The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-31
FROM SUDDEN DEATH.
BY LUCY Fl. HOOPER.

An intensely not ana GREATNESS Sum-
mer day brooded over the feds and
mountains OF New York state. Seated
in one of the leading cars of the after
noon express train on the Fre!ghtsVllle
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.
Bumpity! bump! bump! bump! The
motion of the cars had changed with a
horrible suddenuess. Startled broad
awake by the change, and too old a
railroad traveller not to know what 1t
porieudcd, l ga ed out of the window
with alarmed intentue:s The cars
were oil 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. l 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 carwheels over
the sleepers. then the motion of the
train >lackened, grew slower still, and
finally it came to a stand still. We
were saved
"Gooduess gracious! what are you
stopping for2' asked stout lady, look
ing up from her pictorial paper.
IT for rtAIras hmnntS
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 eNclama
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 lod.ed
against small tree, whose tough, teia-
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 l stood gazing upon the engine,
standing on it's head in the mud, we'll
known voice sounded in my ears, a
friendly slap ting ed on my shoulder.
swell, Brooks, can this be you? Were
we fellow-passengers without knowing
it2"
/ started, turned, and warmly grasped
the hand that was extended towards me.
"tlow does the learned phYsician2
Well, this is strange rencontre. And
where have yoI been this hot weather, in
the name of wonder' Rusticating among
the mountains, ehT'
"No; l have been to Brightsburg on
professional business"
"And what are we to do now, wonder !!
1t will take ten hours at least to clear the
track. replace the rails, and get things IN
good runrihg order again. This is what
the cond uti or tells me. And tomorrow
is Sunda:. .oo--worSe luck, they run
no trains oD this rOud on that daIr, except
the early morning oae.'
Dr. Ma. Mclfort buried his hands in
the pockets of his linen duster, and
looked abroad over the land.
d.. ''Havc we got to stay here till Monday
morning." he queried, at last.
. "Not here, but at Claynor. Of course,
we shall reach there too late for the
solitary Sunday train, which passes there
about eight o'clock in the morning."
'And how far is it from hcre2"
We called the conductor and held a
parley. We found that Claynor was
forty miles off by rail, but that road to
it lay over the mountains, which was
less than half that length.
''Itell you what, gentlemen" said the
conductor; ''if you are very anxious to
get on, why not strike across the fields to
+ that little town over yonder-there -
just where you see the white spire q owe
the trees. You can hire a horse and
buggy there, Pve no doubt, and, if you're
not afraid of night ride across the
mountains, you can reach Claynor long
before the time that the train is due"
'Imust reach New York before Non
day morning, ii possible" said DR.. Max,
turning towards me. "What say YOU,
Paul? Are YOU ready to make the at
tempt?'
"Of course. Anything is better than
to stay stewing here, with prospect of
being roasted at Claynor all day to-
morrow. Besides, the moon is at its full,
so that night drive in this weather will
be rather pleasant than otherwise"
''Come along, then" And with a
good-by to our friend, the conductor,
we turned our backs upon the disorgan-
lied tiain and the idle groups that were
collected round it, and started off in
search of the little town to which we
had been directed.
We reached it after about half an
hours walk and found it very small
and sleepy place indeed, though rejoic-
ing in the pompous cognomen of New
Nineveh. The little white washed hotel
afforded us material for copious ablu-
tions and good supper, and the hor.e
and buggy were easily found, and were
hired by US at a reasonable rate. We
were to leave them with the proprietor
of the principal hotel at laynor, their
owner having business there iu the
course of the next week, and as he very