St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-10-18

r. Il Titherington, In West Shore.
BRAVE MARY SEXTON.
How Sho Saved Her Lover and
the Express Train.
rs It true. John. that you are 4
bring in the express tomorrow night?'
There was . world Of solicitude 1,
Mary Sextpn's voice ~ she hooked q,
Into John Manning's face. her eyes
showing. even more than her yoice, the
dread whidh had taken possession Of her
'Its tsde. Mary, darling. but have NJ
fear. There are norOad agents in thess
parts n0wsdays, and I'm quito SUR
that the modern tramp hes n0s pluck
enough to wreck . train," and John
smiled as no endeavored to reassure his
sweetheart that there was no danger IN
connection with the trip. . -
"But Long Lake Is nearly even full,
and it was said, this morning that the
dam might break. In that case there
will be plenty Of danger at Long Lake
pass" pursued Mary. s-tsg ~
Tush. little ono. that's only the talk
OF man who knows nothing about the
dam It's strong enough, and you need
never fear about its breaking. Good
bye. sweetheart" he said. bending over
and pressing his lips TO herA
But she still clung to him. 10th to let
him start but he disengaged himself
and stepped into tho cab OF his iron
horse. pu1icd vpcn the throttle, and
slowly the train rumbled away in the
darkness from Horncllsvillo station TO-
ward the mining camp in the mountains
dfty miles away. which was tho other
terminus Of the branch, leaving Mary
on the platform. her eyes too bedimmed
by tears to zee her lovees---~-- r--------' --'--
All that night aud tho naxt day,
vague feeling OF = -inPeadlng danger
filled her heast, and her opvreAension
became moro Intense when In BEGAN to
-aallin torrents early In tho afternoon.
The d. L & 8 branch runs nom Hor-
nellsville to Mortality Camp up in the
mountains. fifty milea away. Tho Asst.
ton miles arA dSwn steep grade and
toward narrow valley. Then the track
Is laid between two ranges Of hills, the
pass not being more than . mile scress
In its widest part Just at tho base. Of
Long Lake, ap Anteke body Of sw1ter
which furnished power to numbers of
stamping mills close BY in the pass. tho
road turns sharply to tho right TO
esoid tunneling, the road then doubles
completely. and runs back, almost par
allel to its first course. to Downer's
Bend. within two miles of Mary's homo.
Thus tho iirst twenty odd milesof the
road run in the shape Of IN elongated
loop. The branch then continues on an
easy stretch to Mortality Camp. The
rum from Hornellsville to the csmp
occupies nearly two hours, but |
the return trip could be made In tri1c |
over an hour and half. -
Every one In Hornellsville knew Mary
Sexton. butshe was constant lass, and
she had smiles for no lover but the
sturdy engineer. John Manning. the
friend OF her youth, the man who for
years had been almost brother to her,
for Mary was An orphan and hal Known
the tender solicitsdo Of Q parent only In
early childhood. Il was only natural.
therefore. th4s the station and the
Neight-housowere places Of cngrossine
Interest to her. and that after she had
required knowledge OF reading and
writing. she should solve tho intricacies
'f eelegraphy. She was An apt pupil.
md for many months bad been in tho l.
habit OF relieving tho regular day op-
,rator from time to time ~ - 81
twas considerably = after eight o. clock /
n the evening. when Mary left her
home Tor the station. and though she
Know she had to wait until 9:4O o'clock
'or Johns train to return. she could not
o tho solidacy SfsLbng Lake dam. r,
She stepped into tho .intioH, ., few
minutes before tho half-hour, prepared
o ask for the latest news, but she
'aused with surprise when shc saw that
no place was empty. She was still
whittier the operator had
7one, when her sceute ear caught tho
all Ky" repeated again and again |
With what seemed to be feyerish rapid
ty. Without stopping to remove her
hawl. she hastened to the instrument I {
pencd tho key and gave the answering .
ymool ihera was : briet pause and a
hen hurriedly she read: ia
Dam ot I.ong Lake likely to 70 st sny rao-
lent Water even wish top Staupsrs have
cd to high groundsl !. s.1uss rSar. a. !,
HIT was s'-the signature OF the ops
rator at the eompanys mills iust be. .
cath the lake. and she recognized Il :
Opening the key again. she
attled of: -
-whas time is the express dua asAe.er
Tho reply came: -
I'm dfty minutes, or 1t s:i7. Trsed 60 ret
lortaiity Camp. but Got no answer. II tina
ain sets Into the pass Just - dam brcsks. Q
Fcsy one win b lost" f-s - - Z
Tho message abruptly. ended, and :
larry realized that something had !.
lused the operator to leave his in .
'runent lnstipctively she cav ths :.
anger to John and the oxpreea ! :.
hough her hssFt throhbed Ike a. en-
inc sho lighted . red lantern. "A 4,
with wild. unreasonine i'm.
ales from the statioA; she sped breath. y
SLY through sAs.szest hardly. fora-