Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-10-05
The Heroisrn of
Leslie Forbes
By MURIEL. BLAIR.

A night Of sweet sounds. the beau
tiful villa Of White Shadows scene
Of moonlight joyousness. A fair girl
with pride in her face-Lucia Page,
a conscious young man, her accepted
lover, the center of an admiring thrOng
Harold Worthington.
Beyond the group, Leslie Forbes, his
sister Myrtle and young Walter Dale
the brother q natural athlete In
build, the sister charming model Of
girlish loneliness, her would-be lover
slightly reserved but with a fine in
tellectua1 and human face.
"Well," observed Leslie in his OF
hand way, there's hero worship for
you!"
His companions did not venture any
suggestions. Walter was watching
Myrtle's face with attention. He knew
that pretty Myrtle was something of
a dreamer. He wondered now II she
was comparing him with the great,
bluff Worthington, who was receiving
the adulation of the lfght-minded
group Of loneliness about him as If
II 90 wish you could rouse up my
brother to" Myrtle paused. Walter
was sure she meant to say something
like that" meaning the heroic deed Of
WOrtbington. But she added: ITO
some real action"
81 think know what you mean,
Myrtle" said Walter in his usual d.
rect way. "You believe that Leslie is
indolent. Yes, that is true, but a
more whole-souled friend never lived.
Believe me, I am doing all I can to
urge him to consider study more ser1-
ously."
II know you are" sighed Myrtle, but
gratefully. Mother worries about him
continually.
Walter gave his friend great talk
ing to after arriving at the college,
He worked double time posting him to
keep up with his classes. Leslie
seemed really on the mend. Then
some graduates visited the town, there
was a riotous time and some broken
windows at the village tavern, and
Leslie was in the black books Of the
professors again.
One afternoon Walter sat down to
rest on bench at the railroad sta
ton. He heard the distant roar Of a
coming train just as the station agent
came rushing wildly out Of the depot.
He was white as death.
"Wire from Hampton - he gasped.
Bridge around the curve gone down.
Semaphore won't wOrk-must stop the
limited ="
Walter took it all in at one swift
glance Then he tore off his coat.
Near at hand was the mail crane.
He ran up the steps, placed one
hand on the extended hook, and posed,
GREATNESS.
There was blur, dizzying and
nerve racking. How he did it he could
not later realize-but he gave his body
a swing and landed inside the mail
car.
"The bridge around the curve-is
down." he just managed to gasp to
the astounded mail men. Then he lost
consciousness, to regain it with the
trnlK as q Standgtill, its crew grouped
ahead, where a great gap showed the
vacant bridge chasm. Painfully he
lifted himself from the car. A new
sickening sensation overcame him. He
crept to some bushes and sank into
new Inconsistencies.
How he found his way back to the
college he could only dimly remember,
but some one was rousing him in his
bed, fellow student.
"Tried to get you up before" he an
nounced. forbes has gone"
vaguely.
"Home-telegram Mother dying,
they say. On his way-look there ~
1t was morning newspaper that
the student held before the eyes of
the bewildered Walter. In glaring
headlines the story was told of the
marvellous heroism Of Leslie Forbes,
a student of Hampton college," The
man who had saved five hundred lives
had disappeared after his intrepid act
of bravery, but the discovery of his
coat had revealed his identity.
Three days later q friend wrote him
telling him Of the death of Mrs. Forbes.
And four days later, graduating
amid rare scholastic honors, Walter
received a letter bearing one word,
a welcome. yelling, wonderful word
to his anxious soul: Come" And
Myrtle had written 1t!
Myrtle greeted him as he reached
the Forbes home the next morning.
1t was a pathetic story that she
told. The news Of the saving Of the
train had reached her mother before
she died. She saw her son the hero
of a wonderful deed Of bravery. She
had died happy, Leslie by her side. A
smile upon her face, she blessed him.
and HEN that impressive moment
did not deceive her, but promised to
change his life-a vow he kept. The
true story of the railroad incident he
had since made public.
81 babe you come" spoke Myrtle.
because I wished to thank you, to
tell you how proud l am Of you, be
cause. through you, my mother dice
happy and my brother was saved"
'It was a precious word you sent
me-" responded Walter. 81 am through
with my college education, and am
going back east But, if you ever send
for me again, that one word, Come.
will sDeed mo on nv way TO YOU"