The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-05-30
SHE MARRIED
HIM
b, ARTHUR ". BREWSTER

b ARTHUR W. BREWSTER
A number Of ladies' drinking after
noon tea were narrating experiences
in their first meeting with their hus-
bands. Some could not remember this
beginning Of their marital Affairs and
some meetings were commonplace.
One experience was quite thrilling.
Tue lady told It 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
I'm Europe alone. was one of these.
While in Paris. 'devotng my time to
sight seeing. ! made an excursion to
Fontainebleau. 1t ia 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. l spent a pleasant
day there and aimed in the afternoon
to take a certain train to Paris. But
delayed so long among the curios that
I was late in arriving Mt the station.
When the train approached I was still
ut quite a distance, But the driver
whipped his horse to a gallop and l
reached the station a moment before
the train started again.
jumped from the carriage. handing
the driver the fare as l did so, and
ran for the train. The doors Of the
coaches we're shut. but thinking 1
could open one Of them I stepped on to
the footboard. The door l attempted
10 enter was locked. Thinking the
passengers might open it from the in
side, I called upon them to do 80.
But the 'd666r Had Been locked BY tie
guard and they were unable to open it
The train started and I was about
10 step back on to the platform of the
station when n 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. BE tried
and failed. I was left hanging or to
the door handle.
He became my husband? Not at all.
After inducing me to remain where 1
was instead Of regaining the platform
while 1t 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 I
thought l should lose my grip. Besides,
the wind made by the train was fright
full, coming as it did in gusts. How
long I must remain in my perilous po-
sihon before the train stopped at the
next station I did not know; but one
thing l knew. II the time was long l
would be lost, for / 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 we're unable to stop
the train.
was wondering how long I could
hold on when I saw a mar getting out
Of a 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 q nan coming toward me from
the first coach after the engine. When
he reached the end Of his a 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 a few moments
he hung in midair, not being able to
get his feet on the footboard Of tho
I coach he was striving to reach. Then
be succeeded, and I breathed again.
He sided along easily till he reach.
ed the next interval, looking at mo
10 much as to say: "Hold on; IN be
with you ina moment" But when
he strove to cross. the next interval
between coaches he was not AZ fresh
% he had been. and found the passage
more dinicult But he succeeded. and
had but one more interval to cross
Meanwhile my own strength was
rapidly waning. At any moment q
lurch might come that would shake me
OF the foot board and at the rate the
train was going I would probably have
been dashed to pieces. Pausing for an
instant to swave a hand to me en-
couragingly. my would be rescuer
started for the last gap. He hung be-
tween the cars. az he had done at the
drst crossing. and It seemed to mo that
this time II would be impossible for
him to secure q footing. But no sue
eeeded ut last and In q few moments
moge his arm was around my waist
There was q danger Of my fainting.
Indsed.l was only prevented by Z new
7 Terror. I was no Q D supported by
NJ pressrver than tho train dashed
1neto q high bridge and We wsrs cling.
- above tho surfaces OF . river fal