Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-21
How Jimmy Saved the Express

Jimmy~Bates lived among the mountains
of Colorado, where the heavy, continuous
rains in early summer often turn an ar
royo-that is, the dry bed of stream-lnto
a rearing raging torrent
Often had Jimmy with his Indian pony,
returning from taunt up the canyon, been
obliged to leap such a stream where they
had found only dry ground in the morning.
But Jimmy was brave chap. and so fon1
of adventure that he would go out of his
way to find 1t.
One thing he loved was to ride down to
the station when the Pacific Express was
lust pulling out and race with it as long as
he could keep up. The wiry little mustang
enjoyed 1t fully as much as Jimmy him.
self while the train crew from brakeman
to engineer learned to know the slender boy
in a sombrero, and to cheer him as long as
he held his own with the big, snorting iron
horse.
The wagon road ran for miles close to the
railroad track, and Jimmy's favorite place
while he rode was right abreast the en-
CINE. He always tried to keep up as far
as certain telegraph pole, which he knew
by a big bunch of cactus growing beside It,
If he reached that pole without losing
ground he considered he had won the race
One cool day when Billy. the mustang,
him: BILLY, we must make the next pole
today" And Billy did. The engineer seemed
to see that they had beaten their record,
and he waved his cap at them out of the
cab window.
Tho next two days were rainy, and Jimmy
did not ride. The third day. as he and
Billy were Jaunting about, he heard an un-
usual rumbling along the arroyo He knew
that after the hard rains he should find
water in 1t, but he was not prepared to hnd
what he did as he robe over there-the
deep bed brim full of water, appearing to
rise higher every minute.
IT wonder how she's going to BEHAVE
down at the neck said Jimmy aloud, as
IL addressing himself or Billy. or both.
1.-THE neck was gorge where the can
yon grew very narrow before widening out
into more open country. Just below this
point the railroad crossed the arroyo. and
Jimmy was thinking the bridge might be in
danger.
He rode quickly down that way, The wa
ter In the neck was higher than he had
ever known 1t before. With difficulty and
only by tho greatest caution did he guide
Billy between the edge Of the roaring chasm
and the rocky cliff.
was already up to the track. and how 1t
did tug at the piersl Could 1t be possible?
Yes, he was sure. the bridge had shifted
slightly. Tho track was out Of line; The
danger was even greater than IL the bridge
had been carried away. Such an accident
the engineer would be more likely to notice.
Jimmy thought quickly. billy" he shout
ed. ''it's almost time for the Pacific Express,
and the station In three miles away. We
must dyr'
II Billy had understood every word he
could not have responded more quickly to
Jimmy's pun ON the bride. Like q twinkling
he was on, splashing through the mud, his
homely head held straight out, BIS mouth
open.
It was 3 wild racs. Long before they
reached the station Jimmy saw the express
pull IN. II he could only get there before
HIS speed scanned nothing. Seconds dragged
like minutes.
Ding. dongf'' went the bell Out went
the first pun OF smoke-another puf--it