The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-08-15
A LEAP FOR LIFE.

| sell more comfortably on the pile O
timber upon which We were both seat
ed, on slope just above the quain,
little Russian railway station OF Suram.
In the Southern Caucasus. .you were
n-sayin' that you'd had more narrow
'scapes OF your life in the streets oil
London and New York than ever YOU
had In South Africa or Central Asia.
Well. there's many man could say
Ldst tho same. Them soldier and sailor
fellows make a big talk about hairs
breadth escapes from death, and all
that; but I'll be bound I've had as
many close shavcs as any OF 'em in the
way OF my business. and on this very
line OF railway too!'
II can't quite believe It," said /.
you remember that story OF how
somebody once heard read out in a
church In the West: "A man who had
| just taken season ticket upon the So
and-So railway desires the earnest
prayers OF the congregation II II
comes TO that I've had one or two
pretty sensational adventures on this
very line myself"
II daresay you have SIR" rejoined
| the veteran with a grim chuckle over
the congenial pleasantly; land. II it
comes to that, 1t was just close by this
here spot where we'ro a-sittin' now
TINT had the nearest shave o. being
killed as ever had in my life, and
that's sayin' pretty good deal. can
tell YER"
This preface savored so strongly of
n good story to come that | ut once be-
gan to press him for an explanation;
but no pressing was needed. The old
fellow refilled his short black pipe,
took n Whit or two to get himself lin
tune" as he said, for his story, and
then began as follows:-
You'd never guess-not II you tried
all day-how this here 'scapc OF mine
came about Robbers. says youp No,
1t waren't robbers. although there was
goodish few OF 'em then. too. Land
slipsp No, nor that either Bridges
breakin'p No, nor yet bridges, though
I've had a taste OF that, too, in my
time. Fact, you'd never guess, so I'd
better just tell you all about 1t.
''You see, the way of it was this.
When the line was first opened as far
as this here station of Suram, where
we are now, used to run the morning
train from Poti; and my mate was 70
Rooshan chap from Taganrog-name
Of Ivan Karloff. A jolly, good-natured
fellow he was rs ever stepped into
shoe leather; and, for Rooshan, he
didn't make half bad sort o. stoker
neither.
"When we first came to work to-
gether. him and me, we used to have
prime fun out OF 1t, and no mistake.
He'd be- always tryin' to talk English,
and I'd be always tryin' to talk Roo
shan; and proper hash We both made
OF 1t, as you may think.
However, old Jacky Gas l always
called him) was such good-natured
chap that he didn't mind a bit being
laughed at; and he picked up my lingo
deal quicker than l could pick up
his'n, which was very good job,
for / had to keep tellin' him lots O.
things which couldn't have turned
into Rooshan nohow.
Nov, bout six months after first
took on with this line, It got broken
up for goodish hit by one OF them
blessed earth slides that you yourself
got taste OF tother day; and, just at
the top OF the Suram Pass yonder
there was big gap in the rails that
no train could git across for love or
money. So the way they managed
was to run one train close up to this
here gap, and then have another one
with me and Jacky Karloff to work
it) standing all ready just Mt t'other
side; and then the passengers and lug
gage was shifted from one train to
t'other and away they went
well. one day me and Jacky was
on the tender as usual, with steam up.
just awaitin' for a signal to start the
train. when all at once VIC felt our
selves beginnin' to move slowly for
ward.
IL thought nothing Of 1t mt the first
moment, and didn't even look up from
what l was dom, thinkin' they were
only shown us for'ard to make room
for some'at more behind. But all In
minute we went quicker and quicker.
till we was reg'larly fyin'; and then
heard shout from behind. and Jacky
sang out 'Gospodf pomiluil' Lord
have mercy upon u.s. and I looked
round and saw"
THAT the train had run away. /
suppose" said I.
mo. not quite so bad as that; but
the engine and tender had broken loose
from the rest OF the train. and were
tearin' away down the steepest grade
in the whole line. Whether they'd
come uncoupled, or whether they'd
never been coupled at all, never
found out; but, any how, there were
we two. flynn downhill at such rate
that the wind regularly whistled through
our hair.
'You tells me you've been on run
away horse once or twice In your time;
well. just fancy an iron horse that
can't be stopped. or coaxed. or even
killed, tearin' away down q steep hill