The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-30

uSlpila, AOE Tree neQlCdl auNlcS on any
disease.
shock was too much for it. Poor crea-
turev
The veterans eyes were a little moist as
he turned from the deer to his duty on the
engine. They were now rafting down a
sharp decline, with a long bridge crossing
the river just ahead Of them There had
been heavy rains in the past two weeks,
and the river was swollen TO an abnormal
size. 1t rushed and roared like a cata-
ract. The trestlework was never very
good and the old engineer worried a little
about it,
IT'S a mean bridge to cross at night
time, he mnttered. Some day it will be
gone, and theren be an accident"
The fireman Deered ahead and the engi-
neer reduced the speed of his iron horse.
rs everything all right, BiH?" he ask
ed as they caught the first glimpse Of
the river.
i guess so. l can't see the bridge yet
In their anxiety they forgot completely
the excitement that had so recently anus
ed them.
We'll, here goes, and
Suddenly Hutchinson started and in al
most the same breath he shouted:
Jump Bill-jump for your lifem'
They were just approaching the wooden
structure, and Bill obedient to orders.
leaped from the flying engine. He mm.
oled all In heap on the soft earth. and
then, recovering himself, he shouted to
the trainmen on the last cars to iumn.
lie did not know even then the cause of
the strange order, but he had implicit
confidence in the engineer. Hutchinson
alone Of all the crew had seen the awful
fate that awaited them.
FIFTY feet from the shore the trestIeworlx
mad been washed away so that the track
sagged and bent so sharuly that no train
could pass across il safely. Hutchinson
shut off steam like flash. and applied the
airbrakes. But the momentum was so
great that the train was on the bridge he
fore he could bring il to anything Ike a
stop. Then as the engine struck the sag
ging tracks he head the fearful ripping
and tearing of the big driving wheels
grinding into the wooden sleepers.
The engine swung to one side and
plunged headforemost into the river. The
weight of the heavy freight engine pulled
the cars after it. one car after another
piled upon the bridge and tumbled into the
torrent. About midway the train broke in
two, and ten OF the cars stopped on the
very brink of the preciplce. Fortunately
most of the trainmen were on these cars,
and no lives were lost in the fearful wreck
except, it was supposed, that of the en-
gineer He had plunged over the bridge
into the river.
When the engine struck the twisted rails
Hutchinson saw that he was Dowerless TO
do more, and, knowing that he was justi-
fed then in leaving his post, and fearing
that he would be scalded to death, he took
a flying leap far out into the river. He
hoped to clear the wreck that he knew
would soon come tumbling after him. He
could not swim stroke; but in the mo-
ment left him to make his decision he
probably concluded that he preferred death
by drowning to that of being scalded. He
struck the water feet first, after making
two or three helpless somersaults in mid
air. and he went down to a great depth.
1t seemed as If he would never reach the
bottom The water filled his eyes, nose
and mouth, and he struggled desperately
but helplessly.
When he rose 10 the surface the swift
current had carried him some distance
from the bridge. He tried to caH for help,
but he could only make a suffering noise.
His hands, striking around wildly for sup
| port, touched something soft. lie clutch
ed It with all the desperation Of the pro-
verbal drowning man. He reached UP
higher and grasped something hard. Was
| it stick thrown out by his friends "a
help him? He felt himself drawn through
the water He chung tenaciously to his
support although several times 1t was
nearly pulled from his grasp. With the
water in his mouth and nose he was fast
| losing consciousness; but in his death grin
| his hands never once released their hold
Nature could not hold out much longer;
his lungs were chicken with the water in
/ them His feet suddenly struck the bot
| tom, and, making a final effort. he drag
| ged himself by means of his support upon
the sloping bank. Relaxing his grip, he
1 opened HIS eyes a moment, and saw that
! he had been grasping the antlers OF a deer
| which had swan ashore with him. He
retained his consciousness long enough "a
see the frightened creature disappear IN
| the woods
when he was picked up by the trainmen
they thought he was a little crazy. as he
told the story Of his miraculous rescue By
the deer.
And n was the deer that jumped on the
nat car" he concluded.
Then the men shook their heads and
whispered:
Hen be- 90 right later Ifs o pretty
delusion ana ID won't burt him"
But Hutchinson never got over he de.
fusion. and DIE story H. verified by tho Ore.
man up 20 the point where ihe eosr Jumped
on fhr ear
Police Magistrate Fiammor ~ New
york Gays dhat o certain professional
bondaman ~ the 'TondeFioin" dlsirlct hss
an iocome from the business equal 40 fhs