The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-04-07

when the great earthquake Of Casa
.ccola occurred in 1883. We were
buried in the falling buildings, and
when. weeks afterward, consciousness
returned, l was lying in a hospital.
Those who rescued me from the ruins
state that the dead body Of my wife
was found beside me, but not the
slightest clue could be found OF my
child dead or alive. From that time
to the day which applied for the po-
sition as keeper OF High bridge / did
nothing but search for some knowl-
edge of my child. but without tangi-
BILE clue, and only enough of that
which was intangible to form the
basis for a hope or an impression that
she was living. Under that impress
sion have not only secured Italy
but every country in which had hopes
of finding a clue Much of my search
pilgrimage has been made on the
wheel which some of you have noticed
in the lookout at the bridge. On
the day on which applied for the po-
sition as keeper the last of my Tor
tune had been spent and had only q
few books and my wheel. / could
part with neither Of these. My re-
sources were exhausted and must be
replenished. More than this. | was
led to seek this position from the very
fact that it was solitary anu isolated.
The impression was so strong upon me
that, as had exhausted several years
and thousands of dollars in search of
my chilta among the people, without
results. there might be a paradoxical
course of retirement seclusion aud
rest from pursuit.
Il obeyed that impulse whether
wisely or not | was in doubt until
the moment when on the morning OF
the recent accident I took down my
lantern, preparatory to making my
beat over the bridge before the even.
ing train should cross. AS stepped
on to the track in front of the look
out I remembered that l had felt
strangely depressed all the preceding
day, and that my mental state was not
unlike that in which one recalls the
impressions of a bad dream. Before l
had taken six steps the whole sicken-
ing recollections of the moment in
which the earthquake began to rock
the walls of Naples. crept over me,
because the first of those
sensations was being repeated. 1
knew what was coming and [ must
confess, gentlemen, that the motive of
stopping the train. which that instant
l heard whistling around the noun
tain side before it should reach
the trembling bridge was intensified
by the feeling that upon my success
in saving that train hung that for
which l have spent the best of my
manhood, the discovery of my child.
To signal from the lookout end of
the bridge was, as you know. hope
less because Of the curve at the
other approach It was equally hope
less to attempt to run the length of
the bridge before the train would be
upon me- That moment my eve
CHANGED to see the flash of my lantern
light upon the nickel OF my wheel
which had taken outside to oil. tt
was my only hope! To make it tread
the center of the track, across the
! bridge in four minutes, meant life to
that train load of human beings and
| perhaps to my child-who could say?
Anything less meant-well, you
know. .-.-..-
Il caught my lantern on the han
dle-bar and sprang into the saddle.
With nearly my whole weight thrown
into every stroke, she responded to
my will like part of my body. I
could feel the vibrations of the bridge
| increase with each second, as the roar
OF the swiftly approaching train grew
louder and louder. Could I save it?
A moment more would tell AS I flew
over that last span the rocking was
tremendous! But gentlemen. if the
span had snapped when l was within
a rod of the abutment. I believe that
machine would have made the leap
and carried me over. at the speed she
was under: Well. you know the rest;
that wheel saved the day and. gen
tlemen. " said the hero of High Bridge
in a broken voice that train carried
q secret messenger of the Italian gov
; eminent who brings me certain proofs
oiAe'O lily Iu1lu udS UGH discovered,
and will soon come to me.
Ii the carpets and furniture of the
directors room had never felt the
touch OF tears before, they did that
day.
If you should happen into the vice
! presidents room Of this railroad. you
will notice the wheel which made
priceless time that night over the
rocking bridge At the desk you will
| see a man of middle age, who never
looks up at the wheel without q
brighter CLEAN in his clear blue eyes
a CLEAN whose warmth and tenderness
is exceeded only when tall and beau
tlful woman enters and, resting her
arm on his shoulder, says, with a
slight foreign accent, Father, aren't
you most ready to go home with
me?"-Forrest Crissey in Wheelmen's
! Gazette.
/ An Hmp0stOr.
He-And you wish to break off the
Z, engagement
She-I do.