Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-12-06

he proceeded the greater the inequality
Of the height Of the rails As he ap
| preached the center abutment this In
equality was sufficient TO throw
train or the bridge into the river
Jakcy quailcd The bridge was
breaking down. and h. knew not but
that farther On part ~ II might
/ have been swept away lie hcsltated
thinking TO return tn vain he thought
Of his little sister ana that her life
might haug upon bis getting doctor
I lie dare not 20 on \ gust hercer
than any preceding swept over the
structure ana De could hear terrible
crlekiug beyond lie was appalled,
lie turned to 10 back. but stopped
! From distance. borne on the wind
came the rnitle Of train
Jakey knrw that this WAS the eX
press that IL was passing on open
space some Hvc miles away. where he
hnd often seen II pass before But It
Nas seven miles by the winding OF the
railroad Within quarter OF an hour
Il would be- 90 the bridge He was
near the center SO far as he could
judge he would barely have time 10
get on terra tirma by going either FOR
ward or back The bridge would 20
down with the train aud he would
90 down with both He was reason
abs sure that behind him the bridge
was standing. for he had Just come
. 4 4 h.
through tho darkness
4 whir Of influences passed through
the child. hrain-hiS sick sister his
troubled mother and now the horror
81 train frciShtod with people going
down info that terrible chasm Per
haps i was this that decided him.
lie never knew what decided him. He
only knew that he could not go back.
Al his nature rcvolted against doing
so. lie must 20 forward
And he ga At the center abutment
he found that Il had partly given way
and one ral WAS at the lowest point
below the other As he crawled for
ward Il began 20 rise again This gave
| him courage lie saw that the damage
was caused by the giving way Of the
ahutmcnt u the river. and the one on
the farther bank was likely standing.
A whistle SO clear that it Indicated a
near proximity " the train spurred
him on Despite the danger 81 being
blown OF the bridge he stood up and
walked on thu ties lie was not now
over the boiling water aud that was a
relief.
Suddenly a bright light flashed ahead
Of him a locomotive bad rounded a
curve and was heading on a straight
track for the bridge lakcy began 10
swing hts lantern He heard the sound
attending the checking Of train. but
the headlight ~ the locomotive Jared
nearer ,lakey was now some nifty feet
from the end ~ the bridge and feared
10 be run down He could only stand
| his ground aud swing his lantern
The train came 10 stop sfter pass
Ing few feet on to the bridge The
engineer waited for the light 10 al
vance and. leaning ont from his cab.
heard Jakey's report 81 the condition
Of the bridge shuddcr passed over
the biz man ON the mammoth engine
at hearing that ne ana his trainload
OF people had been saved from fright
ful fall to death by the boy with the
little upturned face beneath him.
a light was coming forward. and the
conductor approached Here and there
in the cars window was thrown up
and head thrust out The conductor
heard the story that the bridge was
wrecked and he, too. shuddered
Il got to 90" said Jakey
Go whcre;" asked the conductor me
chanically
Il got TO 20 a piece up the road for
doctor Ny little sisters sick"
Get aboard the train. We're going
to back w
The engineer extended hand TO the
boy and lifted him into the cab AS
soon as he got him there he folded him
In hts arms and kissed him. Then he
kissed him again and again until he
heard the conductor say:
Come; back up"
Jakey was put of at station
which was very near the doctors
house. but by this time the news Of
the narrow escape had spread among
the passengers. and they crowded
around the boy on the platform, imped
Ing hts progress When they heard
that sick babys life depended upon
his further efforts they suffered him
10 proceed When some twenty min
utes later he passed the station with
the doctor in the lattcrs car he wns
met by tie conductor. who poured a
hatful Of money into his lap Then.
followed by cheer. the auto sped Oh
10 the baby
when the doctor arrived he took