A DANGEROUS RACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5634, 6 December 1879, Page 7

A DANGEROUS RACE.

!\v> la;ies in a phaeton were crossing tho track of the New York Branch of the Pennsylvania R-.idroad the other day on the Lamb Tavern lload, when a heavily laden freight train proceeding northward at a high ia'.e of speed, came almost upon them. Miss il. len I.t-'cd, of Tioga, who was driving, endeavoured to hasten the horse over the track, when the animal turned and rushed up the track just in advance of the moving train and upon the same line of rail. Leed's companion, Mrs. Richard Harper, of Trenton, sprang f;om the phaeton, alighting on the s mth-boui.d track, from which she Mad ] only tiiu-.'to ccapa as a fast express train rushed by, t;oing south. Meanwhile the lady in the phaeton strove to turn the frightened animal from the track, and urged it to greater speed to escape the fast approaching freight train, the ei.gineer of which reversed his engine and sharply whistled for breaks. The next crossing east of the Lamb Tavern Road is a partly-graded -street, just west of German Town Railroad Junction and a little less than half a mile from Lamb Tavern lload. Miss Leed, finding she could not turn the horse from the road, urged the animal towards the crossing as the only means of escape. She reached it just in time, and with a desperate pull at the reins, turned the horse's head down the s'eep hill so quickly indeed that he fell into the ditch at the roadside, bringing the phaeton ani its fa'r occupant on the top of him. Some gardeners near by rushed up and gave assisttaucc, ail l the con.-luctcr, having stopped the train, camerai-liing back, thinkingthattheengine had struck tliccarriage, soclose were they together when Miss Leed succecded in getting out of the way. Her injuries are painful, but not serious. As soon as she was lifted from the wreck of her carriage she laughed merrily, and said slio always knew Fido, the horse, could beat a freight train, and immediately fainted. Mr-. Harper was taken up in a senseless condition, and carried to an adjoining house, when she was presently recovered. During the exciting race the ep"ine was at no time farther away from the lmSfcton than 25 feet. Had Miss Leed l"st her presence of mind, or had the train men failed in elio eking the speed of the train, the escape of the lailies would have been impostible. —Philadelphia Times