Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-11-24

top of the embankment. From this
point the train was nearly hidden, and
before and behind, far as the eye could
reach, was one vast snow-level.
/ Martin Reynolds had learned that
there was food enough on the train to
last the people for that day; now he
saw that many days must elapse before
they could be reached, if indeed their
whereabouts be learned by those anx-
ious for their safety.
II wish we only had a telegraph
operator and instruments on board,
we might send word where we are and
how we're fxed," said the conductor.
"While you're Wishing" said the
| engineer, lit costs no more to wish us
out of this scrape. Can't you see
that the telegraph lines are all down?'
''Come mon, help me to dig up one
of the wires all of the wires," said
Martin Reynolds, himself setting the
example.
"What good will that do?" asked
the conductor, working like beaver,
nevertheless
81 am a telegraph engineer, and
understand operating, replied Martin
Reynolds.
''But you have no instrument to
send or receive message?"
"Trust me-" was the reply.
After much shoveling the wires were
found where they had fallen with the
poles.
Quick as flash Martin Reynolds
cut one wire, and kneeling down
placed an end in each corner of his
mouth and against his teeth. He
waited for few seconds; no current
passed through, so he cast it away.
Another and another wire was tried
with the same result, till only one re-
mained.
So far Martin Reynolds had been
very calm, but as he raised the broken
ends of the last wire to his lips-the
wire on which the fate of SO many
people depended-hi strong hands
trembled.
The others watched eagerly. The
wires had been in his mouth but few
seconds when they saw his face flush
and glad light come into his hand
some eyes.
Holding the wires against his teeth,
he read:
"Who calls?"
clock Haven; who are you?" was
the answer.
"Cleveland; all the wires to the
southeast are down but this"
'Have you any news of the p. & E.
train that left here Saturday morn
ing?"
"No, and don't expect to have for
week. Goodbye.
Quick as thought Martin Reynolds
brought both wires together. If the
batteries were not shut off he might
win.
Rapidly the edges clicked the alarm.
"Who calls?" asked Cleveland.
'"Ihe p. & E. train"
"Where are you?"
''In deep cut north of Kane
Women and children in danger. For
Gods sake send HELP
At this instant the circuit was
broken, but the news was flashed of
their whereabouts.
Cleveland was two hundred and
fifty miles away, but the people there
were told that human beings were in
danger of perishing, and soon mil
lion brave men would know it.
Martin Reynolds went down and
made the people give him all their
food. This he divided into rations,
and locked up what he did not serve
at once.
He took care of the poor invalid,
cheering her with the hope of speedy
rescue, and promising Julia to stand
by her till he saw her safely landed in
Cleveland.
With the two dull train axes he
made the men cut fuel and carry it
down to the cars, so that when another
night came there was no danger of
freezing.
Sunday passed; Monday came and
passed, and the last scrap of food had
been dealt out to the hungry children.
Tuesday came, and the men who
were famishing proposed to make their
way through the snow mountains to
some settlement, but Martin Reynolds
prevailed on them to wait.
1t was late in the afternoon when a
shrill whistle was heard far up the
road, but it sounded like music and
gave the people heart.
1t was near dark when men reached
the train laden with supplies. And it
was another day before the train got
through to Erie.
The people blessed their deliverer,
but he replied that he had done moth
ing that any other man with his
knowledge would not have done.
Julia Paulding refused to believe
this. The man had come hero to
her, all the more of hero for his
gentleness and modesty.
Martin often blesses the storm that
promised such disaster and brought
him such blessing. He thinks the
invalid, now restored to health,
model mother-in-law, and he has won
the legal right to protect Julia under
all circumstances. New York Led
ger.