Evening journal., 1891-08-07

at last he summoned up courage, and
scrambling down the bank crept along te
see what it was that the men had left.
1t was not the body Of man lying there,
but some railroad ties which had been fas
tened upright in a cattle guard, with large
stones wedRed securely about them. Then
he knew that these men had planned to
wreck the express.
He tried desperately with his puny
strength to move the timbers, but they
were fixed so firmly that he could not
stir them in the least. and he gave it up in
despair. He looked around him fearfully,
for the men might come back again fol
aught he knew, but he could not bear to
leave the express to its fate, and tried to
think Of some way by which he could give
warning.
II he only had a lantern to swing back
and forth across the track But OF course
that was impossible, and he tried to think
OF some other signal. As in his perplexity
he thrust his hands deep down into his
pockets, at the bottom of one Of them he
felt some matches which were left from
bonfire, and in a minute he decided TO build
fire in the middle OF the track, up by the
curve, where the engineer would see it and
stop the train in time But he soon found
difficulty in finding any materials, but
after cropping about for while in the dark
ness he managed to get few little sticks
together, and lighting a piece of paper
which he found in his pocket he tried to
start his fire. But to his dismay the sticks
were so damp they would not burn, and
after using all his matches bat two ia vain
attempts he gave it up.
lie put his ear down to the rails and list
ened intentlY. Yes, the train was coming.
but it was some distance of yet Oh, If he
could only lind something dry enough to
burnl Now on the damp night air comes
the low rumble Of the approaching cars
In another moment they will be In sight,
and on the impulse OF the moment he
snatched off his jacket, and hastily strik
ing match applied it to the lining.
IL burned feebly "A second and went out.
and then more carefully he lighted the last
one and the coat began to blaze; and not a
moment too soon, either, for he could sec
the headlight as heexpress came thunder.
ing along
Springiug upon the track he waved his
blazing signal frantically back and forth
10 attract the engineers attention. There
he stood, right in the path of the huge
monster as it rushed fercely toward him
with its great fiery eye glowing fereely
through the darkness, and his little arms
kept on steadily swinging his jacket. in his
excitement never feeling the flames as they
crept over his little hands.
But he has been seen, and brakes were
applied, and the wheels reversed, and the
engine brought to a standstill just as it
was almost upon him, and then the little
fellow sank down, overcome by excite
ment, and there a moment later, they
found him curled mp in a heap on the
ground. Carefully the fireman lifted him
in his strong arms, while the engineer and
one or two others ran forward and dis
covered the obstruction. The passengers
aroused by the commotion, began to make
their appearance, and soon he was sur
rounded by crowd, and found he had be
come hero.
The big fireman still held him in his
arms as Joe answered the questions which
were showered upon him. while physi
clan who was among the passengers bound
up the poor little burnt hands.
Joes hearers shuddered AS they thought
of their narrow escape, and when they
found il was his jacket that furnished the
signal some man pulled off his hat and
dropping a bill in it said, ITO pay for Joes
coat aud passed it around to the others
pocketbooks were taken out, and bills and
silver rained into the hat until it almost
took Joe's breath as be realized that it was
all for him.
Soon the train is ready to 20 ON and they
all got aboard, and Joe is taken on to The
next station. where they stopped to let him
off. The DOCTORS house was close by, anG
as they saw Joe run up the stoop and ring
the bell, the train moves off amid cheers
and the waving of hats.
Joe was a happy boy when, m hour later
he rushed into the house, and stumbling
into his fathers room, threw small but
heavy package upon the bed
"Fatherl fatherl wake upp' he cried ex
citedly. 1--WE earned the money Cor Mr.
Morrison and now we can keep the house
DO wake upl"
1t did not take long to get light, and
when the money was counted there was as
Joe had said enough for the interest and
more too.
Joe was proud boy when he saw his
father the next morning start out to Mr.
Morrison's with the 500 in his pocket. 10,
often goes out into the yard to play with
his pet, Topknot, and then he thinks how
glad he is that Widow Jenkins wanted him
TO go for the doctor that night.-Bewstol
journal.