The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-11-24

i
the way for a neat Herbert Hawkins
/ On the marble block of their plot in
! Greenwood cemetery.
Well, what under the sun" be-
gan Hawkins.
Good heavens. This trains The
peoplen' gasped.
well-let us find the
conductor. He'll know what to dol
Yes. but he can't stop the machine
and were backing along at certain
y 50 miles an hour. and any minuts
we may run into the next train be-
hind
Come! Come, Find the. conduc-
tori
We found him very easily.
The conductor was running through
the train toward us as we reached the
second car, and his face was the face
or fear-raeked maniac
What's happened?n he shrieked.
Why on earth are we baekIng?''
Why, you see Hawkins began.
For Gods sake, stop your machine.
You're the man who owns it, aren't
your"
Certainly, certainly. But you see.
| the mechanism has-er-slipped 7some-
Where-nothing serious, of course
and
/ serious!' roared the railroad man.
You call it nothing serious for us to
be flying along backwards and the
Washington express coming up behind
at a mile a minute.''
/ "Oh! OH Is ft?'' HAWKINS faltered.
Yes! Can't you stop her-any-
way?'
wen. not that I know-why, see
here!" A smile of relief illumined
Hawkins face.
We'll? Quick, mani"
We can have brakeman detaeh the
Aleomotiye!"
tAnd what good'll that do, when
she's pushing the train?''
True, true!" groaned the inventor,
II didn't think of that!"
I'm going to bring every one into
these forward cars, announced the
conductor. Its the only chance OF
saving a few lives when. the crash
comes"
Lives" moaned Hawkins, dazedly.
rs there really any danger Of
The conductor was gone. Hawkins
sank Upon seat and gasped and
gasped.
"Oh, Griggs, Grtggs." he sobbed. IF
I had only known! If / could havs
foreseen this.'
IF you ever could foresee anythings q
I said, bitterly.
But it's partly-yes, it's all that
cursed engineers fault"
/ People began to troop into the car.
They came crushing along in droVes,
frightened to death, some weeping,
some half-mad with terror.
Hawkins surveyed them with much
the expression of Napoleon arriving in
Hadss. The conductor approached onee
more.
They're all in here" he said, re-
signedly. Thank heaven, there are
two freight cars on the rear of the
train. That may do a little good!
But tnat express! Man, man! What
have YOU done!"
Did he do it? Is it his fault" cried
a dozen voices
No, no, no, mol" shrieked the in
ventar. Hes lying!''
You'd better tell the truth now,
man., said the conductor, sadly. You
may net have much longer to tell II.
Lynch him." yelled some one.
There was a move toward Hawkins.
don't know where it might have end
ed. Very likely they would have sus-
pended Hawkins from one Of the ven-
tilators and pelted him with hand
satcnels-and very small blame to
them had there been time.
But just as the crowd moved-well,
then fancied that the world had come
| to an end.
There was a shock, terrific beyond
| escriptfon-windoW panes clattered
into the ear-the whole coach was
hurled from the track and slid slde-
ways for several seconds.
Above US the roof split wide open
and let in the sunlight. Passengers
were on the seats, the floor, on their
| heads!
Then, with final series of creaks
and groans all was STILL
Hawkins and l were near the ragged
I opening which had once been door.
! We cl1mbed out to the ground and
looked about us.
] Providence had been very kind to
Hawkins. The Washington express was
standing, unexpectedly, at a water
tank-part OF it, at least. Her huge To-
connective was on its side.
| Our two freight cars and two more
passenger cars with them were piled
Up in kindlipg wood. Even the next
| car was derai1ed and badly smashed
The Aleomotive, too, reclined upon
one side and blazed merrily, a fitting
tai1-piece to the scene.
But not a soul had been killed
we learned that from one of the groups
which swarmed from the express, after
| a muster had been taken of our own
| passengers. It was maryel-but a
fact.
Hawkins and edged away slowly.
Lets get out O. thist" he whispered,
hoarseIy. There's that Internal con-
duetor. He seems to be looking for
some ene.''
We did get out OF 1t. In the excite
ment we sneaked down By the ex-
press, past it, and struck into the hills.