The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-07-31


The first accommodation train down
was tagged Monday morning, and poor
little Meg was bundled aboard in tears,
and placed in the conductors charge,
along with a written report of the
breaking open of the caboose locker,
with orders to deliver both to the su-
perintendent of the division at War
ner's Mills.
Meg, with the fear of some terrible,
unknown punishment for her crime be-
fore her fearful eyes, pressed her wet
face to the window of the rear coach of
the accommodation for what might be
her last glimpse of the junction. She
been all the home she could remem-
Der, with trembling, white-haired
Daniel standing by the switch before
the door. The switch was open, for
the freight engine was steaming slowly
down off the side track, preparatory to
backing up to the waiting flats on the
branch. She saw Bill Thomas at the
the brake wheel on the rear of the ca
boose.
Suddenly something happened. The
long line of fiat cars Jared and be-
gan to move. She saw Bill clutch the
wheel and throw his whole weight
upon It In an endeavor to wind it up;
but the brake rod must have snapped
for the next instant he was dashed
from his foothold by the recoil of the
wheel, and she saw him fall from the
moving train. In moment the ca
boose was over the switch and its
wheels struck the main track. Meg
sprang up with scream and rushed
to the rear door. The conductor fol
lowed her, fearing that the girl would
try to throw herself from the steps
But when he saw the caboose be-
hind them he understood her excite
ment. Not man appeared on the run
away train, which, having cleared the
switch, was gaining speed with every
revolution of the wheels. A rear-end
collision seemed inevitable.
The conductor reached for the bell
rope and signaled the engineer full
speed.
Run for the forward cars! there's @
wild train behind us!" he shouted, an6
drove the passengers like frightened
sheep before him.
The accommodation sprang ahead
and for few moments the distance be
tween the two trains was rapidly in
creased But the runaway was nov
tearing down the incline with veloc
ity frightful to behold.
Little Meg was painting right behint
the conductor us he reached the plat
form between the two rear cars.
stop, mister! set that brake!" sh'
cried, pointing to that on the SECOND
car.
what do you want, child?" he asked
"You set that brake" she said. III
set this ere. an then you kin uncouple
This car'll throw the wild train off the
rails. Quick!"
.God bless you! l believe it WILL" HI
gasped, and seized the wheel.
The pressure retarded the train fol
an instant and the rear car bumped.
Instantly he pulled up the pin, anc
Meg. her thin, childish arms like stee
cords, wound up the brake on the real
coach. 1t fell behind at once, and to thu
horror of the conductor he found him
self swept away from that hardy littl'
figure on the platform of the doomed
car. He saw her dart through thu
coach and set the brake at the furthcl
end. The runaway train seemed almos
upon 1t now.
With straining eyes he saw Meg re
turn to the front platform, and screw
the brake up point or two. The cal
slowed down; if there had been time i
would have stopped altogether
On one side of the rail was steep de
clivity, on the other high bank. The
girl climbed down upon the steps OF
to jump. The conductor closed his eyes
TO shut out the sight, and uttered fer
vent, If brief, prayer.
God Almighty help her!" ht
groaned.
Perhaps in answer to that prayer
strength was given her. She glanced
back at the plunging cars behind. Thu
smoking wheels of the caboose seemed
scarcely to touch the rail. She leaned
as far out from the steps as possible
closed her eyes and jumped. She struck
the bank and dug her fingers into the
clay desperately. Her face was buried
in the earth as the passenger coacl
rumbled by. Close on its trail shot tn,
runaway, and, a moment later, the aw
full crash reached her dulled ears like
a roar of muffied thunder. After few
minutes she staggered to her feet and
climbed down to the track. Below hel
the roadbed was strewn with wreck
age, and down in the cut were the shat
tered remains of the passenger coach
and the caboose. The accommodation
had stopped far down the track, and sh,
saw the figure of the conductor running
toward her. Then she dropped between
the rails.
Conductor Adams delivered hi:
charge to the superintendent at the
mills as he had agreed, but the recep
ton she received at that dignitary'i
hands was not exactly what poor Meg
had feared when she started from the