The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-23

blasting. Not fifty feet ahead OF the en-
CINE Sorrel saw a huge wedge OF stone pro
| truding from the shattered wall; with Inc
same look he saw the fireman leap out
from the gangway of the -rnogul and turn
| in the air, as he went doWnWard among
the trees. The mex instant, with a ter
/ ing crash, the smokestack, sand chest,
whistle, bell and cab were swept from
| the top of the engine. SOrrel saw the en-
Igineer whirI backward in the flying wreck
Of the cab and caught glimpse OF some
thing red gushing from the mans mouth.
The next moment the boy flung himself
/ face downward on the crushed stone In
4 the car. He threw one frightened glance
4 upward as the protruding tongue of rock
Il FLASHED above him, then turned his head
and saw the caboose meet it. With a splin
Iterng crash it sheared half way thru the
:. tsturdy car, flinging brakeman into the
air from the cupola and tearing the draw
head and couplings apart as If they were
cotton strings With lurch the caboose
? whirled half way round, fell upon its side
and slid down the rocky dump. The next
= 8 moment sorrel lost sight of it as the train
! passed around the bend. 81
Quivering from head to foot, he got to
;. > his feet and looked round him. On the
right the mountain side swept downward
= by gentle slopes and sharp p1unges for
2 seemingly the distance of a half mile; OF,
8 the left it lowered upward beyond his
VlSlOn.s u ne Train was fTuSN1HS4la along
y descending groove in the mountain side
7 With a cold thrill Of fear and horror hi
2. realized that he was alone onsthe runaway
e train. Smoke was pouring from the hole
y in the engine where the stack had beer
= torn off, white and Kissing plume o
= steam spurted from the whistle pipe. Thu
" cars rocked and battered together and al
1e went roaring headlong, entirely zwithou
lg control. Il must, git often this thing,
said sorrel. turning round and round
ne First thing ! know it'll jump the tracl
e, an go down the mountain.
en- With staring eyes ne climbed over tn
II. sideboard. looking wildly for a place whev
up he might jump clear of the ties. Tt
on kill me sure If Jump among them rocks,
ne he half whispered. II better stay here.
ng But moment later he saw a long dun
ed of dirt and draveL and dropping his bod
elf low over the sideboard flung himself ou1
II. ward. With a swimming. awful sense /
off went over and over thru the air an
ly, struck the yielding slope and shot ,dowr
ay ward Bruised and half conscious /
81 Il scrambled TO his feet among some bush.
ais fifty feet from the track. In his excite
IN dump, digging his toes in the shady ma
ow and gasping for breath. In a few IN
on ments he was on the track, brushing Il
-; dirt from his mouth and eyes.
RI Some Of them fellers must q bee
ell killed back there he painted; then SD.
an denly held his breath and listened. I
,ru .I;could still hear the doomed train mad
nic5| following the great groove downward. 4
,ut he turned about excitedly his mind in
ost maze Of emotions and half formed pu
lily poses. he saw the cuts and fills and shi
TIL ing rails of "a track on the mountain
the below him. Seemingly it was a thousal
IN feet below the ground where he "
~ Iestandi11g. He looked puzzled
,nps sss..oh, I see. he painted. the track r,l
not not clean around the mounfain top a