The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-06-07

- az IN hd' WV
":Abe.' says he. do you think you
could take engin' number 1. the
Lightning, and carry me down to
Coon's Creek faster than you ever
went before in your life:'
81 reckon l could. sir. says l.
every we'll; call Morris Morris
was the tireman-'and III be with
you in two minutes
We'll, SIR" said my companion,
getting SO excited that he quite for
got his passenger was OF the female
seq Tin five minutes we was Just
a-flying along that road like mad,
with the storm howlin' all around us,
and the rain fairly sizzlin' down on
the engin'.
Morris and | kept a sharp look
out. with our hearts lynn pretty cal
our Threats: for we wasn't very sartin
as to what minute w might come 20
II onlucky end.
''Iou see, the road wasn't no
double-tracker. all the way, in those
days; we had passed two out-trains
waitin' AT stations for the delayed
Eastern: and thought we might Just
as likely as not telescope into il along
the track. And you see That wasn't
Il very cheerful thought. with US
%travelin' at the rate Of nearly a mile
a minute.
The old superintendent said never
4 word: but he couldn't even smoke
the cigars he lighted. oily Kept bitin'
the ends off and pitchin' of 'em away.
And when we got down into the
Coon County, in the long street hes of
wood-we'Il 0 be a-passin' through
'em, ma'am-the wind was Jest a
tearin' at trees and made the
limbs and shaders beat across
the track. that eve with the light
OF the engin' we couldn't always make
out what they a and a dozen times
or so Morris and l looked at each
other a sort Of good-ov.
But at last we flew out OF the
Shaders, almost down by Coon Creek.
"lOu see, twas a dangerous sort
OF Il place: fir>t the creek. with a
narrow ~brldge-and u track across
it. and then a high bit Of land,
through viii b the road had been cut
with a sudden curve.
We'll, we were just a%-sweepin'
near enOugl to see that the creek
was awfully swollen, when Morris
gave a scream.
Good heavens. says he. there's
a woman on the bridge
Il looked. and sur enough there
she was; taking careful steps from
n plank TO another, with the river
a-rushin' beneath her.
ATE says the superintendent.
stop the engine. for heavens sake,
stop the engine
II can't. sir says l.. 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.
A sudden thought came to me.
There wasn't but n 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.
II sprang out on the engin', and
down TO the cow-catcher.
The bridges, as Iisaid afore. was
narrow: and it hadn't 50 much as a
plank of Sidin'.
Il 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
IoEs-1 gathered all my strength, and
lung her into the river
Good gracious" cried l. wrought
up t. a state Of intense excitement
by the narrative. Il thought you
were going TO try and save her.
That's Just what I'm a-tellin'
YOU" said the engineer. s'lou see,
by the time We got across the bridge
we slowed NJ. Now, sir says l to
the Superintendent, I'm a good
swimmer. Can l 20 in after the
grip"
YES says he. and, Morris, YOU
take a lantern and go on ahead along
the track, and give me the other. and
Ill see if can help Abe, here. rescue
the girl
Il just no. ped right into Coon's
Creek.
Il knew the current would bring
her toward our bank, only a little
lower down.
Ana sure enough l found her. and
got her out IN no time; aud, if you'll
believe me. the plucky lutte thing
was a%-cl.ngin TO an oil can she had,
and as >oon as she opened her ewes
called out:
lin al right. Take the oil
quick. quick
Take the oil for what SAYS l,
thinkin she must be somethin' wrong