Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-09-24

the garden. Laurence ran laughing aliel
her.
"You can't catch me-" she said.
''Yes, / can"
But the little witch evaded Laurencek
pursuit, leaving laughter behind her.
.Here. here" she said.
And, rushing to the track, began t.
cross il.
Don't 20 there, darlingp' said her IA
Their.
It was very dark; the pointsman could
hardly see his daughter.
"You can'tca me, " repeated the child.
"Come--come here, said the father.
"Look for me, answered the child.
"Alicel Alicel don't play there any more.
shall be angry Come herep
"Oh, you say that because you can't
catch meF'
"Come back ! will give yon a cake"
"That isn't true; you haven't one. You
want TO make me come back"
Eyes, / don't want you TO stay there.
The express train is comingW
"Oh, shan't let you catch mel The
train has gone by"
"There is another
Instead Of replying, the child said, "Run
after me, papa, runW
Laurence saw there was nothing to be
done but 20 run after her and take her out
OF danger. He rushed toward the place
where he heard her voice. II was dark and
Alice escaped him still. His alarm in
creased. At any instant the whistle of the
oncoming train might be heard, and Lau-
renee redoubled his appeals.
His voice was hoarse with fright; the
fatal moment approached, and still the
child laughed and repeated, You can't
catch mel"
Now the whistle sounded. The lugubri
Gus call paralyzed the poor man, and he
lost his head completely The train would
have two victims if he did not regain his
composure Two victimsl IL would be a
catastrophe with incalculable conse-
quences; for a train was stopping at the
station little way ahead, and if the ex-
press was not turned off there must invari-
ably be a collision.
Laurence shook Oft his torpor.
"Alicer' he cried, in laundering tones.
"Here, papa" And the child continued
to give sharp little calls, which mingled in
the roar OF the approaching engine.
The instinct Of duty, rather than will,
urged Laurence toward the points. He
seized the instrument which ought to turn
the train.
NO" he exclaimed, 81 must save herr
Alice-Alice, where are your" and his eyes
sought 10 pierce the darkness
The man, with hair on end, thought Of
throwing himself before the huge iron
monster.
But one chance remained-that Alice
was not on the track over which the train
must pass. He looked again--he saw her
She was there, standing on the very track
the train must take IL be altered the points
II the iron tempest did not take its true
course, the child was saved. The train
would 20 on TO crash against the one at
the station. What matterl Alice would
be alivel All this went through his mind
like lightning. They would be killed and
wounded-twenty families in despair-but
Alice would be safe and sound There
would be an inquest. He would be con
demned to prison, dishonored, ruinedl But
his daughter his little Alice, would live
and be happy All, how quickly one can
think in such terrible momentsl
The train came laundering on, but it
could not be seen on account of sharp
curve ia the road. There was still time "a
save Alice, but the child would not stir
II seemed to her father that she waited fol
the train with an air of defiance.
alice" he repeated, in a voice stran-
gled by fear" Alice, come herel You will
kill me1
Suddenly the advancing lights Of the en-
CINE appeared, The train was upon him
Il was here. The man felt his whole being
shake. He was hewildered-coulds see moth
ing.
Thought did not stop, however, but trav
eled faster than tho train. He recalled il
second his honorable life; he had Away
sacrificed everything to duty. He saw il
the station the frightful accident he woul'
have caused, and heard the cries OF tn
wounded. the last gasps Of the dying. Tn
problem was before him-his daughter o
othersi There was no alternative wthou
miracle
With astonishing prOmptitude the sent
ment of duty became most powerful, an
he seized mechanically the hands Of III
iron bar. The stoical pointsman at tn
moment was uppermost, and etfaced eli
father. He pushed, hardly knowing VIII,
he did, and the express train crossed Il
points.
, On, on II went, and he could see il pa
+ sing before the station, going by as If
/ were happy 20 escape a danger, and disa
pearing IN the darkness
, Duty had been strongest. Stupefie
4 staggered, speechless, Laurence was root,
TO the spot, holding still the cursed hand
!. which had helped him 10 kill his child.
Now be said, lit is my turn 70 die "
+. The other train was about to pass.
y stepped forward, crossed his arms al
awaited it. The whistle sounded, t
Z heaving engine pulled. Bewildered, thin
ing Of nothing, there he stood. But th
4. instant burst of laughter sounded
hind him. He turned, wild with hope.
- "Oh. naughty papai he won't play wi
y Aliccn said the most beloved Of voices.
+. The child was ciinging TO him. II
u renee did not seek 20 know how the ch
came there alive. He seized her and 4
with his treasure into his little cab
j.. Then he put her on the ground before I
y lamp aud looked at her. He could /
y bear 50 much joy, and fell fainting bes
u his daughter, who ia her turn scream
- with terror.
~ Al this moment Celine arrived. )
7. heard her child's voice aud FASTENED
~ steps. Then, becoming impatient,
=. called, "Alicew
~ The child ran TO meet her, crying, MA
/, ma, mamma, am frightenedr
what is the matterfn
"a Papa has fallen down.
Celine rushed toward the box and foS
so her husband completely insensible, stret
~ ed on the ground. She sent for help,
- the doctor, who had not left the Wills
came and restored the poor man 90 {
~. sciousness. The next day when Laure
rose his wife looked at him with ter
i, Instead Of his former bright color he
IA hihited a corpselike pallor, which ne
left him to the end Of his days. Laure