The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-20


The railroad bridge, and the afternoon
train now nearly due, soon to rush down
a steep grade to leap into that yawning
chasm. Her first impulse was to start up
the canon, but she instantly checked her.
self. What folly, when miles OF overflow
lay between her and the doomed trainl
Word must be sent TO the next station,
and from there q telegram to the next
stopping place above the bridge. But
how? The hired man, Jim, had gone an
hour before to the village to get the mail
and have his daily gossip with the loung-
ers OF the place. Even il he were here,
neither horse nor man was fleet enough to
cover the circuitous road that lay between.
Then she looked at the PROSTATE sycamore.
Down the stream, leisurely, but nearer and
nearer still, sailed the great timbers.
Marian, take little brother and 60
straight to the house and stay there till
mamma comes back"
She. had already pulled herself up by
one OF the roots and was creeping stealth
ny along the swaying trunk. Here her
uress caught on pranch; then she had TO
cllinD GOWN ana crawl along with her leet
uhuer the water 10 AVOID an upright nmD:
once she shpped ana LOST her holu, ana
washcarlysuckedl INTO inc eddylng current,
Dut she caught at asIout projection ana
swung he,seii up again.
enc coulu near the swash oil the heavy
uhDers up stream as they rocked lazlly
upon the wafer but she ana not dare 10
look belore her the man trunk oil the
Tree was lost ana she saw TWO dlverglng
iimDs, one low IN the water, the other
locked win the oak IN mld'alr. winch
10 ukeG ohe dared not hesitate, but be-
gan perilous climb along the upper limb,
slippery ana naked IN places, wavering so
,llat she grew dizzy and shut her eyes to
Keep from falling. And, so, lying prone
upon 1t, hand over hand, she crept the en-
TIRE iength, ana the great STICK OF TIMBER
struck heavily against the sycamore, and
ust as Nate swung herself into the
branches oil the oak she felt her support
give way, and with groan, and crash,
and Wild up-tosslngs oil its skeleton arms,
the Old tree tore loose from its moorings,
ana was swept down stream toward the
bay.
Her hands torn and bleeding, Kate Mid
dleton reached solid ground at length, and
| first her maternal instinct asserted itself
| and she looked back and saw her children
standing still and looking after her She
pointed home with n gesture that thew
dared not disobey. and saw them turn and
run up the lane, then sped along her way.
She was not light of foot In her oirlbood.
whereas. she was once fleet as n deer and
swift motion WAS n very low 10 her sbe
now realized that she was growing 10 bo
A stout and middle.ared woman. She
moved heavily and clumsily and labored
for breath. and her feet were like clods
beneath her. There was mile of rough
and rocky ground 10 be covered before she
reached the station. and the train-oh lint
10 possess once more the agility of her Girl.
hood
Which would be lirsi? Would the train,
flying across the upper levels Of the Coast
Range, reach the next station before the
brave woman had sent her message OF
warning? How many times she asked
herself the question she could not have
told. She scarcely dared hope that she
might be in time. Her heart seemed
ready TO burst with grief for the terrible
misery threatening 50 many homes. Alasl
for the orphaned children who might cry
aloud TO heaven that night Alasl for the
fathers and mothers whom the morrow
might behold bowed down with sorrow!
Alasl for husbands and wives
She was crossing the bed OF one OF the
many abandoned channels OF the impctu-
Gus mountain stream, a rocky pathway,
s,rcwn with the spoils OF 10y gone ireshets,
where, even then, shallow stream was
ripping past, token Of the torrents sur
plus force. She ialtered, smitten by
new and awful thought. what II Tom
Tom, who was not TO come Tor two day'
more; Tom, who had started out IN an al
together different difecuon-should nave
cut short his excursion, or, with ms party
driven home by the continued rams some
how wandered 10 one OF me uppers'auoh'
ana boarded the uaih uleie!
What was her Wanted physical strength
now2 What was she, after all but weak
wrclched woman, with trembling limbs
every muscle cloggcd by this great horro
that had taken possession OF her, fierce
pain gripping at her heart, something ris
ing in her throat which sufiocated her, he
eyes blinded with babyish tears2 Thanh
Godl her brain kept clear and true TO u
purpose, and urged on the tagging body
On, on, over little hillocks, across leye
stretches OF sand, down new rayines, SIN
ran. Once she cut her foot cruelty upon
sharp stone and remembered, for the frs
time, that she had on the light worste'
slippers she had worn IN the mouse, am
had careiossly neglec,eu 70 eAShsnge 70
! walking Doois wheh sle huf'eu uoNh
the creek Win her chiluren. enc even Dc
Thought herself that het loose mouse 1r ,,
was scarcely the style OF npParel IN Nhlel
she should IKE TO present herself al ~
station, could she have her choice, ana y
4 / HFHufn NnnI ~