The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-09-09
with his friend in the ohocry sigma

with his friend IN the chccry sigma
box.
A mad and desperate idea took pos.
session of me. The train that was
bearing down, and which would reach
me in one minute, should pick me up
with the mails 1 grasped the idea OF
the thing in a second. If could hang
on to that bag 80 that it came between
me an | the net, it would break the
force of the shock, and the net would
receive me as well rs the bag. Fol
tunately am n small man. The bag
hung Just over my head. I jumped at
it, seized it, drew myself up parallel
with it, held it firmly at the top,
where it swung by a hook, and drew
my legs up 80 as to present as small
compass as possible. 1t did not take
me half minute to do oil this. Then
l waited. 1t was but few seconds,
but it seemed hours. heard the roar
of the approaching train. Then the
engine dashed past me. / shall never
forget the row of lighted carriages
passing about foot away from me-
closer even than that, suppose-and
hanging and waiting for the crash to
come.
And it came. There was dull thud
"a whir and a rush, and all was dark.
When l came to my senses l was ly-
ing on the floor of the postal van.
Two men in their shirt.sleeves were
busily engaged in sorting letters at
rack. felt bruised and stiff all over,
and l found that my LETT arm was
bound in sling made out of hand.
kerchief.
"Where arc we?' I asked.
They turned round.
ooh, you've come to, have your"
said one them. Snow, perhaps, you al
give en- account of yourself. It's
precious lucky you're here at all, let
me tell you that, for if you had been
taller man we should only have got
part of you 10 the net. As it is, you've
got your collar-boue broken. We've
lied it up bit. Now, perhaps, you'll
speak out; and look here, if we find
you've been dodging the police, don't
you go thinking you'll give 'em the
slip any further. The mail van amt
refuge of that sort"
told them the motive that had
prompted me to take the desperate
step had done. They wouldn't be-
!ieve it at first. Luckily, though,
had put the evening paper and my
diary in my pocket, so showed them
paragraph and the entry. They
! civil enough then.
'1Wcl, sir, we shall be in Silkmin-
ster abun! three, or little after. 1
hope youth he able to save the poor
beggar. You nIsst excuse our turning
TO work again, ann she best thing for
you will be to rest you ;self.
They piled a quantity of empty
mSil-bags on the floor and na,1e me a
rough shakedown. Before he wort to
his work again, the other one said:
"What pity you never thought o.
better way out of the difficulty than
coming in here so sudden-like."
"There was no other way"
eyes, there was, sir"
"What was that?'
"Why, you should have got the sig.
mailman to telegraph to Silkminster,
hc could have done it all right"
What m idiot l had been after ALL
However, l should be in time to stop
the execution.
A little after three we drew up at
Silkminster station. There was IL po-
iicemen on the platform, and at once
Lold my story to him, the result being
chat we drove round to the Jail and
insisted upon seeing the Governor.
OF course, he was deeply interested In
what 1 had to tell him, and at once
made arrangements to stop the execu.
ton. The Home Secretary was com.
municated with by means of special
wire. Fortunately, he happened to
be IN town, and after q couple of hours
of anxious suspense, q reprieve was
received for him.
"Well," said the Governor, al don't
know which / ought to congratulate
most, Mr.. Fenthurst or yourself, for
you have both had narrow escape"
Little remains to be told. soon
identified the condemned man as the
person whom / had met in a train.
He also turned out to be the son of my
old friend, as l had fully expected.
After the due formalities he was dis,
charged. Suspicion having strongly
attached itself to his name, however,
he was very miserable until about a
fortnight afterward the real murderer
was discovered and captured. CO.
Fenthurst and myself became fs.
friends, and although l was fearful
shaken and upset for some weeks attGl
this adventure, l never regretted the
night on which I was picked up with
the mails. Strand Magazine.
American Paper Abroad.