The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-02
HeJumped Off a
Bridge to Prove
His Love
~ HID great bridge constructed by the
ASunset Railroad across the Peeos


Sunset Railroad across the Pecos
River, In Western Texas, Is very
u nearly the l0ftiest structure OF the
kind IN the world. A few days ago
this Pecos bridge was the scene Of one Of
the most remarkable occurrences ever wit
messed
Miss Lena Riners, the only daughter Of
prosperous ranch owner and cattlen1an In
the Rio Grande Valley. Is one OF the pref
tiest girls in Western Texas and has many
admirers. Among the young men who were
attracted By the beauty and many accom-
plishments of this very lively Texas EtRi
none was more earnest and persistent In
presenting his suit than Fred A. Darmon-
who is very respectable cowboy Of the
Western plains. On last Sunday some if
teen or twenty young men anc young gins.
the sons and daughters Of ranchers in the
refghnorhood went 20 the Pecos River
bridge foz the rurpsss. OF enjoying picnic
Among the gay crowd were Lena Rtners
gnd several o. her admirers. The young
girl this occasion In one Of her
2ap2lest moods and especially attractive.
Fred A. Darmon had failed to secure the
envaabie favor OF escorting the young lady
to the picnic grounds. but he kept close
enough to her to annoy s more fortunate
rival and 1t Was not long before he found
an opportunity to press his suit. Mise
without reserve tells how II all happened,
for sins has not yet recovered from her
fright.
81 vas In the utmost terror she says,
renee. for fear that Fred had suffered some
fatal injury. II he had been killed know
that never could have recovered from the
sheck, for ny conscience would have accused
me cf having been the cause Of his death- 1t
WIS ali brought about by q jest. loved Fred
loved Ein vel enough to marry him-but
It had not occurred to no that the proper
moment had arrived fer me TO admit the
fact 70 him He was 50 awfully persistent,
and his love making was always accom-
panied BY such woe-begone look that some
how fooiishly enjoyed his great perturea-
ton Fred and strayed away from the
crowd. and while was asking questions
about the great bridge he was constantly
annoying me with the earnest protestations
Of his passion Finally. in a playful 1T OF
mock anger. said: oh. Fred, can't you
talk about something eIse7 You boys are all
alike. You have the same old story to tell
Why don't yon do something to prove all
this STUFF you are continually talking about
80 What shall do7 he asked replied:
oh. don't know. There are no lions to
XIII. Go to war or jump on that bridge up
there
II well remember now how he looked,
though thought nothing OF 1t at the time,
when he said: Lena, would you marry ne
AZ I were to jump or that brtdgeP unthink-
ingly answered. OF course would At that
moment our chaperOne called us to come to
camp, and thought more Of the matter
until missed Fred Upon looking around
one Of our party exclaimed: Why, yonder is
Fred up the bridges A premonition OF
something terrible at once arose in my mind
and felt choking sensation In my throat.
-An eyes were at once turned toward
the dizzy heights Of the bridge, and you
can imagine or feelings when We saw
Fred throw of his coat and hat and step
up on the railing I saw him waving his
hands and throwing kisses toward US, and
I barely caught glimpse Of his form
he plunged headloug through the air Ny
eyes closed in terror and I EEL upon the
earth SenseIese.r
Another member OF the party. John Ad-
olson, who was present, tells the re-
n4inder Of the story He says: Il saw
OaI1nOn jump from the bridge supposed
that he had suddenly become insane and
stood paralyzed with terror. Standing
% the railing more than 100 yards above
tae water, he looked like boy or 3 years
Old In descending through the air his
BODY appeared to double up and for a
second or more assume the shape OF ball.
HAs he neared the water OF the Pecos
be Strengthened out and descended head
foremost, with the palms OF his handsa
together In front OF his head. after the
manner OF accomplished diver. ran
toward the bank OF the river, which was
only q few steps away, and reached the
brink Of the stream just In time to see
the desperate boy disappear beneath the
water felt absolutely certain that he
was dead and supposed that his body
would be simply a limp mass OF bruised
aesb and broken bones
The river at that place L. about sew
0uty-nve yards wide and from twenty to
forty feet IN depth. While I was hurrfedly
throwing on my coat and shoes, to my utter
Rn>szement my friend popped up out Of
the water, and / plunged into the stream
hoping to rescue him II possible. A long
Jump and two OF three strokes brought me
to his side just IN time to grasp his hair as
he began 20 sink Another young man came
to my assistance. and we easily dragged
he body TO the shore.
He was apparently nfeleas. but we all fell
70 rubbing him. and, after q few minutes,
he Easped for breath In the course Of
some twenty-five or thirty minutes he
opened his eyes and began to mutter some
thing about A1iss Lena Riners- The love
@lck scamp had spoiled our picnic, and