Going to death-death, swift and terrible
-at about two miles a minute-getting
nearer. nearer I I thought of my wife and
chidd-nearer ! An instant more-the gap!
"God have mercy,' I shrieked.
"Well, would you believe it! that en
ginejust clared that pap
" It was flfteen feet across, and about
sixty feet deep.
"She jumped that gap like a stag, and
what's more, she struck the rails all right
on the other side, and kept right along,
just as if she had not noticed the gap !
"I stirred Bill up, and, with both of us
at the brake, we managed at last to stop
the 'Witch.'
' She was on a tear that day, hut I never
dreamed she'd jump the gap-that's a
fact."-Taylor's "Fast Life on the Modern
Highway."
Platform of the " Independent Reform
Party" of Illinois.
Following are the resolutions adopted by
the Illinois State Farmers' Convention (to be
known hereafter as the " Independent Re
form Party"), held at Springfield on the 10th:
We, the farmers, mechanics And other citizens
of Illinois, in delegate convention assembled,
deeming it needful for the best interests of this
State and nation that independent political action
be taken by and in behalf of the producing, in
dustrial and other business classes, and in oppo
sition to corporate monopolies that are influenc
ing even controlling, our Legislaturest courts
and executives, and taxing and oppressing our
citizens, appealing to the great fundamental
principles of American liberty and invoking the
favorable judgment our countrymen, do hereby
resolve,
That the preservation of our national life de
mands imperatively that every American voter
should attend with care all primary nominations
and elections so as to insure the election of com- 4
petent and honest men to all offices in the Gov
ernment.
