The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-30


enough that l was down the section
somewhere perhaps out on the
bridge. But she didn't give up-not
Lettie. There wasn't man around
the place to help-only in the train,
and the train was at the bottom of
the cut buried in the snow. She
thought that if she could only get
word to Jim Crosby he'd help her,
for she knew him we'll. So she ran
and got coil of rope and tied one
end of it to that stubby oak-there,
you can see it at the edge of the hill
and then she took hold of it and
slid into the cut. That took grit.
There aren't many men who would
have risked it, let alone girls. Of
course the snow got into her eyes and
nose, and the rocky lodges cut and
bruised her, but she never stopped
until she was at the bottom. Jimmie
Crosby said he saw something foun
dering in the snow outside of the
cab, and then somebody called:
Jim, oh, JimP
cit was Lettie. They dragged her
into the cab, and as soon as she could
talk she told Jim that | was lost in
the blizzard.
"'Well save him." said Jim, and
the fireman agreed to help, and 80
did dozen other men who came
down from the train. And Jim, be-
ing good climber, went up the rope
hand over hand and helped dozen
or more men to follow him. By this
time it had stopped showing, and
the sun shone bright in the west.
They wallowed down through the
drifts to the bridge, Lettie following.
They tried to leave her at home, but
she wouldn't stay. If fathers in
DANGER she said, I'm going to help
find him.
II heard 'em when they reached
the bare knoll this side of the bridge.
| had crooked one leg around sleep
er and still hung there over the chasm.
| don't believe | could have let go. |
guess was frozen there. | tried to
shout and let them know where to
find me, but couldn't get my mouth
open. 1t was clean suffering, that.
For there was help within reach, and
| couldn't make sound.
"But Lettie knew the path usually
took, and first thing l knew she was
on her knees at the end of the bridge,
crying:
Here he isl Oh, father, fatherp
"After that l don't remember much.
Jim said they carried me to the house
and laid me on the bed, but | didn't
get back to my right senses for two
or three days.
Il almost forgot 10 tell you that
one of the men who helped was Brad
ley, the superintendent. When he
saw Lettie and heard of what she had
done, he just took off his hat, this
way, and held it before him.
You're the bravest girl I've ever
met he said"
Dolby paused as if he liked to re-
member this part of the story.
THE passengers? Oh, they escaped
by Lettie's rope, and were driven in
to Cragie's. And that night, when
the superintendent was talking about
who should be keeper of Section 81,
Lettie spoke up, timid like:
MIR. Bradley, let me watch it.
can do almost as we'll as father
Tine superintendent looked at her
for moment, and then he said:
AZ believe you can, Lettie'
From that day to this L. G. Dolby
has been keeper of 81. I've never
recovered-my legs and my back
but the doctor still gives me hope.
Aud | couldn't get along without
Lettie-"
But the old mans voice broke.
Baxter, shaking hands with him ST
lently, went out toward Cragie's,
where he sent a glowing report of
the excellent condition of Section 81,
L. G. Dolby, keeper. = Chicago
Record.