The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-06-26

10 go. mink what we should do IL
anythin' happened to our little Nelly"
"Oh. never fear, lass, she'll be all
right | answered. Wont you, Mel
ly?" catchin' her up in my arms an
kissn' her.
"ies, me all right" lisped Nelly, in
her pretty baby talk, nodding her lit
tie head wisely, an maxim US both
laugh at her carnestness.
After that she came regularly, an /
used to look out for her toddlin' down
the footpath at the side o the line
I'd cautioned her never to go off it,
an as she was a sharp little thing she
soon understood why--wi' my dinner
basket hung over her arm, as proud
an pleased as possible to think that
she was takin' her dad his dinner.
Then, when I'd taken it out o the
basket, wi kiss for porterage, she'd
play round, an look wi big. wonderin'
eyes at the great brass handles an the
telegraph needles, till I'd finished. when
she'd start back home wi the empty
baskCt--it wasn't more than a quarter
of n mile-an' I'd watch her little figure
| CROWN smaller in the distance wi
fecin's just as proud as her own.
| This had gone on for some time now,
an Jenny had quite forgotten her fears.
The express was late that day, an
| remember wonderin' what could have
delayed it, as it was usually signaled
punctual to the minute. At last, how
ever, / got the ring on the bell that
told me it was approachin'. an not
long after l heard its rumblin' some
two or three miles away. After I'd
pulled my levers over, an set the Sig
nails off for il TO run into the station, |
went to the side o. the cabin an looked
out o the window.
The first thing that caught my at
tention was man, about 100 yards
off, runnin' wi all his might towards
me, wavin' his hands an pointin' in
very excited manner somewhere
whats up now?" thought |. but
couldn't make head or tail OF his ges-
ticulatin', SO | waited wi some impa-
thence for him to get nearer, an then
| saw that il was one o the plate
layers bclongin' TO the gang that was
workin near by.
switch the express on to the loop,
Jim. quick" he gasped. The bridge
has fallen in"
Before | 20 any further, let me ex-
plain the position o things bit.
My box was junction. as I've told
YOU. To the south was the main line
from London. which there split in two.
one comm through the station here
an the other missin' il and goin' round
the loop" as we call it. On the sta
ton line. about 300 yards past the JUNG
ton. round bit of a curve. was 4
large trcstle bridge over the river. II
was gettin' considerably old, an they
had been tallin' about renewiu' il for
some time past. but somehow the
months had driftcd by an no start
had been made on the work yet.
Instantly | guessed what had hap
pened. The rains durin' the last week
or two had been very heavy. an the
river was in consequence Hooded an
rupnin' very strong. an the unusual
weight an rush o water had looscned
the old an rotten supports o the
bridge. which never ought to have been
lIlONcu W Htl III SUM q NpiiAl''o's 49,
it had suddenly come topplin' over into
the seethin an boilin' flood below
For a moment | was staggered by
the suddenness o. the news, but then
| braced myself together. an saw that
what the navy had shouted was the
only thing to do.
1t was impossible to pull the express
Il hn1 tho Cirnnl H.
off, an KNOWN that he was behind
time, was beltin' along as fast as his
engine could go. 1t was afore these
days o. trains fitted from end To end
wi continuous brakes. thatll bring Il
train to stand in so yards, an could
see that unless switched it on to the
loop it'd go dashin' along an into the
river on top o. the Inflated bridge.
l felt kind o. dizziness come over
me as thought o. ali them passengers
a-sittn' in the carriages comfortably
readin or lookin' out at the green an
yellow fields as they passed. being sent
wi'out a word o. warnin' to destruc'
ton. an sprang across to pull the levers
back. As | did so | thought o little
: Nelly a-comin' down the loop wi my
dinner, an how surprised she'd be tc
see the great express rushin towards
her, an involuntarily | cast glance
out o. the window in the direction
knew she'd be comm.
Ave, there was the little figure
loved so WELL sure enough: but wha,
was that that made my heart grow
suddenly cold win me, an sent the
blood surgin' up to my temples till my
: brain felt on fire? Passin' my hanc
; across my eyes, looked again--surcly
must be mistaken!
No. 1t was no delusion-there was
my little girl walkin' in the four-foot-
thing she'd never done afore to my
knowledge-right in the track o thu
. advancin' express. She had got thu
basket in one hand an was holdin
her little hat up in the air wi the other
an | almost fancied / could see tho
laugh o. childish glee on her face "a
,, she watched the bright ribbon hutter
Il II L.