Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-01-29


violently ,,ps sin held him BY thsasn- "Ie
20 Of me, cant your
You bal better keep quiet said, ''for
If you don't Il An, good heavens!" for -
that instant saw something that made my
blood run coId-that made me thrust Jem
ASIDE, careless OF what happened TO him
W. had jlst turned . slight curve, md
there Is il seemed to me, close In front ct ~,
On the sans line os rails, sAs . monster ex-
cursion train Ny heart almost stopped beat
ing with urutterable terror. and for moment
l was nearly paraly1rd Then | shut Cd
steam, seized the brake and called to Jem to
whistle TO the guard We were going II .
smart pace. but If we could cttract the atre-,-
ton OF the other driver be might put on steam
and keep ahead long enough TO enable u to
stop
Whistle, Jem! whistlel" shouted, but 70
my horror Jem only reared with laughter
Pushing him aside ! seized the handle, but
either the las; drop bad overset the balance.
or the struggle with me bad excited him b.
yond control With a herce unprecation
he threw himself on me and tried to throw
me down. TAKEN by surprise | was almost
overpowered, but by Tiolent effort | rccov-
ered myself and endesvored TO force Jem
back and reach the handle.
sGau never tofSet tne uodfos VI Ane10 ie"
seconds, which seemed to ne Ike endless
hours Twice nearly succeeded, but Jen
seemed possessed by some dend, and each
time he wrenched my hand away In sheer
desperation threw all my strength into ono
effort, hurled myself at Jem. aud succeeded
in forcing hin backward with one hand,
while with the other | made q snatch At the
handle but, unfortunately, just as touched
1t, stumbled over something and We both
came down with q crash
must have struck myself violently against
something as fell. though in the excitement
of the moment hardly noticed it, for when
tried to get up | found could not novel
was utterly powerless. In that instant ali the
terrible scene of the next few minutes seemed
to fash before my eyes, and groaned in an
agony of despair My only comfort was, that
at least | should not live TO see it With an
almost instructive prayer for help | made .
frantic attempt to get on my feet, only to
sink back helpless and half beside myself
with pain. But in falling back Knocked
against can Of water that was close to my
hand Snatching it up and wrenching Of
the lid, threw the whole canful straight
into Jem's face. He sprans up shaking bis
head like an angry bear and as he did so hs
caught sight OF the train. ! saw his face
grow white with horror. and in another
moment the loud shrek Of the whistle rang
in my ears, and grating sound and Earring
vibration under me assured me that Jem was
holding on the brake with all his might. II
it had only been few seconds sooner!
From the position | was lying In l could
see the terribly short distance between our
engine and the doomed train-l could see the
white face of the guard US he frantically sig
A. Hi. l,.1H To-.
agony as | waited for the crash | knew must
come But the brakes were telling-we were
slackening speed-the driver was putting on
the utmost pressure. Oh. for two short min
utes more,
could bear IT no longer | was completely
unnerved by those fearful minutes, which
seemed like lifetime Of misery | fancied
the buffers were actually touching, and mai
ing an effort 10 turn from the sight. tainted
dead away
When ! 'amc round again was lying on
the ground. Iem. with face as white as q
sheet, wa- smelling beside HE, and "a gentle
man WIS bathing my head and face with
cold wa;.r remembered all about il
directly, aud looked anxiously at Je:n, dread
ing to ash any questions J-m knew what |
wanted
Its all Il, hit, :" he said hoarseiy She got
away-we didn't touch
THANK God for that" | said and then 1t
all came over me once more. and ! nearly
went Off agnia
Some one lifted my head and gave me
something 10 drink, and presently | opened
my eyes and saw | was at station where we
were timed to stop while the express went by.
Have you shunted her. Jemf" asked
eagerly.
Yes, it's all right" said Jem again The
fast isn't due yet"
lay still u minute or two, and then l tried
TO raise my --lf on my elbow, but horrible
pain shot thrrnSh me, and | could not help
giving lii 81 a ,sroan as | sank down again.
You mrt ROT try TO move said the gen.
tleman kindly putting his hand lightly on
my shoulder to prevent my getting up
Keep quito sin, my poor fellow"
Something in his grave face struck me, and
began /" suspect what he meant; but some
how in the relief ~ finding nothing had hap
pened did not seem to care much.
Its all up with me, is it, sirf | said
We'll I'm thankful it's no worse"
"Oh, Dick, Dickw Jem burst forth.
Don't DON'T I've killed you. Dicki u
Never mind, Jem," managed to say.
You dioin mean to do it." Then thought
OF something Look here, Jem. ! dont
know how 1t came about ! didn't see any
signals, am certain they were nc. up, out
there's no use your getting into mess Lev
them think 1t was me"
Il won't. | WON'T" Jem burst out ~
was all my fault don't care what they 90
to me, only get well, Dick.
1T wasn't altogether your doing. went
on, trying ~ comfort him. u shipped some
how 1t doesn't matter-nnd they may ~
well think it was the reason-we didnt stop
sooner Promise me you'll say nothing
about yourself, Jem-if you can help it FRO
mise me that" was getting very faint and
feeling horribly bad.
You must promise what he'asks, heard
the doctor say, and, almost as If he was In .
dream, Jem repeated;
Il promise, DICK.
Give my love to Bessie ! went on, Try
ing to speak clearly, and. Jem. do keep
straight nov-do give it up now
Il will indeed | will Jern exclaimed,
with a shudder, and, taking both my hands
in his, he said so determinedly, that this time
knew he meant it God helping me, VIII
never touch another drop OF drink as long -
live
That's all right said Now youth
take care OF Bessief'
Just at this moment, with great rush, the
express Numbered through.
Now lie off, Jem Take the train on to
the junction. and tell them that ! have had
an accident, and they must put on another
man There's sure to he some one there
You'll see to 1t, won't YOU. Stevensf Our
guard, who was great friend OF mlne, came
up just then ''Jem can drive as well as
can. If he's careful Good-by, Jem. do go at
once don't want TO be late v
Il won't go, said poor Jem, throwing him
self down beside me. Il won't, ! can't leave
you ike this, Dick"
RI take care Of him" the gentleman said,
il kind tone. You may trust me to do
the best | can for him The sooner you go
the better, you are only making him worss
now Leave him to me, and will go back
with him to the hospital at Wrotharn and 50
that he is attended TO ut once"
Jen only muttered something in low tone
TO which the gentleman replied. oh, mol
ynull sec him tomorrow
4 shall be all right. Jern. do go Stevens,
take Tim AVA. and the guard. putting his
arm through fen = almost dragged him to
the IN Inc
A. SON he had gone said to the gentle
man who was Iooaing down at me as il hs
felt for usbnlh ill you INT me up. SIR. to
zee him start
He kntit Town beside me and raised me
very gently, till | was leaning against him
watched the train tack from the siding,