Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-08-29

better than she could obtain at Gaylord S
| made up my mind to push on up Tho
mountain.
AS we were driving away, Mrs. At
wood called to us, and came running out
with large blue cotton umbrella.
"'You'd better take this, she said
you are going just away from the sun,
and it will shine in at the back of the
wagon and make the poor glrl uncom-
Portable if you don't have something tc
shade her
"We took it, although l hardly
thought 1t would be necessary to spread
it.
"The mules kept along at the rate o
about three or four miles an hour, SC
that at five O'Clock we were approaching
Dead Mans Point.
"Alice, lying back upon her pillows
had been much charmed all the way by
the scenery. So, as we came to Dead
Mans Point, and stopped to allow the
team to take breath, called her atten
ton to the grandeur Of the view here.
"But she could hardly look at it, she
was in such fear of the deep chas IL oil
the canon on our left hand, which WI
seemed almost to overhang.
"While we looked, and [ assured her
that there was not the slightest danger,
| heard an exclamation from Pete. Look
ing up the grade, | saw, coming like a
whirlwind around little bend, Old
Lightning, with his heavy cart bounding
behind him.
Il saw it as one secs objects revealed
by flash of lightning in a dark night.
Instantly l thought of our fate, for moth
ing could stop him, aud when he struck
us we must be hurled over the precipice
81 was paralyzei with fear; every
thing turned black before me. had a
wild desire TO escape, but | knew tina.
escape was impossible. Even if l could
have climbed from the wagon, it would
have done no good aud what of the sick
girl2
''Fhile | looked, and while these
thoughts flashed through my mind, saw
Peter throw all his weight on the lever
of the brake, forcing it down to the last
notch, and locking the wheels so that it
was impossible for them to turn.
Then he thrust the reins and whip into
my hands.
"'Keep the team steady, ma'am, he
said, you must do it!'
"He seized something under the seat,
aud before could speak, he was gone
from the wagon like flash.
"For one moment l basely supposed
he was going to save himself by climbing
the almost perpendicular side Of the
mountain, which no doubt nc might
have done-he IS 81 quick and agile.
But the next moment | saw him rushing
toward the on-cominy mule and cart,
and wondere in Il stupid way why he
showed so little fear of his old enemy.
"While | looked, unable to turn my
eyes, and knowing that surely he must
be killed. SAY HIM make stand in the
path, aud suddenly spread the big blue
umbrella directly in the face Of the mule.
saw the mule as suddenly swerve a
little toward the edge Of the precipice.
"Iu that instant the OIL wheel o. the
heavy cart went over the grade, an
amid a cloud of dust everything vanished
from my sight, leaving only in view the
winding mountain road, with poor Pete
lying with torn clothing and bleeding
face in the middle of it.
"Thea heard the crashing of the cart
as it bounded from rock to rock to the
bottom of the canon
- was 50 frightened, 50 dazed that l
did not know what to do. did no.
dare to leave the wagon to go to Pete's
for the mules were much
excited, and ! had hard work to
keep them from trying to turn around.
Fortunately, Alice had not realized
the situation, for her view toward the
front was Distracted; and when she
anxiousiy asked what was the matter, ]
was able to quiet her, by assuring her
that the danger was past.
"While l was trying to think how
could get to Pete, who mad saved our
lives, perhaps at the sacrifice of his own,
l saw Dennis Mccarthy coming around
the beud. He was without hat or Jacket ;
one shoe was gone, and he seemed to be
quite out Of breath.
"'Thc Lord be praisedr he gasped
when he saw us; 'ye're safe, for sure,
but where is me mule an me carte
'Oyer the grade, answered.
"Hc said nothing more, but bent over
the body Of poor Pete,
e" Is he dcad2' | asked.
"'No, ma'am, said Dennis, 'he is
not, but the breath is mostly knocked
out of him, aud I'm thinkin' he's dread
fully hurt. We must contrive to Law
him in the wagon and get him to the
camp as soon as we can.
1T was well we had such stock of
blankets and pillows; and we easily
made comfortable place at the back Of
the wagon, where we laid the bruised
and wouude l boy, and then started on. "
This was the faithful account of what
happened which Mrs. Green told her hus-
band later. He himself could have told
with what emotions he met the little
procession on its way up to the camp.
His services as doctor were needed
by all three Of the people in the wagon,
by poor mingled Pete, who lay uncou-
scious; by the sick girl, now fainting
and by his wife, upon whom a nervous
reaction had fallen.
But his skill was equal to the need.
One of Pcte's legs was broken, and he
had Suffered other injuries. The bone
was set and the wounds dressed; and
Mrs. Green, who soon recovered her
own strength, nursed him carefully and
tenderly. Before long he was again on
his feet.
Within a years time Doctor Green
sent him to San Francisco to school,
with the intention to train him thor
ougly as a mining engineer.
The Young girl gained rapidly in
strength, too, IN the healing, invigorat-
ing mountain air, and before many weeks
was well on the way to recovery.
Perhaps the most wonderful part of
the story is to come. After Dennis Nc
earthly had walked up to the Flat with
the little party who had gone down to
meet Mrs. Green and poor Pete, he set
oil again down the mountain, with two
10 find the remains of his
mule.
When they reached the place where
he went over the grade, they were as
tonished TO see Old Lightning, only a
short distance down the side of the
canon, wedged in between two tir-trses