Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-07-26

Suuuenly from the very mlQule OF
the black cloud somethin' seemed to
extend way down to the earth. 1t
looked as If the cloud had burst, an
was trailin' along the track right be-
hind us. 1 knew that sight only too
well. It was rushin' down upon us like
a fiend. The sun was still shinin', but
the fleecy clouds around 1t made 1t
flood the landscape with a sickly
glare.
"'Say, Jim, that fellow is after u.s.
l said as quietly as possible.
eyes, an it's a reg'ler twister,'
"Now when a tornado Is rushin'
down upon you at the rate of eighty
or ninety miles an hour you forget all
about the danger there is in record
smashin'. At least did. There was
that big, ugly-lookin' cloud followin'
us with fearful noise. 1t was so
close that we could hear the rush and
roar of 1t. gave one frightened
glance at Its terrible centre, an then 1
opened the throttle Of old 80. Jim be;
gan to pile coal on. and shake up the
fires. We were directly in the road of
the tornado, and unless it veered to
one side or the other, or we could sue
coed in outrunnin' it, we were doomed.
But 80 responded to my touch like
n horse. She snorted and pulled away
as If aware of the danger behind. The
wheels revolved so fast that it seemed
as If they could not keep on the track.
In another moment we were speedin'
along Mt n rate that would have made
me sick at any other time. But we
weren't goin' fast enough yet. The
horrible cloud was still gainin' ON us.
More coal, Jim, more coall' shout
ed. we must go faster
well, he knew the danger, too, an
he perspired like porpoise as he tried
to get up more steam. Faster an
faster we flew. The strain on the en-
CINE was severe, but never thought of
that. l just put on all the steam we
could get We were now holdln' our
own with the tornado. but 1t was still
n race for life or death. If anything
should give way the storm would be
down upon us in m instant. We were
really balanced between two great
dangers.
off we can reach Great Bend we'll
be all right l said to Jim, as we
both looked anxiously at the pursuin'
cloud. There's turn in the road, an
we'll get out of the path of the tor
nado.'
"'But we must cross the bridge first
Jim said in reply.
Yes, but we can't slacken our
speed
II knew what he was thinkin' Of.
The bridge across the large arm of the
Arkansas was only wooden structure
then, and it was not over-strong. To
rush across it at our tremendous
speed might cause catastrophe. But
the bend in the road did not occur I'M
til after the bridge was crossed. Until
we reached that point the road was as
straight as a bee-line.
Neither one spoke after that. We
alternately watched the pursuin' tor.
nado and the track ahead. We just
held our own and had no time to
spare. If we lost one minute the hor-
rible fiend would be down upon us.
THE bridge! the bridge is ahead'
suddenly shouted Jim, and I thought
his face turned II shade paler.
II could not believe it at first. |
thought that the bridge was miles be.
yond, and it was hard work to realize
the distance we had covered slice the
tornado first alarmed IFS.
CHOW for it, muttered to Jim.
Here goes!'
II opened the throttle. Then No. so
gave loud. prolonged, shrill screech,
that might have been her death knell.
The next instant she reached the
wooden bridge, and Numbered upon it
like the rumblin' of thunder. The
structure swayed and trembled under
the weight. When we reached the
middle 1t creaked and cracked, and
seemed ready to give way ut any mo-
ment. But we passed the middle
safely, and the other shore was al
most reached.
See! see! Jim shouted.
II looked behind and shuddered Mt
the sight. The tornado had reached
the other end of the bridge, and as If
angered at the prospec: of our escape
the mighty wind was rippin' and tear.
in up the wooden structure as If it
was made of straw. We touched the
other side none too soon, for the whole
bridge began to sway, and then top
,nIa1 I,of tho f,,, yt,A
of the wind.
But in another moment we reached
the bend in the road, and rushed out of
the path of the tornado. We slowed up
n little then, and watched the bafiled
fiend hurry past us, carryin' death and
sigh of relief, and then turned to check
the terrible speed Of our iron horse.
1--WE brought her to standstill at
Great Bend station with difficulty. 1t
seemed as If she hated to stop, and
she pulled and painted like living
creature. On the platform stood the
superintendent.
why, hurrah, Martin, you've brok-
en- the record all to pieces he said,.
slappfn' me on the shoulder. Since the
agent reported you at Lyons, why.
you have averaged eighty-two and a
half miles. Great Scott! man, that's
q wonderful rum
Eyes, it was. I said.
II was too tired and nervous to ex-
plain then. was satisfied to think
that we were home safe. 1t was the
most wonderful run ever made, and
that's how old 90 holds the record"
Unattached Horse.
A coal yard at Thirteenth and Chest
nut streets is the proud possessor of n
big bay horse, whose chief claim to
distinction lies in his possession of a
remarkably well-trained blond mus
tache. After Il hard days work this
hirsute nppendage assumes the needle
like points of the French facial decora-