Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-08-03
Affecting R..iway Incident.


A correspondent Of the Cincinnati Com
meTcal relates the following
IAN incident perhaps common in some pla-
ccs, but very uncommon in our section OF tho
country, occurred on board the train OF cars.
| noticed, wheo the car set out from the sta
| ton at Martirsburg, where we stopcQ for
! supper, rwo little boys seated Oh car seat
two removes from the one | occupied, who
wore q very forlorn appearance. The young
eT, q little lad OF SIX years, seemed trying To
cry, while the elder, e7idcntiy his brother, a
bright lad Of ten year,, was giving bin en-
c5uragCmen. in a low voice, aud glancing ap
preheos veiy at the front car door, through
which The conductor was prGsGntIy to make
his entrance In time be came, and after
the usual question and some mumb!ed re-
sponsc By the elder boy, addressed him in
rather rough voice "Ah, so you're On board
again, are you? Well ypu must get of at
the next stopping place" The next stopping
place came, but the little boys Dover stirred
from their seat. Presently the conductor
came around again. "S1 you're on board
vet, are you? Well, we will have you put II
the next time the cars stop" At this the
Little 10y began to cry audibly, and one Of
my Kentucky acqualntanccs, who sat just In
front Of them, questioned the elder a. t. what
allied their. From their replies we CLEANED
the following account:
They were two brothers, and had left Bal
tnore, where they had previously resided,
about week before. Their mother had
been dead some time, and their father lost bis
life bv an accident while engaged I work on
a buiidibg, Just two days before they set ont
on their trip. They had been left destitute
and finding no resource but the usual place
of refuge, had resolved to 90 West where
their big brother Lucas, who was married,
aud their big sister Martha, who expected to
be, were living. They refused to wait until
in answer 10 a letter, their brother could
come or send for them but without money.
they had seated themselves in the cars, al d
been put of regularly and successfully from
each train at the station, usually making
one, and very rarely the distance between
two stations. They had experienced little
diaicu,y in securing something to eat and
place 10 sleep, from the charity OF the villa
gers along the way. Ia this manner they
had cor quered over a quarter OF the length
Of the Baltimore and Ohio road, and with
equal success could hope to attain Chicago
the goal Of their journey, late 10 the fall
Upon becoming satisfied that their story was
really one OF truth, my friend, the kentuck
ian, proposed aud took up collection amOrg
the passengers for their benefit, which resulted
in the ha1d-ome sum Of between thirty and
forty dollars. The conductor, to whom they
had simply stated that they bad neither mt
ney nor ticket, when told the circumstances,
refused to take any fare from them. And 50
cur little friends came all the way 10 Wheel
in at one ride.
The following day, after dinner, as the
kentuckian aud myself were sitting IN front
Of the Sprigg House, smoking cigars, the
little hero came tugglng before us s.a!wart
well dressed young man, whom be vociier-
ously announced as his big brother, who had
set cut from Chicago to bring them to his
home and had there, By the luckiest chance,
met them 10 the hotel. The big brother made
an earnest offer to return the money cOntrl.
buted TO our keeping, saying that the boys
had no need Of it; that he was well to TO;
had often v.inly endeasored to get bis father
to Gene to his home. But We refused to &C
cept it, and babe hIm use it for the boys
That evening they set cut for Chicago, aud
long ere this, | presume the little heroes
have been clasped in the arms OF their big
sister,"