Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-01


seemed to whirl around for an instant,
and all was oblivion.
When l came to myself / found my
self on a lounge in small, neat room,
and an old man and young woman
bending over me, whom | at once recog-
nized as my two passengers Of six months
previous.
On attempting to move discovered l
was seriously injured; and the old man
directed me to keep perfectly quiet, tell
ing me my arm was broken and was
otherwise badly injured, but had, never
theless, saved the life of his daughter;
for which he rendered me the most ar
dent thanks.
His daughter testified her gratitude in
a glance far more eloquent than words.
Ere | had recovered from my Illness the
old man had related to me the story of
his eventful life.
Some years before he had been a wealthy
merchant in a neighboring city, where Mr..
R, the present Superintendent of the
railroad, was also engaged in business.
In the financial crash of IS Mr.. R
became embarrassed and was on the verge
of ruin. Mr.. Collins, that being the old
mans name, assisted him out of his fnan-
cial difficulty.
In time he removed 10 C., became a
heavy stakeholder in the road, and finally
became Superintendent of the same.
Meanwhile, by one of those inexplicable
revolutions in the tide of fortune, Mr..
Collins had experienced the most severe
reyerses, and his fortune had literally
taken to itself wings and had flown away
and added to the loss of property was the
still greater one of the death of dearly
beloved wife.
In his extremity he came to c. and
called upon his former friend Mr.. R
received him cordially, and made him
many offers, even proposing to advance a
sufficient sum to set him up in business.
All these offers the old man refused, and
finally accepted the position as. station man
at the trestlework, which position had been
vacated by the accident first referred to.
The duties were light, mainly consisting
in passing over the bridge after the passage
of each train.
In connection with the station was a
small, neat cottage, which the station man
occupied, and where, removed from the
cares of business life, the broken-down |
merchant made his home in contentment
and peace.
The conductor on the train of which l |
was engineer had at one time been very
intimate in Mr.. Collins family, and he |
and the daughter were engaged to be mar
ried. At this time he was supposed to be
quite wealthy, and moved in the highest |
circles of society; but when reverses visited |
the family of his betrothed, instead of
ri ,f,.fI ii
lover, his visits to the house ceased, and |
the engagement was at once broken off,
And not only that, but when bantered |
by his companions, he declared his atten-
lions had never been serious, and that he |
had only firted with the young lady to
kill time, and that he looked much higher
in his selection of wife.
Amanda, for this was my heroine's nar2e,
was of sensitive nature and felt the mat
ter keenly, and bitterly resented the gross
injustice done her.
When in company with her father, |
about to step on the train, on the night of |
our first meeting, she observed, with con-
siderable trepidation, that the conductor |
was none other than her former sutton, and |
desiring to avoid contact with him, the ar
rangement was perfected of which the |
reader has already been made acquainted |
On the evening of the storm Mr.. Collins |
was i'll, and his daughter had volunteered |
to take his place and cross the bridge. |
While returning she missed her foot and /
fell, striking her forehead against the rail,
rendering her quite insensible.
The light reflected from the engine On
the broken lantern, which she had dropped |
in her fall, had first caught my attention,
and was the providential means of saving
her life
In lifting her from the track, which I |
had succeeded in doing not moment too
soon, had fractured my arm near the |
shoulder, and the pain of the injury,
added to the excitement of the occasion,
had caused me to faint.
My fireman shut off steam, rescued US
from our perilous situation and carried US
into the cottage, where we had been pro-
perly cared for.
Fortunately a-passenger on the train was
a good engineer, and took charge of my en-
CINE until | was able to resume the care |
of it myself.
OF course before my convalescence had !
fallen desperately in love with my fair
nurse, and if the reader were to visit
my little cottage to-day he would hear
her say, as she bends over me with our
boy in her arms, "My dear. why don't you
cross your is and dot your i's?' and
look up to the eyes of my gentle wife, and
say:
"Never mind, my love, the printer will
fix it all right, even it he does scold a
little "-Adlocate.