sir?"
eyes, rather! Complete wreck!
Right across both rouls! In the cut
ting there in front OF you, just under
the bridge"
He started. "Any one killed. sir?"
"Sure to be. l saw one of the en-
ginc men lying dead with his head
nearly knocked of; but remembered
your train u minute after the smash,
and ran OFF as fast as | could" They
expressed their great gratitude, and
one OF them produced u pockct-hook
i'll which lie asked Granard to write
his name and address. They then un-
coupled their engine and drove slowly
up to the scene OF tho disaster.
What u sight met their eyes! The
framing OF the leading guards van was
lying nearly square across the two
lines, two OF the three pairs OF wheels
:orn from under it; the upper part OF
tho van had been burst away and
most OF the luggage scattered sonlu
fifty yards farther back. a few port.
mante;lus were tightly pinned to the
floor of tine wrecked van by IL pair of
the engine boyie-wheels, which had
somehow been precipitatcl amongst
them. The carriage next the van was
! off the rnils and partly twisted round,
but still upright. The next carriage
that Ill which Granard had ridden
was turned more than hall way over,
and under it lay one OF the heavy
engine for1irgs, known as the bogie-
frame, doubtless, the cause OF the over.
throw; tho other carriages, though al!
damaged more or less, had not been
deraileLl.
The engineer rather. what ro.
manned OF her-thcy found some fifty
yards farther back. 1t had been the
first to leave tho rails. and had
plunged for some distance along
the heavy longitudinal timbcrs
on which tho rails we're laid un-
til it had swervcd into the
,Hh1i Eis1aing Il, gr:.ysl r outside. at which
kicked it out OF the wny, propelling it
with great violence halfway up tho
slope OF the cutting, when it hadiallen
back upside down. In the final shock
n!l the small wheels and their frames
had been torn from the body and llurl.
ed away in different directions, one
piece striking the passing carriages, us
already described, and causing the ab-
rupt stoppase OF the train.
The wreck itself was " sad spccta.
Gle; but one still more sad was the
sight Of the poor driver lying on tho
ground near the engine, screaming
with pain. and evidently dying. Tho
poor fellows stomach was torn and
exposed to an extent which clearly
showed those who were holding him
that his case was hopeless. Before
long his cries ceased, and his dead
Eody WAS quietly laid under IL rail
way rug beside that OF his fireman,
whose death had been instantaneous.
On returning to the scene OF the dis
aster, Gra;lurd looked about him to
see what service he could render.
Almost tho first person henoticed was
his fellow-passonser. the BRIDE.
groom, WHO WAS apparently
searching the different conpnrt-
mcnts for something or another. On
being asked how his wife was, lie re-
piled that she felt very bu,l-und 80
did he. Grlnurd found that he had
left his poor little wife sitting on the
ground just where she had got out.
Her forehead an ugly cut Oh it, prob
ably caused by her husbands hat
brim. and she was feeling very sick
and faint. lie helped the little wom-
an up tho steep slope and into a
field on the other side OF the railway
fence. where she found Il cooler place.
in the shade OF q hedge, to rest ut till
arrangements were made for continu.
ing the Journey. Then, on returning
into tho cutting, he saw a tall hand.
some girl making her way along by
the wreck, looking rather confrsc,lly
here aal there. and apparently alone.
"Can ! help you in any way?" he
asked, raising his hat to her as he
stopped.
"Oh, thank you very much. I'm
surcl don't know" she replied. frank.
ly. II nm looking for my luggage"
"Allow me, then, to show you the
most likely place to tindit at. Most
OF the luggage got scattered about the
line some distance behind"
AS they walked back she told HIM she
Was travelling alone, and was on her
way to her home in Burcnstlc, ofwhich
place her father was the rector. She
had but one box-a large tin one, with
n curved lid. and painted Brown.
Near the overturned engine Granard
found piece OF tin crumblcd up like
crushed sheet OF brown paper, which
he saw had been box-lid, as q torn
hinge was hanging from one edge oiit.
lie turned it over to see the color.
"Was your box painted like that"
he asked Of his companion.
"Yes, just that color; but it was q
large box" she answered.
ooh this was u good-sizcd lii once"
he remarked, us he placed it across q
rail and cDdcavorcd to stamp it into
shape with his heel: "lhe box it came
off IL ,,rol,nhlv not far awav" They