The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1903-11-13
And thus. after nine or ten rer.

Here ] stopped my heart break
ing cxertions tn rest-if clinging
resolutcly to the bar, as thumpcd
and pounded on faster and faster.
may be called rcst-for the final
effort which was 10 mean life or
death to me.
Al last. when ! had gathered all
my reserve energy. ] took hold
upon the t~russ.rod with my left
hand. drew the upper part Of my
body out over the rail u little. and
with repeated twists and contor
tions. tried 10 throw myself over.
hut II was us had hggrn 10
fear. So rapidly was ! drawn nj
arms length that could not get
leverage enough 10 raise the mid.
Ole part Of my body even that III.
tie distance, although succeeded
In getting one foot over, for u mo.
mcnt, at five or six different times.
And In u few seconds the vain
struggle 80 exhausted my
strength that ! was obliged 10 give
up the attempt and liz back inert,
barely able To maintain my hold
upon the bar and the rod. with my
side scrubbing against the rail,
and with my legs pounding along
viriously just inside.
l felt that my doom was sealed
now: that ! had failed for once
and all: and cannot describe the
extreme horror in which ! spent nm
indefinite period following, nor
can you imagine II unless you
have yourself been powcrlcss in
the face of an awful death.
On and on went the ears, still
gaining speed until ! thought
that the train was going at the
velocity Of the "I.lack Diamond
ilier; and on and on | dragged.
Earring and jolting In II frightful
WAY.
The feeling was all beaten from
my legs; but the pain In the
strained muscles Of my arms and
shoulders was intcnsc-no old
time torthrrr rack could have in
nictcd much worse suffering. Yet
| held on with u tcnaciiy Of which
! had never supposed myself 81
pablc.
IA | have said, all hop" Of ulti
mate escape Mas gone. for II WIS
only u matter of seconds for my
failing strength. But the knowl
edge that I should go down across
the rails Ia instant death beneath
the wheels the moment I relaxed
my grip made me struggl" to keep
my fingers tightly clinchcd.
Flesh aud blood can stand only
about 50 much. aud realized that
! was near III" limit Of my cndu?
nncr. ! had lost all sense of time
and distance. In unhrIrahlr
agony | seemed tn have l'cncling
ing Ia the bar aud the ROD for
hours, TRYING Ia keep ahead Of
those murdcrons wheels. who's"
Rhythmic clattcron he rails, swell
ing loudrraud louder, was heating
in upon my ears with the roar Of
nm angry sea.
Aud now ~ this moment u long
drawn metallic scream mingled
with the laundering noise in my
ears: yet whence il came or what
IL meant, ] did not realize, But
after n seemingly long interval,
when n sense of slower motion he.
came evident. my dullcd mind then
understood that. the train was
stopping.
was on the verge Of collapse;
vet how ! fought to keep my grip.
while the speed Of the ears ron.
tinucd to decrease with irregular
jerks. thought the train would
never stop In time. But nj last the
wheels ceased to turn, and nj that
instant ] dropped down full
length, with m arm across the
rail, too far "gonc" 10 stir until
some moments had passed.
Then, NJ my strength came back
n little and my rccling brain right