The Opelousas courier., 1896-11-28

keen angular edge of the glass bottle
neck (keener than the finest lance or
razor into it. The lights of the ex-
press emerged from the cutting. The
blood jetted from the wounded artery
none too freely for the anxious mar
tyr who had the train to save. Much
of the scarlet stream poured down the
sides of the flask, even when, by the
light of the candle, Lanty did what he
could to direct the stream into the
bottle. But at last, with the roar OF
the train waxing louder and coming
nearer, Lanty had made a rich ruby
colored fluid in the flask. Crammlng
twisted paper into the broken neck, he
carefully opened tho lantern, placed
the bottle between the flame and the
glass, needed not at nll the letting ar
terry, and stepped on to the lire IN
front of the express.
"Now, may God send that [ get far
enough to give them time to see the
signal an pull up!" moaned Lanty.
"'Tis liquor that's q curse; an me
head is reelin' so, I can't hardly hold
the lanthern steady! An now, if the
Mother O. God doesn't strengthen me
knees, l can't go far enough to do any
good! They'll see the big green light;
but who would notice this poor red
glimmer-anyway in time? What!
Glory be to God! they're whistlln'!"
And so it was! Yonder, about a
mile off, the keen eyed driver of the
big wheeled engine Tornado had
causht sight Of poor, lettering Lanty's
feeble red light. He need no longer
strain forward upon those trembling
limbs. Ssradlling his legs apart E,
that he might at least stand the more
firmly-raising his lamp high in his
left hand, and pressing q round peb.
BILE into the wound in the wrist with
his right, there he stood! Never did
seconds seem so like minutes. Lanty
felt his limbs failing. A dew which
was not ali rain trickled down his fore
head. Indeed, the cool rain, which
might have refreshed him, had abrupt.
ly ceased.
"Father in heaven! give me
strength to hold up till I stop tn ex-
press! Resave my sowl if it ends me!
An hear my vow; if it stops short
and spare itself an meself, the dhrain
of drink I TUX five minutes ago will
be the last forever, by the Sacramento
of God. Amen! Alb, mereiful Lord!
tits blind I'm gettin'! Let me put the
lanthern safe down on the sleeperl
There! All, Glory be to God, the sig
mailman has seen it, an changed the
Th' express is stoppin'! L
au-dy-"
The great kissing engine Tornado
pulled up within sixty yards of Lanty
Rioardan's red light. The stoker and
the guard a forward, and found the
fellow unconscious from loss of
blood beside it. The scarlet spray
from the letting artery had closely
his face and dress. Two of the
passengers were eminent surgeons.
The artery was instantly compressed
and quickly tied. Others soon found
the landslip and explained " pat had
happened.
But when TASKS were parooduced,
and it was atteG,pted to give tsa brave
fellow some sesmulant, he R.>ly
his pale. Nanny face awaM
the liquor aside, and said:
"Wather, if ye plksNt Wid my last
dyin' words I put my Dlackest curse
the drink ; an die I will, phase
God, afore I throw His mercy back in
His face with the breakin' of my word.
"You are not going to die, my brave
!" said the surgeon, as he wiped
his own hands after the operation.
''You have saved all our lives. at the
double risk of your own; and, as one
of the directors, I shall tell the story
of how you did it,"
1t was many days before Lanty
was even pronounced out of
danger, and many weeks before he
was able to get actively about, or essay
any kind of work, SO heavy had been
the loss Of blood which he had suf-
fered. The circumstances were hushed
up as much as might be, lest passen-
gers should shrink from travelling by
by a line upon which such dangers
were possible. Within an hour of the
occurrence a large gang had been put
to work upon the weak spot; and no
can ever possibly take
place there now.
But the director who had travelled
upon the line that evening was, as
an eminent surgeon, and has
interesting museum containing mis-
siles, weapons, and the gruesome Curl
Of a great hospital surgical
practice. Prominent amongst these
is the broken necked, breast pocket
flask, still stained with blood,
which Lanty Riordan had made
his red light.
And Lanty would still do an heroic
action for one he honored and loved.
It was the peskylsmall things and do
of life which needed his care, and
which proved too much for his reso-
When his life had nearly
sbbed away, he could turn his pale,
,old face aside from the surgeons
flask and ask for water, re-
Wondering his oath.-Frank Leslie's
Popular Weekly.