The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-04-23

and draws his fur cap over his eyes. At
the door he looks back and hesitates.
IL feel strangely reluctant to leave
you here all alone, he says wistfully
"Why, what could harm mey"
Nothing in all Trenton, that l know
of-but-would you like me to stay with .
your
"How good you arey" she says. "But
do you think | would allow You to go
without your supper in order that you
may protect me from unseen perilY .
She laughs mcrrily, mo, Lem, am
us safe as it-as if--well, nothing can
happen to me, at all events. So go with .
q clear conscience"
And this time he goes and does not
look back
She shivera n little as she remembers
what he has said about the bridge
What a sudden chill Of terror his words
had struck to her heart.
"The bridge will not hold 802r she
says to herself 1T is n through passen- /
ger and will not stop unless | signal it.
must find out. It is not due for half an
hour yet. shall have time"
She throws a long, dark cloak over
her shoulders and takes down red light
from the wall With another glance at /
the clock she rushes out in the stormy
black night. Down the track she speeds .
the lantern dancing through the dark
ness like a will-o'-the-wisp The bridge
is about quarter Of a mile from tho
station, but she knows every step Of the
way Suddenly a deep, roaring sound
meets her ears.
"The river! The riverr' she gasps.
Lem said today it had risen fearfully.
That frail bridge will be swept away as
if it were stick in such fierce tor
rent.
Now she is ut the bridge-but where
is tho bridget The last of it is swept
away in tho black, seething waters as
she reaches tho bank, and at that mo-
ment, another sound, heard family
above the roar Of the river, sends new
terror to her heart. A distant thunder
ing sound, and she knows the train is
coming through the cut half mile
away.
"Oh, God, for some strength she
groans. "All those souls must not be
lostr'
She struggles on through the fearful
wind that drives the thin, cutting snow
in her face like 50 many tiny lashes. On
comes the eXpress-nearer, nearer. Grad
ually the roar of the river changes into
the roar Of the oncoming train Once
she stumbles and falls, and her fingers,
stiff with cold, almost lose their grasp
on the precious red signal; but she is up
almost before she touches the ground.
"Only few more rods" she breathes,
"and they arc savedr'
Now she can see the lights from the
station, and almost simultaneously there
flashes around a curve in the inl5y dark
ness the headlight of SOC coming down
the track at full speed.
With last desperate effort she gains
the station, and, standing in the center
Of the track, waves the red light fran
tically above her head. She tries to cry
out-her voice is drowned in the roar
of the wind and the approaching train.
But the engineers head is out of the cab
window; he sees the slender, wind blown
figure on the track, her tragic white face
cleaning in the dazzling glare of the
headlight He throws back his lever,
and gradually-gradually-the long
train comes to n standstill, the engine
painting and quiyering like live thing
and sending ont great volumes of dense
smoke.
They are sayedl The lantern falls
from her numb hand, and she sinks
down on the track, shivering and trem
bling all over. There is q crowd about
her in an instant asking questions that
she is too exhausted to reply to, but
among all the strange faces she sees one
familiar one that sends the blood to hel
white face and the light to her eyes
She holds out her hand with a little
faint cry, and it is clasped in both ot
Jacks warm ones and held close to his
heart
) Then sho turns 10 the conductor, VIII,
is standing impatiently beside her.
"The bridge is gone, she says. Thi
; words come with difficulty through he
white, cold lips. II went down to Sc,
and reached here barely in time to saw
the train
When they all know what has occurred
what a cheer is raised for her! Jacl
l leads her into the station and brings tn
5 best chair he can find in the Office an,
seats her before the glowing ire-he
J own Jack! And she has saved hi
I lifel A great throb of exultation goe
3 through her as she sees him standin
+ there, so strong and tall and handsome
All, now he knows how a society gin
d can love!
y She is almost dead with cold, but sh
smiles family at him and then the whit
} lids close, but not before she know
Lem is beside her and has her hand i
, his and is bending over her, his youn
D face white and anxious, and so, betwee
7 the two men who love her, she gaiI
consciousness after little and receive
ie the heartfelt thanks Of all tho passeI
n gers.
q Jack and Lem have shaken hand
d cordially and Lem, with a horrib
y ache in his heart, has gone away an
d, left them together He knows that
y the man that Beth loves, but he beai
u it bravely. Beth is happy and he tri
ie to be glad for her sake.
le Jack has her hands in his and is loo
ing into the sweet, shy eyes.
~ on nave sdNel my me- belui I
says, and the gay voice is very graz
d now. Are you going to make mo wis
that you had not; had heard Of yol
Ys aunt's death, and my heart ached 4
:" you, but | dared not come near you.
," waited to hear Of your marriage to NJ
Nv Chester, but did not. Ahi Beth, bra
Ae little girl, 10 face poverty when "
is' could have commanded millions by
single little word"
IA at was for you, Jack she says in
oi low voice. Il loved you-could l swe
10 love another? Aunt tried very ha
/, to persuade me to accept Mr.. Chestt
az Poor auntg she signs, aud the shadow
eyes brighten with a smile, Il ha
you, Jack, 20 she says. "You Will ney
MS leave me again, softly, "will your"
PCS oNo, sweetheart" he says, "nev
again. Waverly Magazine.
I'm A Departure in Telephony.
ay The manager Of the telephone {
lat change in Lisbon achieved distinct
ou some time since by connecting the roy
be- palace with the opera house at a tin
let when the king was in mourning, 7
s. telephone man also connected his oy
house with the transmitters on the sta
MS % tTo cy,ar., owI Io1 vrrfwes NTH raea