Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-08
knew what terrible consequences

knew WIFI lcIIlD-e consequences
might follow?
lie rose in despair: he could not en-
dure to lie still: the air IF the room al
most clicked him. IN his ears still
sounded that fearful death cry With
trembling limbs he made his way into
the bedroom. Both wife and child were
sleeping. lie looked Il L them silently and
bitter tears strcamed down his checks.
What would become of those lie loved
so dearly:
Slowly he went down the stairs: he
could not meet the eyes OF his dear
ones. and without word he opened the
door and was out on the street. There
he stood for some little time; the fresh
air seemed to do him good.
The town clock struck lit was early
yet. Mechanically he turned his steps
toward the engine house; he wanted to
look after his engine, rs was his daily
custom. lie arrived At the shed; his
engine was thcrc-no doubt brought
there by some of his cOwOrkerS. He
looked at it sorrowfully. and as of old
began 10 examine ii. II struck him that
something might have been broken dur
ing the ride.
Suddenly he heard 4 loud laugh. One
of the workmen. whose duty it was to
take out the ashes and start the fire,
had come up behind him and now said,
jokingly:
Il suppose you want TO see your
roast"
Roast" he asked. What dc you
mean"
The other man laughed more than
ever.
1T must have been a pretty good
bump. | only wonder that the engine
didn't jump the track. The front
wheels were full of hair. cleaned the
whole thing and dragged the carcass
away. The ashbox was full of bones;
y was a pity, on account Of tha beau
tiful antlerS."
SO saying, the workman brought ont
Of an old she'd where the iircwood was
kept number of the broken pieces OF a
deerS antiers.
There. you see, the poor follow Jared
badly; he did not expect to be dis
turbed in his roamings at night time
by the appearance of a locomotive. lie
was just about TO pass the crossing.
and. frightened by the light at the front
of the engine, stood still. ana so you
ran him down. In such cases a deer
sometimes acts more stupidity than a
sheep or calf"
Mattern leaned against one Of the
wheels of his engine TO steady himself.
SO the cry he had heard had been the
cry of dying stag, But. nevertheless.
there had been an accident. where
someone WAS killed and others wound
ed Was he awake or only in a fever
ish dream?
The talkativc workman seemed to
guess his thoughts. or. perhaps. felt Ike
giving him news of which he seemed to
be in ignorance.
Engineer Keel was not rs lucky rs
you. This morning in taking out the
early train. he was unfortunate enough
TO run against Il farmers cart although
it was not his fault. The man who MAS
driving seemed TO be in Il hurry, and
had taken the responsibility Of opening
the gates, 50 rs 10 cross before the
coming train. when he was caught by
the engine. The accident might have
been much worse. but Keel quickly
slackencd speed when be saw the open
gates. If the train had been going at
full speed nothing could have saved
them; as it is. one woman had foot
broken. another IN arm; the farmer
and one child were oniy slightly
stunned, and thc horses escaped with
out injury. although they were ilunS
far into Il ditch; the wagon, of course,
is all broken TO pieces. Mr.. Matiern-
what ails YOU: Let ne co.
The man had cause to he alarmed,
for like one bcrcft OF his senses. Mat
tern had suddenly thrown his arms
around him and kissed his coal-blacli-
cned face. crying ana laughing at the
same time
Mattern. on account Of going against
all instructions. was taken before an
examining committee and fined one
months wages, but otherwise was not
punished. rs it became we'll known
why he had done such Il desperate act
AS for DR.. Sard0, no blame was attach
ed TO him; on the contrary. his lIuma ne
deed brought him considerable prac-
tice.
Neither of the men is alive now. but
the remembrance of this stormy night
will long remain with those who are
still living to tell of its cvents.-London
Tid-BitS.
"A Light from AbOyc."
David Hume, the historian. once
wrote an essay on the sufiicicncy of