Washington telegraph., 1894-06-22
;. ...h. will think something has

adding, 'she VIII
aAnd I should say she would think
right Bnt we will send some one to
tell her YOU are safe. y And SO the
weary .hiid vas forced to submit, and
inaaea y,han she attempted to rise the
di1z;nass ,9,.srnowered her, and she
sank back helpless, -.
How did you get here2. asked one
who knew the situation OF the creek
and the river bridges. You must have
crossed the trestle brldge'
And in the dark wonder you did
not miss your footing
Il should have, but efawiea on my
hands and knees and she lifted her
hands, torn and bleeding
Here the physician interfered.
"sbe must be left quiet" he said.
"she will he all right with few days
rest She has had Il severe strain, and
If what they tell me is true this child
has performed feat that would sppall
most of us men.
"poor cbildm said another. "She
has had time Of it. and to think we
might all have been in eternity II 1t
had not been for her bravery
"What will you do to show your graf
itudeq" asked the physician.
81 will show 1t by fifty dollarsE In
few moments an amount was pledged
which brought comfort and freedom
from anx;ety ia the little home on the
mountain side.
Meantime the relief party had res
cued the engineer of the wrecked
freight train from his perilous position,
and had discovered that the train
hands had either been killed outright
or been drowned.
And l owe my safety to Aileen,'
said the rescued man, "for | could not
have held out much longer. God bless
herr
And there were many to bless and
many to praise the brave girl The
newspapers told the story, public
speakers quoted it as an example, and
the state Legislature ordered medal
to be struck and presented by special
committee.
And Ail-en-what effect had that
nights work upon her?
A few days rsst restored her wonted
strength and buoyancy, and she re-
turned to her school. Finishing her
engagement she determined to fit her
self for a better position, the generos-
ity of her friends allowing her to carry
out this desire. year at the normal
school, then two years of teaching in n
city school at good salary, and then
one summer she came to spend the long
vaca tion in her old home on the noun
tain side.
The same picture is spread out before
us, only 1t is a summer sky and the for
ests before brown and bare are heavy
with summer foliage, while river and
creek are peaceful and shimmering in
the sunlight. As the shadows Were
afternoons, Aileen stood at the edge of
the long trestle bridge. 1t was the
first time since that dark November
night that she had walked down the
track to the scene of her terrible
ordeal. She was not alone-a fine
looking young man was with her.
"And here" he said, was where the
test of your courage came to you!
Thank God that you did not finch!
How many of us, as we go up and
down the world, are saying every now
and then: Thank God for Aileen Nc
Alisterr"
They stood for few moments silent
ly looking down into the river; then
the young man spoke again.
"Aileen," he said, speaking very ear
nestly, ever since that night | have
been striving to make the life you
saved somethingworth offering to you.
| believe am a better man to-day be-
cause of the Influences of that hour,
yet have not reached my own ideal
nor yours-but, Aileen, shall we put
our two lives together and live them
for God and humanity and each
other?"
Then, hand ii hand, they crossed
the trestle bridge without thought OF
dread or danger-N. Y, Voice.