The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-04-22

higher ground, when, all in a moment,
the green-tinged clouds turned to inkY
blackness, and tho not drop of rain fell
at our stand, we could plainly hear the
dull, soft roar Of onward-rushing waters,
as, tearing their way down the mountain
side and always convergipg to their
natural outlet, they swept toward the
head of the canon.
"My God!'' cried Ingram, "the whole
train will be caught! The nearest
wagons a mile away, and there'll be &c
feet of water in that gulch in no time
But now was shown the happy results
of Jack Meredith's training. AS we,
safe on the table-land above, ran to the
edge of the declivity, those of US who
had glasses saw him stand up on his
driving-seat and shake the reins, while.
as we later learned, he again and again
shouted cheerily to his team, where as
the four animals, already, as we thought.
doing their best, broke into numbering
gallop, whirling the heavy wagon along
in grand style; an example instantly fol-
lowed by the other seven teams, all OF
which seemed instinctively to realize
that twas to be race for life.
"BY George! they'll make it YET" one
of us excitedlY yelled, as Jack, closely
followed by six of his conn AIDES, turned
into the side gully, urged his painting
horses up its sloping floor, and was next
minute beyond all possible danger. But
where was the eighth wagon, with its
four mules and driver?
We had turned away from the bluff to
congratulate the boys as they arrived.
and did not on the instant notice that
one of their number had been left be-
hind; but the moment the young boss
wheeled around and glanced over his
convey, he shouted: "Where's Jim
Maynard?" and, not waiting for an an.
swer, he and half-dozen more of as
rushed back to the cliffs brink.
Then, to our horror, we saw the miss
ing wagon fully one-third of mile down
the canon, stationary and apparently
disabled. Evidently one of it's front
wheels had given way, and Maynard,
unable to make himself heard amid the
din, had stuck to his post and tried to
drag the crippled vehicle along; but
finding that the mules could do so for
only few yards at time, he had given
up the desperate task, and was now, as
we could see, trying to strip the harness
off the animals, in order to facilitate
their fight and his own. All his efforts
were in vain, however; for the brighten
ed, unreasoning creatures reared and
plunged so violently that he could not
free a single buckle.
Forgetting that, overborne by the noise
of the fast-coming flood, his voice could
not be heard, the guide Justify shouted
''Drop it, Jim! Drop it, and run for
your life."
For now, tossing, tumbling and leap
ing in mad rage over every obstacle, we
could all see, far up on the mountain, q
breast-high wall of white foam, which,
when it once entered the narrow canon
must inevitably be quadrupled in depth,
and, increasing hunderdfold in power,
would rush down with speed and force
sufficient to sweep away, like so many
straws, even great, earth-embedded
boulders.
Seeing that Maynard still continued
his frantic efforts to loose the team, In
gram sadly said: 1.-THE poor fellows
lost. Nothing can save him now"
SIS there one chance in a thousand
Dave, that fast horse could run from
here to him and back again before the
water reaches this side gully ?'' asked
Meredith.
"Une in ten thousand, perhaps; but
only mailman would try it, gloomily
replied the guide.
Question and answer passed in less than
10 seconds, and the final word of the lat
ter was barely uttered when Jack sprang
to the back Of Tom Leater's rae
ing mare, waved his hand to us, quiet
" said: IF / fail, friends, tell
my mother how / died. and was
down the lateral canon before
any one could interfere.
There goes TO bis death the braveat
boy ever knew" said Ingram, as plying
tears rolled down his weather-beaten
cheeks; while we, horror-stricken at
what locked like deliberate suicide, gag
ID after the flying pair in absolute
silence, though doubtless, from each
;ortuYed soul assembled to Heaven q fer
rent prayer that the seemingly impossi-
ITO might happen seemingly impossible
during these few moments 81