Mexico weekly ledger., 1890-08-14

Four stout ruffians stood before film.
One rifled his pockets while another
crammed a handkerchief into his
mouth. Before his eyes they examined
his watch and counted the money in his
uocket-book.
ITS a good haul" one of the men
said. Come. we must lose no time.
No one will find that fellow before to-
morrow. still We might as well get
away"
But shoot him before we go-dead
men tell no tales" said the man who
had played the part of invalid.
Throw him on the track" said the
third of the group. The railroad
folks will help us keep u secret
The fourth said nothing. but. stoop-
ing, lifted the doctor by the shoulders,
and the others followed his example.
In vain Doctor Chester stroye to
break his bonds or to utter a prayer
for mercy. They dragged him toward
the track and flung him across it. Not
content with this. they bound him by
other cords to the rails. and left him |
fettered to his fate: and thus the hap
piest day of his life had ended.
Full Of youth and hope, with every |
reason for living. he must die, and such
a horrible death! He stroye to meet |
his fate like a man, but the thought of
his betrothed wife was too much for
him. He managed by degrees to
thrust the handkerchief from his
mouth with his tongue, but as he did
70 he felt the rails tremble beneath
him-the engine was approaching! 1t
was far away yet; but what hope was
there that he would be heard before it
was upon himp Again he shouted
again, still again as he saw the red
glare from the headlight of the ap-
preaching engine shine out through
darkness.
His case seemed hopeless, but he
Help! On the rails here! lied to the
railsl help! help!"
Courage! Here we arew shouted a
voice near by. Courage! courageI"
| Someone knelt beside him. someone
gasped: "Don't despair, I've got a
knife with me-"
One of the cords was cut-another-
he was freed from the rails and, clasped
in the arms of his preserver. rolled
over into the little gully beside the
track, safe out of harms way. just as
the express train flew by at full speed.
And now there were others to help.
Stout policemen with clubs and pistols
who helped the first arrival to free the
doctor from all his bonds. and by the
light of their lanterns he looked into
the face of his preserver, and saw the
man to whom he had acted the Good
Samaritan that morning.
What does this mean?" he asked.
How does it come that l owe my life
to youF"
Meanwhile the police had returned
to the tavern whittier the doctor and his
friend followed them. They found the
d~esperadoes drinking in the upper
room. without suspicion that they
had been discovered. while the old
woman who had decoyed the doctor
to the shanty sat at a table gloating
yer her share of the plumber. They
were arrested before they had an OPP
portunity to make resistance. and the
doctor was SO unusually lucky as to get
his own again after thieves had stolen
it As yet fortune favors him. He is
married to the woman he loves, and
by his aid and through his friendship
the man who saved his life has become
happy. respected, and prosperous, and
in their household he is a brother.
You W 1t to your own kindness,
doctor" said the man IAN hour ago
1 found a lodging in a low tavern near
this spot. l had crept into a bunk
without removing my clothes, when
four men came into the room. They
fancied it empty, for early hours are
not the fashion in that place, and
talked freely, though in whispers. One
of them had some pangs of conscience
about having left you tied on the track,
and spoke your name aloud, saving
you were kind to the poor. Happily |
am quick of hearing and jump at an
idea. l crept out Of my bunk behind
their backs. leaped from a window
which was close by, and. only stopping
to put on my shoes, / dashed down the
track. / had no idea which way ]
should go. but felt that the spot neal
the tunnel would be the most likely
one. On the way / met a boy and
babe him find a policeman and tell him
that murder had been done. Happily
I was in time. That is all | know
about II. Thank God. who led me
here"
"Amen!" said the doctor. 'My
gratitude must be expressed in deeds,
not in words. and there is one who
must thank you also-my promised
wife"
Two Napkins.
The olive napkin is a nine-inch
square of linen, hemstiched and firing
ed. In each corner an olive spring
with a couple of olives and two or
three long slender leaves are worked.
The leaves should be simply outlined
and veined, but the olives should be
worked solidly in a silver shade of
gray-green. This is a pretty mat upon
which to place an olive dish. A napkin
In which to serve boiled eggs is fringed
like these other doilies. and in three
corners some loose straws are outlined,
and upon them some eggs are scatter
! ed, worked solidly in white floss, and
outlined in gold. In the fourth corner
Is the appropriate motto-'Various
are the tastes of men," This is a pref
ty way of keeping boiled eggs hot.
The corn napkin, with its ears of
corn worked in each corner. is so well
known to all needle-workers that it
needs no description here.
:, The potato napkin is more of q nov-
city. This should be about Is inches
square. and have outlined in silk, as
neal as the shade of q peach-blow po-
tato as possible. a couple of potatoes.
!, This napkin is a convenience as well
as decoration. Cake-basket and bread
plate doilies are two common to need
special mention. A wine napkin is .
little larger than an olive napkin, with
. cluster OF grapes in the corner. and
Leaf. spray and tendrii. The leaves
! are filled In with fancy stitches in
green silk. and the grapes are worked
solidly In crimson shaded Good House
keeufssd.