The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-09-26
with his friend in the CHEEKY signal

session OF me. Inc Train LQRI Was
bearing down, and which would reach
me in one minute, should pick me up
with the mails! I grasped the idea. OF
the thing in second. If I could hang
on to that bag so that it came between
me and the net, it would break the
force OF the shock, and the net would
receive me as we'll as the bag. For
tunately am small man. The bag
hung Just over my head. dumped at
it, seized it, drew myself up parallel
with it, held it firmly at the top,
where it swung by hook, and drew
my legs up so as to present as small a
compass as possible. It did not take
me half minute to 10 ell this. Then
l waited. It was but few seconds,
but it seemed hours. heard the roar
Of the approaching train. Then the
engine dashed past me. I shall never
forget the row of lighted carriages
passing about foot away from me-
closer even than that, I suppose-and
[ hanging and waiting for the crash to
colee.
And it came. There was dull thud
% whir and rush, and all was dark.
When I came to my senses I was ~"
ing on the floor of the postal van.
Two men in their shirt-sleeves were
busily engaged in sorting letters at a
rack. l felt bruised and stiff all over,
and l found that my left ARIA was
bound in sling made out OF q hand
kerchief.
"Where are we?' I asked.
They turned round.
ooh, you've come to, have you?"
said one them. Snow, perhaps, you'll
give an account of yourself. It's
precious lucky you're here at all, let
me tell you that, for if you had been q
taller man We should only have got
part of you in the net. As it is, you've
got your collar-bone broken. We've
tied it up bit. Now, perhaps, you'll
speak out; and look here, if we find
you've been lodging the police, don't
you go thinking You'll give EN- the
slip any further. The mail van amt
a refuge OF that sort"
I told them the motive that had
prompted me to take the desperate
step I had done. They wouldn't be-
lieve it at first. Luckily, though, I
had put the evening paper and my
diary in my pocket, so showed them
the paragraph and the entry. They
were civil enough then.
"Well, sir, we shall be in Silkmin.
ster about three, or little after. I
hope you'll be able to save the poor
beggar. You must excuse our turning
to work again, and the best thing for
you will be to rest yourself"
, They piled a quantity Of empty
mail-bags on the floor and made me a
rough shakedown. Before he went to
his work again. the other one said:
"What a pity you never thought OF
a 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 Silklninster,
he could have done it all right"
| What an idiot l had been after all
However, I should be in time to stop
tho execution.
A little after three we drew up at
Silkminster station. There was po'
licemen on the platform, and at once
told my story to him, the result being
that We drove round to the jail and
insisted upon seeing the Governor.
OF course, he was deeply interested IN
what / had to tell him, and at once
made arrangements to stop the execu
ton. The Home Secretary was com
municated with by means of specia'
wire. Fortunately, he happened to
be IN town, and after q couple Of hours
OF anxious suspense, reprieve was
received for him.
"Well," said the Governor, II don't
know which I ought to congratulate
most, Mr.. Fenthurst or yourself, fol-
you have both had narrow escape. >
Little remains to be told. I eoor
identified the condemned man as the
person whom I had met in train
He also turned ont 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 .
fortnight afterward the real murderer
J WIS discovered and captured. Charlie
Fenthurst aud myself became fru
friends, and although was fearful.
shaken and upset for some weeks afte
this adventure, I never regretted tn
night Oh which I was picked up witt
the mails. Strand Magazine.
American Paper Abroad.
Several Journals Of london Enr