River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-02-26

lege of being chosen
"tWell,' said my friend, with a
chuckle, you will have a chance OF
seeing one tonight, anyway
"Jim sat up al once, his eyes shining
with excitement. 'Where?' he cried.
'Where?'
'''Have you never heard the story of
the Midland Mail?' Eighty years ago
it ran away just outside Birmingham,
and went into. the river about half a
mile below this house. Of course,
myself don't believe in that sort of
foolishness, but they do say that this
night every five years it comes racing
up the main road, with old Jem Hollis,
the driver, on the box, pulling his
soul out in a last effort to stop the
horses, the guard blowing his horn
and the passengers all hanging on to
their seats, shrieking with terror"
81 thought Jim would go off his
head with excitement.
80, but this is splendid he cried.
Splendid! What time does the ap-
partition appear?'
Somewhere about half-past ten it
is supposed to be due. 1t seems to
turn up any part of the road, judg-
ing from the accounts of the people
who declare that they have seen it,
"'We must leave at once shouted
jim, turning to me. 1T is a quarter
past now
"'Hang it ALL I objected; i don't
want to see the thing; | had much
rather not
But Jim wouldn't hear of my stay
ing behind. and even tried to persuade
my friend to come some part Of the
way with US.
"'Not L. he declared, laughing.
What are you going to do when you
see it?'
"'Ride into it, said Jim, getting on
to his bike.
'''WeII, don't hurt it. Good night
and good luck to you both
"Gentlemen, we started off. 1t was
a bright starlight night, and the moon
lit up the white road before us as
plainly as though it had been day
jim kept on muttering to himself, and
staring out ahead for some sign OF
the coach.
"'Are you really going to ride into
it, Jirh?' ] asked.
'Rather!' he said; right into the
middle
You had better not / answered
ghosts are funny things
Nonsense! Fancy the glorious
sensation of going slap through a
coach and four!"
"'Just as you like [ said; 'it doesn't
seem to appeal to me, so shall get of
when | see it coming
eve rode on for another mile or sc
in silence, and / was just beginning
to think how disappointed poor ole
Jim would be if nothing turned up
when suddenly, far off in the distance
we heard the faint rumble of an APP.
preaching vehicle.
"'Listen!' said Jim.
''We jumped off and stood in the
middle of the road, as still as death
Nearer and nearer it came, and above
the beat of the horses and the rolling
of the wheels, we could plainly hear
the sound of people shouting.
Jim was painting with excitement
as the noise became louder and louder
">Iook!' he yelled; 'look!'
"And, sure enough, over the brow
of the opposite hill came the coach
For one second it stood out against
the sky, and then Numbered madly
down the slope.
"'Come, ONT cried Jim, jumping on
to his bicycle.
"'Get off, [ shrieked.
81 might as well have spoken to the
road.
with his legs over the handles and
waving his cap in one hand Jim shot
down the hill to meet it.
"On came the coach, swinging from
side to side, the old driver making
desperate efforts to steady his runa-
way team. I could see the terror
stricken faces of the passengers, and
the horror of the guard as he held on
to his seat and blew one frantic blast
upon his horn.
easter and faster went Jim, closer
and closer drew the coach, and at
last, still waving his cap triumphant
ly in the air, he plunged right into the
very middle of It'll"
There was long pause.
"And how did he describe his sensa-
tions?" [ asked.
"He didn't"
"Didn't?" we echoed, with an inter.
negative ring in our voices.
''No--you see, it happened to be a
real coach and four that had run away
about two miles down the road, anc
poor old jim went into it bit too hard
to be able to give any account of his
sensations afterwards. Poor cid Jim!
[ was terribly cut up about it. He
was a nice little fellow-a bad actor
but a nice little fellow"
And, shaking his head in a sad man
ner, the tall man rose and left the
room.-Black and White.