Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-12-01

....,, increased .sis fifteen OF t"sHsy I.~
an hour. I crawled over the coal
and, clutching the wheel, gave 1t q
whigl. Horror! The cham was
broken-it was useless.
l gave one glance at the ties as they
flew past us. There was no chance 20
! lump now. We were running Wild
at the rate OF thirty-tive miles an
hourl
How long would it he before he car
jumped the track? The thought drove
i me wild. AS for Sambo, he had
thrown himself flat down on the coal.
ooh. for de good Lawd, Use clean
done for, is! An | done gone an
stole dem chickens last night from de
preacher. On, dem waternnllons dis
| chile done borrowed from Deacon Sher-
man, Use got to die easy. An dat
ham l toted away from dat meat
bar'l OF marsa's an done forgot to
tole him! Pears like dis Niger nebber
had any mem'ry no. how
At any other time | should nave
laughed at this; but when one is facing
death and realizes it everything speaks
OF tragedy.
The speed OF the car was now overa
mile a minute The telegraph poles
whizzed past so fast that could not
count them. The sensation was SICK
ening. chung convulsively to the
brake-wheel, waiting every moment
| for the crisis to come.
We flew by the first station
like lightning, leaving crowd OF peo-
pie standing on the platform with
their mouths open and doubtless Won
dering where the company had pro
cured an engine that ran without
| smoke or steam.
My KIN es shook together so that l
could carcely stand, and had the
brake been out OF my hands | should
certainly have been keeping Sambo
company in the coal.
II the car kept the rails for five min
utes more we might still escape, for at
q short distance ahead there was q
slight ascent and then more abrupt
| incline.
AS we neared this spot the speed Of
the car perceptibly lessened. My
heart bounded. would Jump for my
OF the grade.
"Sambo," 1 said. eve shall yet be
saved. Rise and stop your bowling.
Brace up and be man. Now see
here said, as he reluctantly obey
ed. 'Stand on this beam. When |
tell you to Jump do SO ii you wish to
save your lile."
The car was running quite steadily
now. One hundred yards more
would hiring it to the top of the little
hill. Stepping behind Sambo, | wait
ell for the critical moment. determined
to kick him from the car should he
disouey me when | gave him the word
to leap.
Nearer ana nearer we came to the
top, when ut last we were running Oh
level.
Go, Sam! yelled.
He made one attempt to Jump, and
then drew back. / was too quick for
him, and sent him sprawling into the
air. Scanning the ground for one
brief moment, sprang from the car
| struck on my feet, head and hands
alternate y until Preached the bottom
OF a ditch. was stunned for mo-
ment only, and rising looked around
for Sanlbo.
He was already on his feet and COM
ing toward me. He had struck on his
head and shoulders and came out
without scratch, but was badly
frightened.
AS for myself. one finger was broken
and hall the skin on mynose had been
rubbed off and replaced with sand.
My gold watch was crushed into u
shape.esS mass.
looked at the car as it disappeared
in the distance with shudder. | was
so glad to know I stood there alive
that | could not control my feelings
and madly shout d, Let hergo, Sam,
let her co." Not stopping to realize
thai the car would go" in any case.
Five miles further it jumped the
track and ran into a watering tank,
flood ng the track with 500 barrels full
OF water. The tank, in going down,
crushed neighboring windmill INTO
fragments. felt as Sambo did about
the matter.
"B oss," he said, "if we'd been on
,, dat ar car speck we'd done gone TO
, glory, shuah. Dis chile am mighty
glad he had de presence OBJ mine to
Jump at the right mint"
And | never disputed his great cour
age and presence Oh mine"
The next day was summoned to
the superintendent office, where I
was severely reprimanded, as | de-
served to be, but not discharged. |
have been very careful ever since and
! run no risks
10 this day Sambo never unloads
g. car without examining the brake
chains to see that they are set and
| safe.