The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-01-29

many pipes of tobacco and telling of
other nights of which this fearful one
put them in mind.
About midnight Engineer Wilcox
went out to take a look at the weather.
He sOon came back shivering and say
ing:
"A fellow needs to have his life in
sured before venturing very far. The
wind has switched around to the north,
it is freezing fast, the platform is like
! glass and it is showing like creation!'
Just then there was a queer rat
Ting outside. and. going back, Wilcox
turned the knob of the door and the
fierce wind burst it wide open.
There was not a man in the crowd
who was not startled at the sight that
met his gaze. l, for my own part, do not
hesitate to say that. at tie first glance.
l thought it was the spirit of poor
johnny Swift; but il did not take us
long to leran that it was the daring
fellow himself.
His overalls and thick d~readnaught
jacket were frozen until they were like
sheet-iron garments, weighing him
down. He was completely covered with
the feathery snow. and his face looked
pinched and blood.ess.
so nearly Perishing with cold was he
that he could not speak. and giving one
look at us all, he lifted his hands up to-
ward the glowing stove, and then just
sank down senseless upon the platform.
I'VE all took him in hand and put
him through a vigorous course of treat
ment, l assure you.
I'VE rubbed him vigorously, wrapped
him in hot blankets, fed him with
nourishing broths, and, in an hour or
two, he was able to tell his story.
He ran into Nosuch all right. and
just in time to intercept the oncoming
express, which had six heavily loaded
passenger coaches.
"The assistant superintendent of the
road-who knew much more about
bookkeeping than he did about engin-
eering-happened to be on board, and
at once assumed the authority.
"He listened to Johnny's statement
that the track was settled, and that in
one place the engine tipped and barely
passed safely over.
".tOh. n~onsense!' exclaimed the young
official; that was your imagination. CT
course. You must go right back to
North Nosuch Immediately. We shall
nave to carry by tomorrow, and that
engine will be needed at that end of the
road. In half an hours time it may be
impossible to go
That was quite true, but Johnny
said again:
81 do not believe it is possible to go
now: and they understand the situation
on that side. so there is no danger i'm
pending to life or property
eff you are afraid to go. l will send
Frank declared this man. dressed in a
little brief authority.
Frank has a family, and l have not
replied John Swift, stepping up upon
the turn-table, and in ten minutes was
on his way back.
HE went slowly into the water now,
as that ours gave him the hope of
saving himself if the engine went down.
He was not half way across when he felt
the engine tipping, and pulling the
whistle valve wide open, he jumped far
out into the dark, cold water.
"The wind, the escaping steam and
the agitation of the water as the great
engine fell upon its side, confused him
so much that when he reached the bank
he knew not which way to turn to find
Jimmy's shanty, and seeing in the dis
lance the lights in the little cluster of
houses about the station, he made the
best of his way toward them; but his
frozen, heavy clothes made it hard trav-
cling. and it was with the utmost diff
Guilty that he reached them at last. He
would have given out when within a few
rods. had he not been encouraged by the
lights streaming out of the waiting
room door when Wilcox opened it to go
in.
but I thought 1 should come out ali
right, because it is the 25th Of
March, added Johnny.
"'How is that?'" asked Wilcox.
".And the brave young fellow replied.
in a half shamefaced way:
ooh, I had my horoscope read once.
when a child, and was told that.
although l should be often in great
peril, nothing bad would happen to me
on an odd day of an odd month. so. of
course, a fellow can't help thinking of
it.
Johnny. as soon as he was able to be
out, was given the position Of engineer
on a construction train. which was used
in changing the roadbed above high
water mark. and as Don as the Arcturus
was out of the shop, he was promoted to
be her engineer"
"He was killed the 18th Of Feb
ruary," said Charlie, looking again at
the paper, which he still held in his
hand.
There may be nothing in it, and
again there may be" said our caller. as
he pegged away on his crutch: "but you
will find most railroad men just a little
apt to think of those things, they have
81 many dangerous experiences and
narrow escapes."-Golden Days.
Another Green.
at is true that a poet finds inspira-