The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-29
r E L + D.

Some years ago while on my return
from, q trip into Virginia l fell In with
q young fellow who was on his way
TO the Rocky mountains. He showed
me.a photograph Of a beautiful girl Of
whom he seemed exceedingly proud
and told me she was his sweetheart,
to whom he was engaged and whom
he expected to marry as soon as he
could become established in the prac-
tfce of the law.
Suddenly and without any warning
the engine left the rails, and the long
train of coaches followed. There was
no embankment, only a fiat piece Of
country, and 80 It was not 80 disas-
trous as 1t otherwise would have been.
] was 80 bruised and stunned that !
scarcely realized what had occurred.
It was after 8 o'clock in the evening,
and l had scarcely more than extract
ed myself from the car, which was
literally torn to pieces, when the wreck
caught on fire. Most Of the passengers,
however, had been rescued, but a few
Of them were still In the wreck, and
90 we started In at once to assist the
trainmcn in doing what we could.
lost sight of my companion as soon as
the car went over, but after I got out
Of the car I wondered where he was.
Just then the flames shot into the
air, and we heard a shrek. Rushing
to the other side Of the car, I beheld
my young friend underneath a heavy
beam = in fact, the lower half of his
body IVES under the debris Of the
wreci:-and he was damned in so tight
that we could not possibly release him
without more assistance. We had moth
Ing to work with, only one ak having
been taken out Of the cars, and that
was broken and Of little use. The
flames had already reached his feet,
and his cries for help were heartrend-
Ing, can assure you. There was alb
solutely nothing we could do to help
him-not a thing In which we could
get any water, and IL there had been
there was not a drop nearer than a
mile, for the creek at that point was
at least that far away. l pulled at the
debris until l burned my left hand 80
severely that I have used 1t but very
little since, and, 10 you see. 1t Is badly
SCARED.
We worked trying to save him until
the fire drove us back. His appeals
were something terrible to hear, and
he begged us again and again to shoot
him. This, Of course, no one would do,
although it would have been the thing
to put him out Of his misery.
Pat i,,ok than hnlx, = = ~ LSoo
From the side OF the track in the
darkness, for 1t was an inky night, ap-
peared a slender figure in white. 1t
came up without a sound. stood
where could see her very plainly, for
the figure was that of a young wo-
man. Her face was ashen, her fea-
lures perfect, and l recognized at once
In her features the photograph my
young friend had shown me on the
train. She glided up to where the vic
tim lay. We heard the sAarp report Of
a, pistol, and the %apparition vanished
instantly. just had time to see the
poor fellow before the flames closed
I've him, and there was a bullet hole
In his forehead. He was dead. The
flames rushed over him, and I turned
away.
The next day from out the ruins we
took his remains. The skull was badly
charred, but in 1t was a hole like that
made by a ball, and inside of the re-
mains Of the skull was a small piece Of
molten lead. I went to the telegraph
office, only a few miles down the track,
and telegraphed to the girl, whose
name and address he had fortunately
given me. An answer came from the
father stating that steps would
at once be taken for the proper are Of
the remains, and that they would be
taken back to the Old Dominion.
From there I went home. Only a
short While after that / was compelled
to nuke another trip to Virginia. While
In the state l CHANGED to pass through
the town where the prospective father
ln-law Of the young man resided, and
80 ! took the liberty Of. calling at his
home. knowing that they would no
doubt like to h06r about the accident
In which the young man met so untime-
y al end.
The old gentleman was at home and
very glad to see me-. I told him all the
circumstances Of the strange event
that hud taken place. When I was
he went into another room
and brought out a small pistol and said
be had no doubt that was the weapon
that put Harry, ~ he called him, out Of
He said that the night before
the accident occurred his daughter. the
lady to whom my young acquaintance
PAS engaged. was taken suddenly Ill
and died before morning. On the table
her was this small. ivory ham
died pistol. which he fance had pre-
sented to her before he left. It was
loaded.
The morning after the accident one
cartridge was found to have been ex-
and nc n could possibly ac-
,0Nnf fnr tho 0,rrioa,c ho nnouin~ 10 <ho |