Sharp County record., 1908-07-03
THE SAVING OF THE
HSDHIGH7' EXPRESS
Copyright, by Daily Story Pub. Co..
BY viii Gage Carey.

April lSt-BluSlefy ana RAINY, With
lark, lowering sky; yet withal date
that will live forever in the annals of
Dawson's Dells the date the midnight
express was saved from destruction
~ Syvia-Sylvia OF the Dells
Lest there be even a momentary
misapprehension of existing facts and
conditions, it may be just as well to
state right at the start that Sylvia
was a gentle, dreamy-eyed, common
COW; no, not common GOVT Could
a common cow display an intelligence,
realization Of an impending danger
and then, Withal, possess the moral
courage and stamina to stand stead.
last and alone to ward off DISASTER
to save the lives of hundred imper-
lied human beings? Well, hardly!
Night had closed in dark and rainy
Der the clustered homes Of Dawson's
Dells. The wind howled dismally
along the narrow, deserted streets,
driving in fitlul gusts the sharp rain
against the window-panes, causing the
Inmates of the lowly, modest homes
to draw closer to the blazing fire.
places, while a feeling of genial
warmth prevailed DER ALL
Outside, nothing was stirring; yes,
there was one: Sylvia-Sylvia of the
Dells-was stirring
AS she stood patiently chewing her
cud In the back lot, the thought
came to her Of certain hay stack in
an open field several miles up the
railroad track. True, the stack did
not belong to the same man that
Sylvia belonged to; but why squabble
over a minor point like that!
She could readily find her way to
the stack on the darkest night; she
had been there many times before.
In fact, so persistent. so pains.t taking
had been her attack upon the leeward
side OF the stack, there was now a
great hole wherein she could crowd
her whole body,
What could be more delicious on a
night IKE this than to crawl into the
hole and, sheltered from wind and
rain, contentedly chew the fragrant
timothy till morning? Nothing-abso.
lutely nothing!
With Sylvia Of the Dells, to plan
was to put into immediate execution.
Climbing through the bars of the back
lot, she started for the stack; to ex.
podite matters she took to the rail-
road track.
scarcely had she gotten beyond the
yard limits Of Dawson's Dells when
she paused, horror-struck!
The long trestle he'd been washed
away by the foaming torrent that
roared and ragged beneath!
She glanced hurrledly back at the
town clock! lieavensl In 10 minutes
the midnight express would pass Daw
sons Dells!
But q moment she hestated then
quickly she rotraced her steps, head
Ing hurriedly toward q rcd switchligh,
burning just beyond the depot.
Would she be IN time? She must
must save the express!
Rushing frantlcally up to the switch
she caught the red lantern over hel
horn, then started bravely down the
track again for the wash.out!
A low, rumbllng sound behind hol
reached her ears--tho express was
coming!
She knew the express would moi
even slow up for Dawsons Dells; II
all her life she had known It to stoI
there but once--once when 1t broke
an axle on the forward coach.
On, on she rushed, the red llgh
swaying with her 1.-THE, graceful move
monts, and the rapid beating Of hel
palpitating heart!
The rumblng behind her grew
louder! the flash Of a headlight
pierced the Wurky darkness rs the
great engine rounded the curve!
Quickly she turned and swung Tho
red signal back and forth across thC
track, she was answered by u shrll
blast OF tho whistle, with the roar o.
escaping steam and the grinding oI
Nir.bfNkes tho heavy train came to {
sudden stop within hundred feet Of
the yawning chasml
Tho train crow came running for
ward to ascertain the cause OF the
danger signal, accompanied by many
of the frightened passengers, IN mute
horror they ga2ed ON the raging tor
rent before thom, into which they
would have plunged but for the intel
lIeonco, tho intrepid courage OF sylvia
OF the Dells
Loud were tho praises showorod
upon her; but sho took all modostly
even coolly--sho had but done hel
dutyl
In the excitement Of the moment
Sylvia had unfortunately swallowed
hor oud, 30 sho gratefully accepted q
chew Of tobacco from the engineer
| then, swimming the torrent, sho con