El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-02
THE ACCIDENT.
By Paul Marguerite.
3 > ; 3 > > ; ; > = > : ; :

FUST as we had settled down in the
compartment. the joviaI red face Of
y DR.. TrinseI appeared. painting and
perspiring.
hello. doctor! This way" I
broad smile Illuminated his fsA-
lures and, while we took care Of his
instrument case. a bulky. red, worn
ont affair. he hOisted himself up the
steps not without considerable effort
The train was already moving.
IT was almost sure was going to
miss it," he gasped, stroking his long
patriarchal gray beard. which was
known for 20 miles around Trinsel
was a splendid old fellow and popular
everywhere.
With his keen blue eyes he examined
everythinE-the narrow compartment,
the arohed ceiling with the large lamp
in the center, the gray corduroy Of the
seats. the emergency brake and the
telegraph wires flying past the window
as the train gained speed
you may not believe me-" he said,
but have never got into a train at
this station during the last 20 years
without a feeling Of anxiety and pre-
monition Of sudden death"
But what has then happened TO you
here?"
"oh, I just escaped being killed, that's
all"
And, after a moments silence. he
added:
o"Accidentl Fatel That grim beast
which lies in ambush waiting for US
when we least expect 1t. Accident
which lies hiding in the green grass
crOuching behind the corner OF wall
which floats invisible in the air! To
say nothing about disease, death IS
lurking everyWhePe. Still, one lives and
grows old. And there are even people
who live to be 100. That is indeed
miracle"
With a malicious smile in, his stern
blue eyes. Trinsel went on:
yes, it is a miracle, as we are not
made from iron, platinum or gold e
are made from flesh, soft and trall
flesh. If il get near the fire 1t burns,
in water it browns, a knife cuts II IKE
a sausage. Our eyes are Vulnerable N
many ways, our bones break easily, ana
If our throat is squeezed little we
suffocate. There is not single part
of our body that is in any way pro-
tected. And ] who am talklng-WnO
have brought hundreds OF babies into
this world, who have set bones, mended
broken legs, scraped intestines and
sewed UP stomachs, who have worked
IN hospitals ana VINO nave Deen 6A-
posed to all kinds of Injection am
chattering away here so years old ana
with 20 more to come
I'VE find it so natural that we are
( living. IT is extraordinary, unheard
Of, when death il stalking among Us
like a ferociouss Unsuitable monster.
And we escape it one time after the
other
a person ought to be fatalist
What is written, is writteni Now this
is what happened to me at Marenne
20 years ago on this very same little
station, which has not changed at all.
Ct had an amputation in a village
near here and arrived at the station !
can still see the gray cart of the car
rier, a lot of dirty children playing in
the mud with a fat pig. one of those
pink pigs which are the pride of les
Landes, a customs inspector, an old wo-
man in black with a flat straw hat on
her head.
at buy my ticket. Ny servant Bap-
tistin, who looks after my horse and
dog cart. hands me my instrument case
and [ start to walk across the track to
the platform opposite without undue
hurry Just rs 7 am ready to climb it.
my foot is caught III a switch and I am
trapped, held fast by the heel OF my
shoe.
AT first I did not mind it at all !
| did not think It would be difficult to
/ get loose; but no, the iron jaws held