Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-08-04

fences about q terrible accident that
had taken place on the railroad at
the other end OF the division.
AS he proceeded she in fancy saw
the terrible scene, but she uttered no
sound, and continued staring into his
face with dry, wide open eyes.
"Poor Ned was caught between two
cars, and the doctors say one OF his
I legs will have to come off. He's
pretty badly mashed and may die.
All the wounded were taken to the
Presbyterian hospital and"
He stopped suddenly, and, rushing
from his little den, ran out on the
platform and caught Lizzie in his
arms just as she reeled, fainting.
She did not remember much after
this, and an age seemed to have
passed when she finally opened her
eyes in her own shabby little chamber
at home, to find her mother, her
father and the doctor bending over
her.
The first question was about the
accident, but they put her off, and it
was not until she was able to sit up
that she learned the whole truth.
Her lover had lost one of his legs,
and. being no longer useful to the rail
road company, had been discharged.
They did not tell her that several
letters had come from him, nor did
they inform her that her father, being
for once in his life sober, controlled
and influenced by his wife, had written
a letter to the crippled brakeman, in
forming him that Lizzie was shortly
to be married to Mr.. Isaac Mercer.
The latter called upon her several
times while she was convalescent, but
she invariably refused to see him, and
would never eat the tempting delica-
cles that he sent to her bedside.
One evening when her mother was
busy in the lower part OF the house,
and her father had gone as usual to
the saloon, Lizzie put on her hat and
stole from the house.
Just before she reached the railroad
the door OF Charlie Hancock's little
den opened, and a man came out on
crutches.
AS he approached, Lizzie rushed
forward.
"Ned, Ned" she cried, and when the
cripple looked up and caught sight OF
her face he halted and his own grew
very white.
81 beg pardon, Liz-NIiss Kane" he
said, bowling stitf1y.
"Miss Kane?" repeated Lizzie, draw
ing back, "You used to callme Lizzie!
What's the matter? Oh, Ned. I've
been sick, and all through the delirium
| saw you lying crushed and mangled
crying for me to come to you"
81 was pretty badly crushed" said
Howell, and he glanced ruefully at his
crutches, land l guess l must have
called for you; but that was before
| learned that you were going to
marry Isaac Mercer
"Marry Isaac Nlercer!'' repeated
Lizzie; why, hate him"
"What?" cried Ned. and his face
frightened. "Why. l heard that you
were going to be married tomorrow,
and couldn't resist the temptation
to come up and look on your dear
face once more before losing you for
ever"
'.It's all a monstrous lie!' cried
Lizzie holly. ~ wouldn't marry him
II he was worth ten times as much as
he ISL
II thought it must be true" said
Neu, when you didn't answer my let
ters."
81 never received them"
And you don't mean to say that
you still love such a poor, crippled
wretch as am?"
"Id love you if you'd lost both
your legs?" cried Lizzie, and she
could hardly restrain herself
from kissing him right then and
there.
One OF Ned's fellow sufferers by the
railroad smash-up was high official
OF the road, and learning that the
crippled brakeman was OF more than
observation-disclosures, had secured him
position in the general Office OF the
company, where he was bound to rise.
Lizzie needed but little urging to
consent to marriage that night, and
it being too late to procure a license
they sought that Mecca OF runaway
lovers, Camden, and were made one.
When Isaac Mercer read the mar
riage notice the next morning he was
the maddest man in Kensington and
closed up his grocery store for the
balance OF the day,-Philadelphia.