The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-04-25

He lighted II: aud. leaving his candle 0
4 sse window seat. he started ont With th
J. lantern toto the night.
d The rushing VI the water vas comin
o from the cuivert The rain bad meltc
, The snow mp 10 the mountain. and. instes
.! the brook be had seen last night. ihsr
vas large stream rushing down from ,h,
calvert. Bnt that WAS not all. He walk
el up the track till be was Just over th,
! calvert. and turned his lantern 30 that II
sbon downe There was q real lake oi
wsier on this side; aud, just against the cul
vert, was great tree which had foa,ed
against il. branches aud ALL There wer,
smaller trees snd logs tangled up iu the
branches. aud together they made q dam
over which the water was pouring like =
waterfall Then he remembered again
sbont Mr.. Smith and The axe, aud he wish :
ed that be sere there; and then he thought
Of bis fathers last words 10 him; II any
thing happens, you must walk.
SO, without going back to the house, be
started down the track ia the way bis 70
ther bad gone. At first IL was not hard
His lantern gave a good light. and be
tramped along on the sleepers right merri
ly. But il was raining very hard; and
first. bis knees grew wet, aud the rain
came through his clothes on his shoulders,
and be began TO feel cold aud wet Then
bis lantern grew dim. He did not dare
open II to try TO nix ii, 1t blew 80 hard. |
30. with bis bad light he could hardly see
the way; aud at last stumbled so that be
fell into the ditch. and filled ono OF biz
boots with water. aud bis lantern went
entirely out. Then he stopped and pulled
of bis boot to pour out the water. He
had just pulled it on again with some diff.
0culty, for his stocking was oil wet. when
he heard great rumbling. and had only
just time to jump of the track as q train
came up behind him, and passed him, 60
ing with rush.
He called out from the ditch: Stopls stopl
But no one heard him.
Oh, II were only on that train be
cried, and the tears came into his eyes ;and
Is he pulled out his handkerchief to wipe
hem, be found that 1t was wetter than bis
yes.
Come, come now, Harry, he said aloud !,
bough in rather quavering voice; il you /,
'an't ride. you can walk. So he limp, !.
long on the other track und forced the !.
ears back.
He could see very little; but he walked :
lose to the rail, so that he could kick il
ow and then. and keep himself straight ),
10 walked on and on, sometimes In cuts ),
nd sometimes on the top OF embank kments r
here the wind nearly blew him of the
Dad. He did not mind being wet now,
ut he wss growing very cold, and his
'et had TO be dragged from one tie TO an- :.
ther. :.
At last be saw ahead OF him Z red light - :,
was very far of, but be thought be
ould get there. He counted hundred !
cps, then hundred more. As he was
nishing the third hundred he reached the .,
Dor. Somehow he got it open, and clam ~
cred up the stairs on hands and feet, As :,
} reached the top be saw some one SIT :
ng at the table.
Quick, he said, quick! Tell father
ere's washout at Canister culvert.
uick. or he'll be too late Then he laid =,
9 bead on the top step. =,
The operator stared. Then be tele- /,
aphed the superintendent: A messenger A.
,m Canister reports washout ct the -.
lyert Then be picked up the fainting :.
y, stripped off his clothes, built q roar a..
3 fire, and rubbed some life into him. =,
The message was in time. Tho road ~,
d just been mended at Six mile Dump,
d the whole force was loaded on the =.
eek train to go up to Canister. They -
'pped at the tower from which the
VS. had come, and there Fetrow found =
boy sitting up aud eating the opera n,
. supper. /,
Father, said be, any one would have no,
ne who heard what heard.
30 bis father carried him down to the -.
in, and they all went up to Canister D.,
Q water was nearly up to the top Of the %
vert now, little more and the bank IA,
ght have gone. Bu. they had the der ~,
car on the train. and axes; aud III 81;
lied and cut OF the logs aud trees til -,
water flowed through untrammelled, !,
the road was safe. II.