He Could not Reach the Brake.
By Christian at Work
THERE is an old story of a California stage-driver who dreamed of a journey down the mountain side under perilous conditions. In his dream he started from the top of the mountain, with a crack of his whip and a shout to his horses, and the stage rolled grandly along the gently declining road. Soon the descent became steeper, and the horses were dashing along on the full gallop, but the driver, confident of his power to check them when the necessity should come, still cracked his whip and urged them onward. The stage was now going at a fearful rate, and the passengers became affrighted; but the driver only grasped his lines more firmly, and pulled steadily upon them. At length he could no longer disregard the danger from the headlong speed at which he was driving, and he reached forward to place his foot upon the brake, when he found that it was beyond his reach! To loosen his hold upon the lines would be to give up all control over his frightened horses, and he made another and a more determined effort to reach the brake, but the brake was still beyond his reach. Faster and faster went the stage down the steep road, and more and more frantic became the efforts of the driver to stop it; but the brake was beyond his reach! Just below there was a sudden turn in the narrow road. Upon one side was the solid wall of the mountain height; upon the other a fearful precipice. To pass that at the speed at which he was going, would be to court instant death. Once more the driver gathered all his energies together for one last frenzied effort to check the speed of the flying stage, but alas! it was of no use! He could not reach the brake! Who has not known men who were on the down grade of intemperance, and who could not reach the brake?—whose destinies were freighted with the lives of near and dear friends, whom they were bearing down to lives of misery and disgrace, but who could not reach the brake!—who saw wealth, honor, love, happiness, being left behind them in their flying descent, but who could not reach the brake!—who saw before them the yawning abyss of eternal death for themselves and their children, but still they could not reach the brake!