The Meeker herald., 1892-05-07

sNhA neTAbS iShif fiHt Runway uANi-
dents would bs an altogether agree
able amusement.
I'm tell you what Id like" said lac.
I'D like to see two trains going, one
one way. one the other, with nobody
IN them, on ono track. Cricky, there'd
DC a smash"
''Iha, would bs fine" assen,ed Dick.
"But what I'd like best OF all would
be to save n train. Stand on the
track, you know. waving something,
and let the train come nearer and
nearer, and not scagin. you. and Just
stoppin: within hn inch OF you. and
then you'd faint"
Il wouldn't faint" interrupted
Charley.
"well. not FAINT exactly, hut you'd
feel kind o. tired aud wan, Ia sit down.
You'd feel like sittin. down. guess. Il
you'd stoodup before an rnlnn. Itcll
you. MS aH awful strain
Charley MAS unconyincel. lie saw
himself. in imagination. preserving "a
brave front, treating the affair as an
everyday occurrence, and holding
himself stern and NJ oieal, like COop.r'a
Indians. lie described the attitude To
Dick.
well. anyhow" resumed Dick, "Hll
the p-opl.'d come out al the ears and
sc, round and say how brave you
were. ana some old sentiemnn'd pat
you ON the head"
"iis'd better not pat me on the
head amt a dog. said Charley.
II say" said D,rk. struck by the
observation. don't II max. you hop
pm 10 have anybody pat you on tile
hen'l1 unc- n man"
Never mind that. Go on about
the train
We'll. bimeby somebody "a start a
collection. aud they riy.yon hand,
inl OF mcney-t-n, twenty. and n
hundrc'l IoliArs'"
'oh, come now" exclaimed Charley.
''N-S. sir. aud more too-somctimcs
read about fellow Ia the papers
that got an much jus, in the way I'm
telling you. and then your nmc'd be
ia the paper"
Charley contemplated this vision %,
glory. 'P-rhnp-." ha said, they'd
give the school u holiday"
"Cours- tl-y would. and ia. pfinci.
pal d shake hands with you. and tell
tho scholars what you dill ia the
mornin. the first thing after prayers.
,
Then strange thin: happened.
Faint in the distance came tho sound
OF 81 whistle. The boys jumped ms II
elect rii.ei.
Its tho express said Char.
Icy.
Gee eriminy hshhook,'" .aid
Dick.
III. two s,ar,si MT each other with
IL.
element. Both OF them thought of
tho misplaced switch. the short
side track, the steep bank n, its
cnd.
Are We going to save III" said
Charley under his breath.
We've Just got to reverse that
the word started down the hill n, n
run.
Here. stop YOU" shouted Dick.
Wed never get there soon enough
running. rs most "a mile down this
hill. and the express ain, moru'n two
miles oil"
Glow are you coinsl" said Char.
ley.
As neither OF the boys knew in WIN,
condition this long hill might he. to
star, down 1t on their tobo.ran was n
brave net. but they did not hesitate
an instant.
With icvcrish haste they untic.l
their snow.shocs; then. putting them
on the forward part OF the toboe,nn,
they seated themselves. Charley in
front. Dick behind. A slight push and
they were oi!-,hcir faces excited, de.
tcrmincd, "A hi, pale. They will new
cr forget that iobo.pnn ride. a, first
the motion was so slow TINT they
grew impatient. To quicken it they
used their mi,tened hands like oars.
digging them into the snow OH either
side.
Then tho tobocgan went somewhat
faster. and n nipping wind began to
sting their faces. On n sharp pitch in
the slope OF the hill the toboscan so
increased its speed that tho boys
casped
The slope became moro moderate
md uniform directly, but the toboc.
gan shot along. steadily. faster md
faster; and for the next few moments
the boys had only confused sense
OF n sharp cold stinging their faces, of
nm extreme necessity "ior hanging on
tight" and of the hillside like, huge
cylinder, revolving. n blur OF white,
beneath them.
All at once n stump reared up right
before them Charlcy's heart came
into his mouth; but Dick thrust his
foot hard into the snow, and the up
ward drift OF the snow toward the
stump helping, the toboscnn swerved
little to one side, and the stump was
escaped by n hands breadth.
Charley breathsd again, and for the
next minute was conscious only OF the
great white cylinder ceaselessly revolv-
ing.
But the next moment the toboggan
was sailing through the mir. Neither
boy could see what had happened;
but both guessed. From the top OF
stone wall to which the snow had
made n smooth path upward, the to.
began had leaped into the mir; and
tho same instant in which they per.
ceived what had happenta. they ask
ed themselves in terror what would be
the result.
How would the toboggan land? II
it swervcd ever so little to the left or
to the right, il it should land on the
slope OF ever so small drift, an over.
turn was inevitable, and they would DO
too late to turn the switch.
To their intense relief, it landed full
and square, throwing the snow to the
left and right, and with renewed i'm
pctus sped on.