The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-09-17

quarry and resumed his overseeing.
The railroad was very crooked at
this point, many sharp curves OBJ
structing long view ahead, and
matters looked very blue for the
train coming south. The employees
of the road at the south end had
been told over the wire by Miss
Ransom the situation, and she had
been ordered to stop the train at all
hazards, as they could not reach her
station in time to help her.
Time for talk was past, and Miss
Ransom decided TO act Going
down to the rivers bank she got
into small boat and pushed off,
hoping to work her way around the
break in the trestle In some way
the current pushed her boat in
among some drift wood, and in a
twinkle her boat was overturned and
she was houndering in the deep
rushing water. Miss Ransom had
learned to swim and managed to
reach out and grasp a heavy log as
it swept by. With one arm around
this log she called for help and at
the same time tried to work her.
self in toward the shore. Soon
several Italians came running to the
rescue, and in a short while Miss
Ransom was safe on shore. But the
train was still coming south and
nothing had been gained by the
adventure. Miss Ransom was the
coolest one in the crowd. 1t was
nov too late to send man around |
by the other bridge, and she deter
mined to try and cross the smaller
stream in some way. Followed by |
the Italians, they ran up the bank
of the little stream, but nothing |
could be found on which crossing
could be made.
Miss Ransom he3itated but
minute to ask if any one in the
crowd could swim. and receiving a
negative answer decided, with the
aid of a plank, to Try ii again. The
The Italians in their impetuous way
tried to persuade her not TO tempt
the swollen waters again, but with
the decision OF a true heroine who
realized the danger the OIL coming
was In, cautiously pushed the plank
into the water and with a quick
movement followed it. The brave
girl had entered the water some dis
tance above the broken trest1e in
hope of gaining the opposite shore
before that point would be reached,
as to be carried out into the river
meant certain death. The Italians
encouraged her with shouts OF praise,
but endeavor as she would to work
her way out of the current in mid
stream but little headway was made.
Down stream the brave girl was
carried with swiftness that told
palmer than words that her struggles
were fruitless. As she neared the
broken trestle, inch by inch she
worked the plank over toward the
northern side and as she was within
a few feet of that structure she aban-
doned the plank struck out with
one torlorn hope of reaching it un-
aided. Her foresight and strength
proved stanch qualifications. As
she was being carried by the pro-
jecting and splintered trestle Miss
Ransom gave one last strong sweep
of her arms and was enabled to
grasp heavy piece of timber.
Slowly and labcriously the heroine
worked her way out of the water
and up through the trestle, as her
strength commenced to show signs
of waning, and finally reached the
top. For only few seconds did
she hesitate, to gasp for breath and
regain strength, when she staggered
to her feet and hurried down the
track.
1t was close calculation. Miss
Ransom had hardly turned the curve
when the noise OF the on coming
train could be heard and a few
seconds later dashed into view. The
wild gestulation of the brave girl
caught the attention of the engineer
almost instantly, and brakes were
applied, and the train brought to a
standstill right on the curve and in
sight of the broken trestle. Without
a culver in her voice Miss Ransom
told the engineer of the mlshap, and
in a matter of fact way, without any
embellishments, related her expert
ence in trying to prevent the train
going through the broken trestle
into the river. The dozen or so
passengers on the train were dunn
founded by the girls matter OF fact
bravery, and crowded around her /
and almost hugged her in their
enthusiasm and tbanktulness.
Did that girl make her mark in
the telegraph profession? Not
much She married the engineer
whose life she had saved.
DIR 0RFAMS.