Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-03-11

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had to run. and there remain until tn
last up" passenger train had passe'
It on It's way to Elmsfeld.
With a few more hopeful words 4
his daughter. Applegarth took his lam
in his hand. and signing to me to TAX
mine and follow him, clambered will
great difficulty on to the first truck
Our speed had continued to increase
, ard II seemed as If we were to be boil
thrown Off on to the line. We man
aged to ch the brake handle and pu
II hard dOwn-as hard as We bOtf
together were able to do. We did thu
same with the other ten trucks. whcl
the oscillations was too much for US
and slowly and labOriOusly we made
our way back to the comparative safe
ty Of the guards van.
Our speed had slackened q little with
the brakes put down. but again 1t be
gan gradually to accelerate. and 1t wal
with a sickening feeling at the hear
that 1 resigned myself to all the help
lessness and hopelessness Of our stu
alton. Should we begin to descend the
bank at our present rate Of speed, moth
ing. humanity speaking. could avail Il
save US from a fearful death. Apple
garth was sitting with his head buried
In his hands. In q corner Of The vaI
crouched the two girls, one Of then
| trying to encourage the other. whe
! was crying bitterly.
| Suddenly the last dread alternative
presented itself to my mind, as 1t has
often done to men In q like position. too
frequently with the result of only
Fastening their fate, but now 1t seemed
the only chance left to US.
! Shall we jump, FrankY I asked.
! You forget the girls" was all hs
said.
had not forgotten them. but now
/ reflected that even II they had the
courage to attempt 1t the risks were toa
great. and besides one Of the two was
no longer capable Of deciding for her
self. And we could only sit still and
wait. with what equanimity We could
command. the fate upon which w
, were rushing.
Meanwhile Harry Armstrong, oui
driver, had reached the top OF High
bank, and from the too quick action
OF his brake had learned that some
thing unlocked for had happened &c
his train. The next turning showed
him that he had broken away and that
his engine had only a few trucks be
hind 1t. He took what was probnh
the only safe course-that Of putting
on steam and going ahead as fast az hs
could.
There is a break-away," he shouted
as be steamed into the siding. land
twenty wagons Of coal are tearing
down the banks"
Signal against the up train," called
oat the station master; Il hear heI
coming"
But the goods will run into heI
further down the line In any case"
We must throw the goods off the
rails. Heaven help the poor guards
We can do nothing for thsIn."
There are others. too. besides the
guards" urged one Of the men Oh the
engine.
And a hundred in the up train
Sharp with hammer: we must spike
the back road points. 1t may send
them into the river, but 1t must bs
risked"
The spike was driven home
Bring the iron chains" was neyI
called out.
A pile of these lying beside the line
was seized upon and hurriedly a MUM ,
Der of them thrown across the metals. !
Then the men ran back OUT Of the Way ;
OF danger, for the roar Of the down" /
train was upon them. Out of The black
darkness, like strcaK still blacker,
rushed the long line of .loo,rcd was-
ons. and tEen came the dreaded crash, J
heard for lies round, drowning the
noise Of -he gale, now ut 1t, height.
The wrecae:i tain lay in ou" in l:s-
mas W iron AID oal and
splintered wood. The first wagons hac
driven over the chains and fallen into !
the ballast, where they lay overturned,
serving by way of 4 buffer 10 those
behind them. An<iOusly and with !
many fOrebodings Of evil was the
scene Of destruction searched for the
wreck Of the guards van. No trace
OF 1t was to be found.
I must now take up the story Of the
runs way at the poin, where l left It
Off l was sitting as Il IN a dream.
when a light hand was placed on my
arm and Mary Applegarth's voice
sounded loud and shrill in my ear.
Wake up" she cried. Think II
there's no plan to let go the van from
the first wagon. Can't you get at the
couplings-the woodwork Is very oldr'
l found she had already reused up
her father, who, like me, had abandon.
ed hope.
In another moment had the ham,
mer out of the locker. Frank, picking
up q shackle-hook. drove 1t through
he end OF the van just above the cou-
pling, and soon had q large opening
made. Then, easing OF the van brake.
bolt which attached the first truck to
US. The loaded wagons seemed to race
away from US as We gradually put on
the brake again, and we felt that the
danger was past.
We travelled slowly down the bank,
until we saw a red light ahead. IT was
one Of the men sent from the station,
after the train had been wrecked. He
had come on as ordered, with no hope
Of finding any Of US alive.
l made up my mind that very night
10 make match of it with Mary Apple !
garth II she would have me. We were |
a few months after, and all
my mates called it a runaway match"
Boston Traveller.