The Kansas blackman., 1894-06-15

" nf01lA az ILAC ldlt VI nearly mile
a minute.
The old superintendent SAID never
word; but he couldn't even smoke
the cigars ne lighted only kept bitin'
the ends off and pitchin' Of 'em away.
"And when we got down into the |
Coon County, in the long stretches of |
wood-we'll soor be a-passin' through |
'em, ma'am-the wind was lest a |
tearn' at trees and made the |
limbs and shaders beat across
the track. that even with the light
Of the engin' we couldn't always make
out what they was: and a dozen times
or SO Morris and | looked at each
other sort nf goOd-by.
but at last we flew out Of the
shaders, almost down by Coon Creek.
"1Ou see, twas a dangerous sort
OF place; first the creek, with
narrow bridge-and one track across
it, and then high Bit Of land,
through which the road had been cut
with sudden curve.
swell, we were just a-sweepin'
near enough to see that the creek
was awfully swollen, when Morris
gave a scream.
Good heavens!' says he, there's
a woman on the BRIDGE"
II looked, and sure enough there
she was; taking careful steps from
enc plank to another with the river
a-rushin' beneath her.
| "'Abe,' says the superintendent,
| stop the engine. for heavens sake,
/ stop the engine"
/ ''' j can't, sir, says / It's too
\ late and just then she saw the light
Of the engin', turning round, and
\ threw up her arms: and there we
were bearing down upon her-thOugh
| Morris was slowing up the best he
| could.
IA sudden thought came to me.
''There wasn't but one chance in
ten for the woman's life, and that
chance Id give her, for the sake of
the mother and sister | loved at
home.
III sprang out on the engin', and
down to the COW catcher.
THE bridges, as | said afore, was
narrow; and it hadn't 50 much as a
plank Of sidin'.
II reached my place just in time.
Another minute and she would have
been lOst-sO young and pretty she
was, too
'As we came down upon her-she
standin' there, balanced on one OF the
logs-I gathered all my strength, and
flung her into the river"
"GOod gracious" cried /, wrought
up to state Of intense excitement
by the narrative, III thought you
were going to try and save her."
That's just what I'm a-tellin'
you, " said the engineer 'NOu see,
by the time we got across the bridge
we slowed up. Now, sir, says l to
the superintendent I'm good
swimmer. Can | 20 in after the
2irl?'"
".Yes,' says he, and, Morris, you
take a lantern and 60 on ahead along
the track, and give me the other, and
I'll see if can help Abe, here, rescue
the girl.
I M just hoped right into Coon''
Creek
} III knew the current would brinG
her toward our bank, only a little
lower down.
I aAnd sure enough found her, anC
4 got her out in no time: and, If you'll
believe me, the plucky little thinI
was a-clingin to an oil can she had
y and as soon as she opened her eye
e called out:
I'm all right! Take the oil
I; quick. Quick!'
"'Take the oil for what?' says
9 thinkin' she must be somethin' wron
d in the head.
S but just then | saw Morris lar
tern come rushing back along tn
) track. like mad, and he a-screamlr
e to the superintendent
:, I" There's been a landslide roun
g ia the cut, and the wires are broken
i and the rails half-cOvered with san
r. and stonesn
Yes, that's it, said the girl, AN
A. the Express hasn't come yet"
% .And then she closed her eyes,
if she had done her duty, and left tn
:" rest with us.
ID .Wel, the Superintendent ser
t. Morris round the other end OF til
1t cut with his lantern, and when tt
l. express came lalong, twenty minuU
after. he succeeded in stoppin' he
/ for. YOU see. she was a-runnin' kind'
careful like, OWN to the damas
a done by the storm, and her bein'
I'd behindhand.
Ia $50 YOU see there wasn't no cata
ee trophe; though likely there'd been OF
if She sailed ever SO lightly into u
be cut or if we had either.
te saOf course, there was good de
ed Of delay, and 1 s'pCse some of Il
sc people grumhled cause they dldn
be get nothin' to eat till next day.
'.But there always will be son
u. unreasonable folks in every crowd
III .And the girl?" l asked anXiousl
an .tOh, she was all right, and fol
u made no end Of fuss over her.
II "You see, she kept house for b
father in a small cottage the 9th
u. de Of the creek: and he was TAX
I, i with a pretty severe attack OF rhe
~ matism. and sent her to the neart
III neiphbOr's toward CoOn's Corners,
Get him some linimint; and she d
IL covered the landslide and hurri
the nome, ana lne olu nlail, !
md Express hadn't gone BY sent ]
vas back Wild oli 70 oullu siRhal >.
Have you ever seen her since:'
IN asked greatly interested.
nId The fireman grinned and the I
old rineer smiled at me patronizingly
ad- he answered:
"Yes. maam, see her mos
vou every day, now You see, she a
tha I've heen married these fifteen yea
~ Ah. here we are at CoOn's Creek.