Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-20
THROUGH THE PLANES.
By ALICE WINTER.

From 1.-The Prize to the Hardy" by permission OF
the Bobbs- Merrill Company
1.-THE train-look! The train from the
south~ was shouted in Lenox's ear.
Instantly every eye was turned down
stream to watch a new drama in the fight
between death and mans courage and pres
ence of mind. A skeleton-like railroad bridge
of steel spanned the river just where the
banks grew most narrow and precipitous.
On the south side there was no possibility
of crawling down the steep rocks. The
roadway by which the villagers had es-
capped their doom was too far from the
tracks for those In the train to hope to
reach it in the face of the flame, but on
the farther northern bank a few ragged
projections made something like a path
way. The northward bound express, cut
off from retreat by an unexpected arm of
fire, now sped forward. stopping as long
1t dared at each tiny woodland station to
pick up the frenzied wretckes who rushed
toward it as their only means of escape.
Now it was black and crowded, and the
flames had gained upon it, until further
flight was out of the question. The whirl-
ing fire reached to heaven and the earth
seemed dyed in blood The very sides of
the cars burst out here and there with the
req horror, or grew ominously black and
charred.
Inside those chariots of destruction reigned
the anguish of the damned; there were
prayers and oaths and frozen siIences
Inose on their knees were in danger of
being trampled upon by others whom fear
drove to pacing frenzy like that of tiger
IN a cage If only all the energy of the
mad passengers could be put into the en-
CINE which already strained its every nerve
in the race
amid smoke and cinders, with now and
again glimpse of a great whir of flame,
the train plowed its way through the sti-
mig neat. Sometimes it quivered and rock
ed as 1t passed over shaking cl,Ivert.
sometimes it lurched over a fallen branch
Oh IRE, r1ghted itself resolutely, and sned
ever on. Ni-N SPe"
The bursting of window glass tho b,,,-
cry tapping of flames through the broken
pIaa me breaking out of fresh fires min
So win the screams and the recojling
terror OF the passengers AT each sucrnaJ
ing statioh, some of those within cnrcad
anu Dreaded with the conductor not to ston
anu i some or those without prayed hin, to
WAT YET little longer for their lovad 60
10 each and all he answered unnoI,e oneS'
must save every life I can. 7 will nor
n lile train-ioad by staying too long
siS t winch slde was mercy, and on which
sue justice? Had he not waited too Iare1
He held at bay the madness tIa 10 lolIs
MS responsibility ' uoSSeu
po"t ofakemen, like the Great Twin
ha lEtnlei, heroic, if not so beautiful stood
iiioluihg their lanterns on the tender os ~
toculnotlVe moved through the uneartbIv
uusky glare. The water in the enaira ha
gan 10 give out and now the fiery cvcInna
was close upon them. In the fierce scroarr,
ins Oh the red whirlwnd in the Wild ,,,nsia
VI crashing forest trees it paeaned ito -
toIy over the children of a dav
ne Fine Vale bridge rose before thor,
II they could reach the other s;da Of IN
p,ioge' the freight of humanity might t,,n,
pIe GOWN the banks into the stream IT.
E,nSIheer peered anXiously forward bv tho
iisIt Oh the man-held lights He knew +bat
the Ties on the bridge must he on 6ra
w men was best-to await the sWjft fame
VI 70 De dashed to destruction d >u,n cra ,-o,-
rocks and into whirling waters, A. H.
iead OF the bridge stood the LITTLE s,hht-
mouse OF the Waterman. and the enpineer
saw his welcome lantern wave the signaI
Brldge all right! Go aheadr' N-
ne idst DIT OF steam, the expiring breatb
or the dying engine, breathed forth SLOW
~, Slowly, the train moved across the
shaking spider web of iron. NOT bastiiI,
,i:oush aeath were tearing onward from he
Hi,iu. oa1ety comes to him who dares to
tdhe ,ine The bridge swayed and tren-
bied, but held for its last service
ana the northumberland of him? Graa for
love hath no man than this that a n,on
lay down his life for his friend. Ruf What
OF MIN who lays down his life. NOT for a
TREND, but for a multitude of feIlow-crea
lures who are to him nameless and who
shall never know his name? The watch
mans charred body was found next day Of
his post. a.