The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1912-11-07
SHE MARRIED
HIM
By ARTHUR W. BREWSTER


beginning OF their marital affairs and
some meetings were commonplace.
One experience was quite thrilling
The lady told II as follows:
/ was just twenty years old and was
travelling abroad. There are today
many and were then a few American
girls who thought nothing Of travelling
In Europe alone. | was one Of these
While In Paris, devoting my time to
sight seeing, | made an excursion to
Fontainebleau. 1t is an interesting relic
Of former times, especially Of Napoleon
the Great, who there signed his abdi
cation as emperor Of France and took
leave Of his troops. / spent pleasant
day there and aimed in the afternoon
to take a certain train to Paris. But
delayed so long among the curios that
was late in arriving at the station.
When the train approached l was still
at quite a distance. But the driver
whipped his horse TO a gallop and |
reached the station a moment before
the train started again.
l jumped from the carriage, handing
the driver the fare as l did so. and
ran for the train. The doors Of the
coaches were shut. but thinking
could open one of them stepped on to
the footboard. The door I attempted
to enter was locked. Thinking the
passengers might open it from the in
side, l called upon them to do so.
D,,A hA hoI hy ho
guard and they were unable to open it
The train started and I was about
to step back on to the platform Of the
station when a man inside called out
to me to hold on and he would lift me
In. This decided me to remain where
I was that he might do so. He tried
and failed. I was left hanging on to
the door handle.
He became my husband? Not at all.
After inducing me to remain where i
was instead of regaining the platform
while it was still possible he permitted
me to hang on alone, my life every mo-
ment in danger. He might have got
out and supported me, but he did not
Meanwhile the train was going at
full speed and with every lurch
thought should lose my grip. Besides,
the wind made by the train was fright
full, coming as it did in gusts How
long l must remain in my perilous po-
sition before the train stopped at the
next station I did not know; but one
thing knew, IL the time was long
would be lost, for I could not stand the
continued jolting and wind blasts.
There are no bell cords on European
trains as there are In America, and
those who saw me were unable to stop
the train.
was wondering how long I could
hold on when saw a man getting out
Of window Of the coach next ahead
Of me. He gained the footboard and
worked his way to the rear end Of his
coach.
No, he was not my husband either
He did not dare to attempt to pass the
space between the two coaches. He
looked at it lugubriously, then at me.
then made his way back to his COM
partment and climbed in at the win
dow, leaving me to my fate.
turned about in order to face the
wind instead Of having it on my back,
and saw man coming toward me from
the first coach after the engine. When
he reached the end Of his car he did
not look at the interval between 1t and
the next, but grasped what was requir-
ed for the feat and swung himself to-
ward the next car. For few moments
he hung in midair, not being able to
get his feet on the footboard of the
coach he was striving to reach. Then
he succeeded, and breathed again.
He sided along easily till he reach
ed the next interval, looking at me
as much as to say: "Eold on; I'll be
with you in a moment" But when
he strove to cross the next interval
between coaches he was not as fresh
as he had been and found the passage
more difficult But he succeeded, and
had but one more interval to cross.
Meanwhile my own strength was
rapidly waning. At any moment a
lurch might come that would shake me
of the foot board and at the rate the
train was going would probably have
been dashed to pieces. Pausing for an
instant to wave a hand to me en-
couragingly, my would be rescuer
started for the last gap. He hung be-
tween the cars, as he had done at the
first crossing, and II seemed to me that
this time 1t would be impossible for
him to secure a footing. But he sue
eeeded at last and in a few moments
more his arm was around my waist.
There was a danger Of my fainting.
Indeed. was only prevented by a new
terror. was no sooner supported by
my preserver than the train dashed
on to a high bridge and we were cling
ing above the surface Of a river far
below.
But more than this was in store for
us. After crossing the river we
plunged into the side Of a mountain.
The darkness, the dirt, the smoke and
gases emitted from the engine were
appalling. Never in the world would
have got over the bridge or through
the tunnel had 1t not been for the
strong arm and iron will Of the man
who held me. But as soon as we
came to daylight again the strain was
over. We pulled up at a station.