The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-06-08

the berth, with q good night, every.
body" that included the whole car. he
went back to the day coach and curled
up on a hard seat to sleep.
He slept soundly, for. the day had
been a tiresome one. but after awhile
he began to dream. He thought that
Bessie had chewed gum till she grew
smaller and smaller and finally was
nothing but one of the prizes in the
bags of popcorn, q little sugar image
which he was about to eat when
Crash!
Dan was awake now. In an instant
Something dreadful had happened
The train shook and shivered and
swayed
There was a second crash and . tear
ing sound, and the end Of the car was
torn on and . cloud of steam rushed In
and about him.
The shock threw hin, to his feet, but
he crawled on. There was Bessie, he
had promised to take care of her.
What would he say to the mother If
she were killed?
Yet it really wasn't his fault.
Would he never get to the end of the
car?
platform, and his hand grasped tho
twisted brakes Overturned on the
track before him was the sleeper. The
dim gray light OF the early morning
just showed its outlines. Farther than
that he could not see.
He jumped from the platform and
landed on the upturned side of the car.
He could hear cries inside and
through one Of the windows q head
was thrust. With his heels he broke
the glass of the window nearest him,
then he crawled on to the next. md
next, breaking each IN turn, till finally
he reached the fourth.
This was where Bessie was.
Here he crawled in, but there was no
one In the berth.
1t was lighter now. The sun must
have come up very quickly.
Then o smell of smoke revealed the
cause. The broken lamp ut the end of
the car had set the bedding on fire.
The flames were spreading fast.
were rushing, men and women, and
there were groans and shrieks on all
sides.
But he could see nothing of Bessie.
Could he have been mistaken In the
car!
Suddenly from beneath pile of
clothing he saw a tiny hand thrust out,
and he heard q stif1ed cry.
Eagerly he pushed aside the heavy
blankets and pulled the child ont. BY
the light of the flames now rapidly
nearing them he could see how white
she looked. and her eyes were closed.
Could he be too late?
He tried to climb out of the window,
but the seat on which he stood, broken
by the crash. fell beneath his weight,
and he was thrown back into the car.
He struck heavily, and then there was
a sharp pain in his head and little Bees
sic almost fell from his arms.
He seized the broken bell rope that
hung from its rings, and, placing the
child on his back, bound the cord
around and around, thus binding her
tightly to him.
Then he tried q second time to gain
the window. This time there was q
hand held down to help him, and In q
moment he felt the soft grass beneath
of the little body pressed close to him.
Then there was a terrible whirring
sound in his cars and the blacklist
night seemed to settle over everything
and he became unconscious.
News OF the disaster Travelled fast,
and when the train bearing the
wrecked passengers drew into Detroit
there were hundreds of anxious friends
inquiring for dear ones. Strong men
were crying, aud faces were white
with horror rs they listened to tho
story of the dreadfu collision.
In one corner, fnfnt and weary, sat a
sad-faced mother, while her husband
wandered hither and thither in a vain
search for their child.
- "A little girl with blue eyes?'' re-
peated one of the, passengers after him.
Let me see, there was one but-here,
porter, perhaps you can tell the gentle
man, and the passenger FASTENED
away.
"There was one child killed, sir,' the
porter replied slowly. II hope 1t amt
yours, I'm sure. Just step this way
please"
He turned to do So with tears blind
ing his eyes. But tiny hand caught
hold of his coat and q childish voice
cried: Don't run away. papa-ain't
you glad to see Bessie2''
III told the ladies I'd see she got
to you safe,' Dan explained, as they
were being driven to Bessie's home.
And when we was struck / knew
there wasn't no one else to look out
for her, special, so made straight for
her, and we managed to get out some
how, didn't we Bess?"
Dan strol<ed the silky hair of the
child, and smiled at her with lips that
trembled.
Even now his head was dizzy and
there were queer pains running through
his body.
YES cried Bessie, with q happy
laugh, as If recalling some pleasant
time. 1T was awful funny going to
81 3v,$ p<oi,