Middletown transcript., 1900-06-02
CHAPTER -


+ As the engine drew near the scene of
the wreck great crowd could be seen
standing about the track. Before the
| train came to a stop Robert Hardy
leaped down from the cab and strug-
/ gled forward, uttering cries of which
he himself probably was not conscious.
The accident had occurred upon a
bridge which spanned a small river in
the vicinity Of Baldwin, near which
/ town Mr.. Hardy's brother lived.
The engine, mail car, two day coach
es and two sleepers had crashed
through and, falling distance of so
feet, had partly broken through the
| ice of the frozen stream. To add to the
horror of the disaster the two sleepers
had caught fire, and there was abso-
Iutely no means to fight it. Mr.. Hardy
caught confused glimpses of men down
on the ice throwing handfuls of snow
upon the blazing timbers in a frantic
attempt to drive back or put out the
flames. He fell rather than scrambled
| down the steep, slippery bank of the
stream, and then the full horror Of the
situation began to dawn upon him.
The baggage car and tender had fall
en- in such way that the trucks rested
upright on the ice, and the position Of
the timbers was relatively that of the
train before it had left the track. One
day coach lay upon its side, but had
broken completely in two as if some
giant hand had pulled it apart, leaving
the ragged ends of timbers projecting
toward one another in such curious
fashion that if the two ends of the car
had been pushed toward the middle
the splintered beams would have fitted
into place almost as if made on a pat
tern. The other day coach had fallen
upon one end, and one-third of the en-
tire coach was under water. The other
end, resting partly against the broken
car, stuck up in the air like some Gu
Sious, fantastic pillar or leaning tower.
Mr.. Hardy was conscious of all this
and more as he heard the groans of the
injured and the cries of those begging
to be released from the timbers under
which they had been caught. But his
OhA NClGE u6 1ONGu
them as now.
The crowd of people had increased to
a mob. The confusion was that of ter
ror. Mr.. Hardy rushed about the
wreck searching for his children,
great throbbing at his heart as he
thought of their probable fate, when
the sweetest of all sounds, Bessies
dear voice, came to him, and the next
minute he had caught up the child as
she ran to linn and strained her to his |
breast as in the old days when he had |
carried her about the house and yard.
"Where are Will and Clara?"
"Oh, father, they're here, and Will |
wasn't hurt much more than l was,
but Clara has tainted, and she is lying |
down over herep'
Bess dragged her father out across
the ice to the edge of the bank, where
number of the victims had been laid |
on the cushions of the seats, some
dead. some dying. There lay Clara
very white and still, with Will bend |
ing over her, himself bleeding from !
several wounds about the head and
hands, but still conscious and trying to
restore his sister.
Mr.. Hardy kneeled down in the snow
by his sons side, and Will, seeing him
there, was not surprised. but he sob
bed excitedly, "Oh, she is deadr
"No," replied her father; "she is not"
Clara stirred and her lips moved
but she did not open her eyes. and then
her father noticed that a strange mark
lay over her face
How Mr.. Hardy succeeded in carry.
Ing the girl to the top of the bank;
how he left her there in the care of
brave hearted women while he went
down into that helrs pit to rescue vic
Tins imprisoned and groaning for help;
how Bess related the accident of the
night and tried to explain how she
was not hurt except a scratch or two.
because she fell between two car seat
cushions that were jammed around itcr !
Ind protected her from injury; how the
excitement grew as it was discovered
hat the dead and dying would number
more than IL ins.ead of 10 or ~. as
Burns had telpphOned: how finally
Robert Hardy and Will and Bess and
Clara, With other victims. were taken
)acE to Barton, where a great crowd |
If anxious, pale faced people was surg
ng through the station and over the
rack; how James Caxton was first to
BOARD the train down by the shops at
he risk of his neck as in the rainy
darkness he swung himself on the dead
'un up to the platform Of the coach;
low Mrs. Hardy met her children and
husband; how there was sorrow IN ! {
many home in Barton that night and
or many days to come; how Mr.. Har
ly finally. little after midnight en- {
irely exhausted by the events of the {
lay and night, fell asleep and dreamed s
he scene all over again-all this and a
,reat deal more might be of interest 1
oncerning one Of the most remarkable 1
abroad accidents that ever occurred ! {
n this country, but would be ont of |
lace in this narrative. For it is all
rue, exactly and literally. only the de- [
allied horrors of it no pen can describe, [
10 words can tell r
Mr.. Hardy woke about 8 o'clock rest. :,
d., but feeling very lame and sore Il
rom his exertions of the night His
rst thought was of Clara. When he \
rent to sleep, the girl seemed to be d
esting without pain. only that strange il
mark across her face made them all
nxl0us. 1t was not a bruise, but 1t :.
y like brand across the eyes, which h
nd not opened since her father found a
er lying by the frozen stream. 1
James had insisted on staying in the 4
Duse to be of service, and Mrs. Hardy l,
nd felt grateful for his presence as n
le watched for returning conscious I
ess from Clara, who still gave no n
ore sign of animation, although she q,
-eathed easily and seemed to be free
ON pain. Every doctor and surgeon y
town had been summoned to the 4,
enc of the accident. But Mr.. Hardy ii
1t SO anxious for Clara as he came in y
Id looked at her that he went down
airs and asked James if he wouldn't :,
u out and see If any Of the doctors \ i,
i'd returned.
."sYes, sir; I'll 60 at once. How is she :.
wv, Mr.. Hardy?" james looked him 3
file face with fhe foolS thaf love ~