The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-06-13

cut the air that is the hot air Final
ly, after considerable delay. a younr
man, athletic in build. worked his way
thTough the crowd and with an artis
tic leap, showing unmistakeable evi
dences OF fancy work in a gymnasium
mounted the tender Of one OF the en-
gines Crying in a loud voice to be
heard, this young man. volunteered "a
draw the train over the questionable
bridge at the risk OF his own life. He
first asked that the women and child
ren be removed from the train and
taken to the woods near by--a place
OF safety-and from which place they
could see very plainly the attempt at
crossing. This point. however. was
not being considered by our volunteer
at that time. because safety was par.
amount, and not dress parade. After
much urging the tracks were cleared.
the passengers safely landed. and
steam was piled ON. and our hero
sprang lightly upon the coupling pin
holding the two engines. and selling
throttle in each hand slowly and
carefully moved the heavy train upon
the bridge. With bated breath and
blanched faces the onlookers gazed.
Slowly but surely the train was upon
the dizzy heights OF the trestle. For
a moment Il seemed that the weight
caused the newly repaired trestle to
settle, initiating very much the ap.
pearance Of falling, and those already
holding their breaths held on tighter
and seeing In their now thoroughly
awakened imaglnations the falling
bridge. the falling train. hearing the
crash and the shrek Of the whistle
and above all the farewell wave OF the
hero a. he disappeared in the vortex
of the heaps OF wreckage below. But
no! the attempt was successful. The
bridge was safe, The hero was given
rally from the banks which re-
sounded throughout that part OF the
United States Becoming enthuslas
tic, with the wild cheering in his ears
our hero seized one OF the green flags
from the engine pilot and waved Il
aloft, swept that train backward and
forward many times across. and across
again, that dizzy height. with the
yawning chasm below. AZ this juno.
ture the passengers knew no bounds
and in their delirium appointed a com.
mittee 10 express their thanks to the
hero OF the day. This committee
promptly dragged the hero from his
now exalted position and turned him
over 20 the joy.weeping women and
men and maldens. Such businessl
Il reminded one OF Hobson's FIRST visit
tour OF the land. Weeping was mingled
with shouts for Joy. Engineers. with
stony faces. were seen creeping over
the bridge and casting their overalls
into the gulf below. ready 20 return
20 the less hazardous walks of life.
after having been 20 courageously
outdone by this tall unostentatious
athlete. II was with great dlfhculty
crew could be secured 90 pilot the
train into the end OF the division so
anxious were the men 20 quit after
witnessing the downfall Of their heroic
pride and the making OF a true hero
under their very eyes. Some may
wonder why this aiair has not ap'
peared before In print that the world
might Join In the well earned hosan.
mas. Hut. II Is said the power OF mon
ey can buy almost anything. Money
running short. many rich and rare
specimens. culled from the sun-beat
en- brows Of the towering Siskiyou
mountains. Of placer fame, were sac
rihoed 70 keep the ahair from reach
ing the babbling public. Nuggets,
colors. and all went into the general
sacrifice. But. the news will out
And with the outing Of news. cones
into the world another hero and from
the best state in the Union, old Ore
gon. You are anxious 20 know the
name OF this hero. Anxious as all are
10 have you know. yet the penalty Of
forfeiture OF friendship hangs over lis
being diyulged. hence the name must
go into the great and unknown fn'
tune as a secret. among the chosen
few.
Returning 20 our preamble Of heroes
We need something like the foregoing
10 awaken us 10 our present day pos
sibilIties. and know that the days Of
heroes are not past and that In every
walk OF life lies heroic qualities which
need only 10 be brought out BY proper
This episode viii
encourage the use and 60
OF gymnaslums since Il is
known our hero learned many fancy
tricks upon the horizontal bar and ira
Deze. which tricks he used very ad-
gantageOusly when mounting the en-
CINE parapets. This story Is submitted