Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1898 — RACE FOR A BRIDE. [ARTICLE]

RACE FOR A BRIDE.

DUKE GAKLTON paced restlessly back forth on the platform at the station of D . He was a nian.2o years of ago, upon whom Nature had certainly lavished an undue amount of good looks, but whose face was marred at present by a look of contempt for everything upon which his glance might chance to fall. And It was scarcely to be wondered at, for In just nine hours, as time was told by the large, slowly ticking clock in the waiting room at the depot, Duke Carlton was to be married. And here he was forty miles from his destination, and had just been told by the station agent that the trains had changed time, his train having left at precisely twen? ty minutes before his arrival, and there would not be another before 8 that evening. Eight—the hour set for his marriage with sweet Lula Houghton. What would she, could she, think? What a position to put her in! Already he imagined the crowded church, the sea of eager faces, the waiting bride, and no Duke, lie must reach the city of E —- in time for the ceremony; but how ? Presently he walked back, to the little ticket office where the agent was laboriously writing. “Do you know if there is any sort of conveyance around here that I could get to take me to the next village? I would pay well for one, as it is imperative that I should reach E before night." The agent calmly finished the sentence he was writing, pushed the cap he was wearing on the back of his head still farther back, and having thoughtfully chewed the end of ids pen for about half a minute, replied: “1 duuno. You might be able to git old Harmon’s horse and buggy if ’tain’t let. He keeps the tavern ’bout a stone’s throw from here, an' sometimes lets' his horse; but lie wants a tarnation price. You can try him, though; that’s his chimney you see jest over the yeller house there.” And be rose lazily and pointed vaguely down the street. Where a number of small houses were visible, among which the yellow one stood but distinctly, haying been recently built aud just received i’tsf coat of priming. Duke walked rapidly from the depot aud hastened in tlie direction of the “tavern," keeping the chimney in view as a gaurd against mistake, and soon found himself before a dirty, ill-kept, ill-looking place, from which an odor of boiled cabbage and ouious was now Issuing. To his loud and twice-repeat-ed knocking tlie door was finally opened by tin untidy specimen of womankind froiii which lie would at any other time have recoiled in disgust; hut his necessity was urgent, so, stepping forward, he raised his hat and courteously asked if he might see the proprietor. After a prolonged srure. as if mentally digesting the word, she answered with a lihlf grunt: “Ain’t ’t home, but I’m ’is wife, ’nd we ain’t no secrets. What du you want?" Duke smiled in spite of his perplexity before he replied: “I merely came to sec if I could engage some one to take me over to the rlllage east of here. I must reach E to-night; I believe I can get a carriage there.” “There ain’t no horse to hum,” she said, “but Abe would take you over in the mornin’. Do you want lodgin’ fur the night?” she added, an eager look taking the place of the previous vacant itare. “No, thank you,” said Duke; “if I cannot find a vehicle of some description, I suppose I must walk, for I must certainly get there to-night. Can you hell me about how far lr is to the next 'Tillage, and which Is the nearest way to go r “It’s four mile and a half by the railroad, an’ nigh onto seven if you take the road,” km the forty answer, as she mw that ther* was not evea a remote

chance of “Abe’s" making something In the morning. “But ’taln’t many as ilkes to go by the railway, on ’coant of the’ narrer tunnel, though it’s a deal nearer.” “Thanks. Then if I take to the track here and go straight ahead I shall come out at the village at the end of about four miles?” A nod was bis answer, followed as he turned away by the words; “Four an’ a half, I said.” So Duke started to wulk the four and a half miles, concluding he must take theshortestway lie could, as he had not a superabundance of time; there might be some little delay even after he arrived at the village. So he began Ills journey at once, without even stopping for dinner. He had passed the third-mile post when- he reached the tunnel. “Ah!” he said aloud “Here is the tunnel of which she warned me. I wonder how long It Is? What a dunce I was not to ask! It does look like a ticklish place, that’s a fact —small, one-track affair. I don’t half like* the idea of going through it. Wonder if I’d have made it if I’d taken tin* road? Well, it’s too late now—l’m in for it!” He had groped along for about a quarter of a mile, feeling his way carefully by the wall. Not a thought of any actual danger had entered his head—full of his fair bride-to-be—until suddenly a dull rumble struck his ears, and caused him to wonder whence the sound proceeded. Another instant and there flashed across his brain the horrible reality. A train was coming, from which direction be could not tell, but certainfy coming, and if the tunnel proved much longer the fact was undeniable that he should he crushed beneath the Iron monster there alone In the darkness, and no one would know his fate. He listened, laying his ear to the rail; it was coming in the rear. He quickened his steps—he ran—ran as rapidly as he dared for fear of a misstep which would hinder instead of advance bis ends. Now the roar comes nearer; he can imagine the train as it is tearing along, carrying death to him. He thinks.each individual hair is standing on end. The sweat pours down his face, and still this darkness, still this louder roar of the engine as It comes’steadily nearer and nearer, and tils strength is nearly exhausted.

At last a gleam of light greets him at the farther end of the tunnel. O, what hope it inspires! lie thinks of the races lie has won at college, and determines to take a fresh start. Yes, he will run as if running a race, and forget the huge monster behind him which seems to paralyze his limbs and prevent all motion; he will run, rim—he must win—bow terrible the result if he does not! lie thinks of Lula, his sweetheart, his wife that was to have been. Shall he ever see her again? The light ahead grows more and more distinct, but his strength is going, and the train behind is rushing on fast; It seems quite close now; lie can almost feel its breath upon him; still lie runs. Another moment and he will have gained or lost—which? lie must make that short space! What a thing it is, this being face to face with death! He cannot hold out much longer; he feels he must lose —and what tbeu? But no —he will make one more effort. He clears the tunnel, leaps from the track, and falls headlong down the bank on the side, saved—but unconscious, while the heavily loaded freight train passes by. But the engineer had seen him jump, and. not being able to ascertain whether he had been struck by the cowcatcher or not, stopped the train and wont back in search of him; and when Duke Carlton regained consciousness he w as-lying ou a seat in the depot In the village for which he had started some hours liefore. lie was not seriously injured. His fall had but stunned him. and in an hour lie was to proceed on his journey, a little pale, it is true, and shaky in the lower extremities, but otherwise rejoicing that lie had succeeded in his quest, aud would he In time for his wedding, with thirty minutes to spare. . J Duke Carlton does not believe in the theory that a person's hair turns white in a night from sudden fright or sorrow, for his own raven locks show not a trace of silver; and surely no one ever had a more terrible fright or a narrower escape than did he on his wedding day, when he ran a race for his bride. — Chicago Tribune.