The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-26
HER NARROW ESCAPE

They were sitting before the big fire.
place in Uncle John WatsOns kitchen, an
interesting and interested group. There
were several neighbors who had just stray
sd in-men who had faced the privations
of early pioneer life in the mountains and
men who had rushed to the Mecca OF for
tune or failure In the Pennsylvania oil re-
gions. Uncle Johns commonplace but
kindly disposed wife sat smoking her pipe
In a coy corner. There were besides
Georgiana, Uncle Johns niece, girl with
medallion face and swapping black eyes,
the little schoolma' am who was boarding
round, and who secretly rejoiced to find
her lines fallen in such pleasant place.
They were listening to Uncle Johns sto-
ries of the early days. AS he sat before
the fire his strong features and angular
form were outlined sharply against the
glowing logs. He was true type of that
class rapidly disappearing-th grim,
undaunted, resistIess pioneer, whose viz
tues have been told in song and story, and
whose memory is as refreshing as draft
of spring water on a hot day. From sto-
ries of early hardships the conversation
naturally drifted into a recital of hair
breadth escapes, the turning point being
bear story in which Uncle John figured
as hero.
ST was walkin down the road one even
in, when met bar strollin along as if
it, too, enj yed evenin walk - his story
began. 81 had played with the Injun boys
long enough to parn somethin O. b ar ma
| tur, SO 1 jes' tuck off my hat, held it
afore my face and yelled for all I was
worth. The bar turned an walked back
| into the woods IS digni6ed g a judge, an
I cut fer home. Knight hev made square
| meal fer thet bar, but the Lord he'd 9TH
| erwise ordained
Ben Billings told how he had been left
under a bench-somewhat disturbed men
| tally, but otherwise unhurt-by a boiler
| which made hasty exit froIn the engine
house and landed 800 feet away. Jake
Brown told of his wind up in the bull
| wheel. lone more turn, an I'd hev been
| dashed agin the crosspieoe. The driller
| saved me. He allus was the coolest Teller
I ever saw, was Bill Kaney.''
81 don't s'pose you've lived long enough
| to hev any close CALLS said Uncle John,
when the little schoolma' ANS turn came.
"Oh, yes, have, - said she. st happened
| when was teaching over at Sprink Creek
| and boarding at Squire DuDoan's. had
! a good three miles to walk every morning
! and evening and was always glad of lift.
| One morning good looking young fellow,
! with a spanking black team and light
! spring wagon, came along. He stopped
! and asked me if cared to ride. OF course
l preferred to ride under such favorable
/ circumstances. 1t was June morning,
! the air full of sweet scents and sweeter
| music, and we were soon talking as agree
| ably as if we had been old acquaintance.
| OF course ne knew people that knew,
| and that broke the ice. We felt quite we'll
| acquainted by the time we came to the
| d. A. V. railroad crossing. On the ties q
! big milk snake lay summing itself. The
horse SHE'D and cramped the wagon in
such manner as to catch the hind wheel
between two rails. Tho young man turn
ed white as ashes.
s. Get down and run for your lief he
| said 'The rnsEaing express is due, and
this is a load "A sIitroglycerin. must
unload these ean.. You may be able to
get away before anything happens. RUM
| RUM! he almost shrieked.
but had no intention of running
away. 1 helped him carry the cans, two
at time, to safe distance from the
| track. 1t was terrible work. A false STEP
| or the Earring of one can against another,
| and all would be over with US. 1 gritted
| my teeth and worked like machine. Ev-
! cry step was taken in the agony of fear.
After the first moment he was as cool as a
| cucumber and handled the cans with won
derful dexterity. You see he was used to
it, and I wasn't, and 1 was dreadfully
afraid of dropping can from sheer fright.
In short time we had them out but one,
and that was under the seat. A dull rum
BILE, and an engine, rounding a curve,
blanched our faces and made our hearts
stand still.
"'You get that can while 1 try to flag
the train, he cried hoarsely.
81 climbed into the wagon. 1t seemed
an age before 1 could reach the Can, and
an eternity before l landed with it and had
placed it with the others in the field. And
them
"You tainted of course said Uncle
John, with twinkle in his eye.
"No, didn't said the little school
ma'am. 81 turned and saw that the en-
gine had stopped not two feet away from
tho wagon, and the people were crowding
out of the train to >see what was the mat
ter. They looked scared enough wher
they found out how narrow an escape they
had had. The train soon rumbled or
! again, and helped him to load the cans
He said good many complimentary
things, but he didn't ask me to ride on tt
school, and preferred walking
''He ort to hev fell in love with you II
genuine story book style" said Uncle John
There ort to be quite romantic end tt
that episode. He should be rich young
Teller who axed yon to marry him an tool
you off to Europe on q weddin tower
''He was rich enough - said the littl
schoolma' am, blushing prettily, but on
can't have more than one romance at
time, Uncle John. His father owned tn
factory and made mint of money out O
it. The young man did call several times
but JEFF Duncan didn't quite like his call
ing on me, and jeff thinks he has the bes
reason in the world for objeoting."
And the little schoolma am glanced shy
ly down at the turquoise ring on her plum
third nger.-Chicago Times-Herald.
Japs Are Fond of a joke