Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-10-26
FROM SUDDEN DEATH.
BY LUCY H. HOOPER.

An intensely hot and breathless Sum
mer day brooded over the fields anC
mountains of New ork State. Seated
in one of the leading cars of the after.
noon express train on the Freightsville
and Brightsburg hallway, l was speed
ing along, half asleep and extremely
warm, suffering all the discomfort which
dust and heat and flies combine to be-
stow upon the Summer traveller. We
were nearing the station where we were
to take supper-a small town known as
Claynor.
Bumpityl bump! bump bumpl The
motion of the cars had changed with a
horrible suddenness. Startled broad
awake by the change, and too old q
railroad traveller not to know what il
portended, l ga1ed out of the window
with alarmed intentness The cars
were off the track-that knew too we'll.
We were running at full speed, and the
road led alongside of narrow stream
down whose precipitous banks we might
In another moment be hurled. | saw
the car in front of the one in which we
sat sway and topple as though about to
fall over. If it did so, general wreck
and ruin would ensue. Still bump,
bump, bump, went the car-wheels over
the slcepers. Then the motion of the
train slackened, grew slower still, and
finally it came to a stand-still. We
were saved
Goodness gracious what are you
stopping for9' asked stout lady, look
ing up from her pictorial paper.
Twenty minutes for refreshments,
ma'am," answered youth beside her
He was pale as death, as was natural
for one who had just looked death in the
face, for he had fully comprehended our
peril, but even IN that moment the
strange recklessness which is one of our
national characteristics had come upper
most.
AS soon as the danger we had escaped
became generally known, there was a
universal chorus of cries and exclama-
tions, some of terror, others of surprise
and some few of thanksgiving. In the
midst of it ali most of the passengers
started to get out of the cars to look
over the wreck. We found the engine
and tender half way down the embank-
ment. The foremost car had lodged
against small tree, whose tough, tena-
cious roots, running down the bank and
spreading through the earth, had enabled
it to check the outward motion of the
train, already slackened by the breaking
of the coupling that attached the engine
to it. Humanity speaking, that tough
little tree had saved the lives of possibly
one-half of the passengers in the train.
AS it was, nobody was hurt, save one
unfortunate boy who had been stealing
ride, perched upon the step of the fore.
most cars, and he was past either surgery
or prayers.
AS | stood gazing upon the engine,
standing on its head in the mud, we'll
known voice sounded in my ears, o
friendly slap tinged ON my shoulder.
"Well, Brooks, can this be you2 Were
we fellow-passengers without knowing
it2"
I started, turned, and warmly grasped
the hand that was extended towards me,
"How does the learned physician1
Well, this is a strange rencontre. And
where have yoI been this hot weather, in
the name of wonder2 Rusticating among
the mountains, ehE"
"No; l have been to Brightsburg OF
professional business"
"And what are we to do now, I wonder
It will take ten hours at least to clear the
track. replace the rails, and get things il
good running order again. This is what
the conductor tells me. And morrow
is Sunday, too-worse luck, for they rur
no trains on this road on that day, excep
the early morning one."
DR.. Max Melfort buried his hands il
the pockets of his linen duster, anc
looked abroad over the land.
"Have we got to stay here till Monday
morningF he queried, at last.
"Not here, but at Claynor. Of course
we shall reach there too late for tn,
solitary Sunday train, which passes ther'
about eight o'clock in the morning."
"And how far is it from here2"
We called the conductor and held
parley. We found that Claynor wa
forty miles off by rail, but that a road t,
it lay over the mountains, which wa
less than half that length.
II tell you what, gentlemen" said thu
conductor; 'if you are very anxious tt
get on, why not strike across the fields Il
that little town over yonder-there-
just where you see the white spire atov
the trees2 You can hire a horse an,
buggy there, I've no doubt, and, if your
not afraid of night-ride across tn
mountains, you can reach Claynor lon
before the time that the train is DUE"
81 must reach New York before Mon
day morning, if possible, said DR.. Max
turning towards me. "What say you
Paul3 Are you ready to make the at
tempt?'
"Of course. Anything is better thai
to stay stewing here, with prospect 0
being roasted at Claynor all dav to
morrow. Besides, the moon is at its full
so that night drive in this weather wi
be rather pleasant than otherwise"
'Come along, then" And with
good-by to our friend, the conductor
we turned our backs upon the disorgar
lied train and the idle groups that wer
collected round it, and started off i
search of the Little town to which W
had been directed.
We reached it after about half a
hours walk and found it very sma
and sleepy place indeed, though rejoiC
ing in the pompous cognomen of Me-
Nineveh. The little white washed hott
afforded us material for copious abll
tions and good supper, and the hor:
a1d buggy were easily found, and wei
hired by US at q reasonable rate. W
were to leave them with the proprietc
of the principal hotel at Claynor, the
owner having business there in th
course Of the next week, and as he yer