The National tribune., 1902-01-02

The amazed Deacon beat hasty retreat
| toward the depot.
Though the Deacon wanted much to see
eastern Ohio. through which the road ran,
and especially the famed AIuskinum Val
ley, of the beauty and fruitfulness OF
which he had heard since boyhOOd, he was
too tired to keep awake, and slept and
snored until he was awakened after night
fall by the train stopping at Renwood,
and orders to all to get out and go aboard
the boat to cross the Ohio River.
With some difficulty he got the recall
citrant hoop-skirts and his umbrella under
one arm. took up his carpct-sack with the
other hand, and walked down the staging
onto the boat, mounting to the hurricane
deck to get better view of the weird
scene.
1t was well worth the climb. The
waters of the Ohio reflected the lurid
flames bursting from the chimneys Of
scores of glass houses, rolling mills, foun-
dries and furnaces on either side the river,
and stretching along the banks as far as
Wheeling, four miles away. The fierce
light shot up and fared like that from
so many volcanoes. POnderous hammers
were crushing at great masses of glowing
iron, which shot out showers of sparks at
each blow; huge rollers were viciously
erOaning as they struggled with long bars
of red-hot iron, which ran out and curled
up like writhing. fiery Serpents. and We're
caught and returned to their torment by
Sinewy, grimy men, who looked like de-
mons struggling in the smoke and flames.
Other gangs of demons could be seen
in the balcful glare about furnace, as
if torturing some huge monster, which at
last burst forth in an angry flow of mol
ten iron, showering sparks along its
course, and as it ran in furious, cOnSum-
ing heat in the prepared channels, from
which the demons sprang as if chased
by it
Good enough imitation of hell to scare
Jeff Davis into the delirium tremens, if
he could only see it." remarked the Dea-
con, as the boat reached the other side.
- ''Twould he a good place for Methodist
preachers to run excursions during the re-
yivals. | wouldn't want to work around
those irOn-mills for any six bits Il day,
though"
He entered the cars at Bellaire, settled
his belongings around him, and himself
down to resume his nap.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad turns
some very sharp corners as it makes its
way up the Alleghanies by the way of
Grave Greek, and as it does this at a
high rate of speed, the tendency is to
fling anything that is not securely bolted
down from one side OF the car to the
other with considerable violence. When
L 2OO-Dound man is shuttled back and
forth this way for some hours he is liable
to feel as il his sleep has not done him
much good, and to be covered with bruises,
and his temper badly raveled.
plague take it, he grumbled, when
he would be awakened by an unusually
violent bump against the side of the car,
or the end of the seat, this is worse
than being bumped around in an old
leather-spring stage-coach, running over 4
\, -.I To-
If it wasn't for the looks of the thing,
think I'd rather walk"
Whenever he would wake I'D his ears
would be greeted by dismal, racking
cough, evidently from some one in the last
stages of consumption, who had entered
the car some time during the night. The
thought of one so much worse off than
himself helped cool his temper. by max
ing him ashamed of the impatience of
strong, healthy man at the things that
had to be endured by n poor invalid. Then
came the thought of the condition that
ST and his companions might be III after
their tOilsome campaign through Georgia
When the morning came, ON the top of
the mountains, near Grafton, he saw that
the coughing came from n woman on the
other side of the car. She was fearfulIy
emaciated, and her eyes were large and
bright with the hectic flusll of the final
period of the dread disease
Her look was fixed upon him, whenever
not interrupted by paroxysms of cough
ing.
AT last the Deacon went over to her,
while the engine was taking water, and in
Quired tenderly:
MY poor woman, is there anything
can do for youY
Il see," she started to answer when |
she went off into a violent convulsion of |
coughing. 81 see," she continued, when |
she had gotten through, and was wiping |
her eyes, that you have some of the late |
styles of skeletons up there. May look |
at themf"
why, certainly, num-" answered the !
Deacon, pleased at being able to do some
thing for her. but dubious as to how he |
was ever going to get them back again |
into their fastenings.
Her thin fingers unloosed the strings
with deft ease. and she handled the re-
bellious springs with q certainty that as
tonished the Deacon. "How perfectly |
lovely" she exclaimed, after another
fit, and trying to hold one of |!