The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-08-05

fc paSStu theTS, ahd All mas Deen quiet,
but the next time I'd pass there would be
some one at The door or in the strawberry
patch in front.
We get to be such friends at last that
l used TO buy candy and duughnuts and
heavc 'em into the garden as I went by for
the children to scramble after, and that's
what it was that did it., aud this is how It
was:
We were going comfortably along one
| afternoon, till, az we got near the clearing
where my friends, as called them, were
located, | began TO forage about in my
pockets for couple of papers Of some
thing that I'd got, when my steker says,
"Hallo ! what's that on the line 20
'Cow," says I.
Cow no." he says. "Why-wby
It's children -
Sound the''-T did not stop to finish,
bot opened the little valve myself, making
the shril afternoon air quiyer with the
| holio~ booming roar it sent far and wide
THAT'S moved EN-" says my ssoker,
laughing to see the little distant figures
scamper away.
81 thought it would" says and then,
with my hand on the valve, | made the
thing scream and roar again, fo7 there was
one Of them still in the middle of the track.
Ia moment I'd forgotten all about the
stuff in the papers, for serious sort of
| feeling came over the, one that for few
mumeuts took all the nerves from nv
| limbs so that l could not move and then,
instead Of reversing the engine, | began
n fpFy NH & 4
feeling, my stoker stood staring with all
his might ct the poor little child
We were too near it to have done our
parts, and II was with groan, seeming TO
force itself ont of my breast, that told
myself It was through encouraging the
poor children with presents that this WAS
going TO happen, for there, seeing no dan
| ger, was bright eyed, long haired thing,
dancing about and waving its hands as " e
came swiftly on.
1t tak es me sometime 10 tell, but If only
| took few moments; and there it is all
| now like picture that, having once seen,
can never forget. 1t was n glorious,
golden, sun-shiny afternoon, with all look
| ing bright and mellow the hut with its
patch Of hQwers the children by the side
OF the line, and their mother running out
wild and frantic like. but only 10 drop down
in the track, half way between the door
and where her little one was dancing and
| waving her little hands as we glided on.
felt like man does in one of those
night-mare dreams, when the will is there
! TO do something, only dreadful kind of
! force holds you back and you can see dan
ger coming nearer, and not avoid it. We
neither of Us spoke, but stood there, one
on each side, leaning forward as helpless
as the poor little child in the front, till with
ALMOST yell fought clear of the power
that seemed to hold me, and with the feel
ing on me that L was too late, crept along
the side OF the engine, and lay down with
| arms extended ia font of the cow-catcher
Only moments, but moments that seem
ed Ike hours, as with lie strange, hurry
ing, jumping motion the engine dashed
down, as l told myself, TO crush out the
life of that poor little innocent. l wanted
to shut my eyes TO keep out the horrible
sight, but 1 dared not and though now ]
seemed to be doing what might save the
child's life. / could not think it possible.
There it was, juet In front, and yet we ap-
peared to come no nearer. In AN ordina-
ry way we should have passed the shanty
a dozen times but now the horror OF
those moments acted so on my imagi-
nation that we seemed to crawl slowly but
surely, ike the motion of some vast ma
chine that hardly seems to move. and yet
forces its way on with power that there
is no stopping.
Twenty yards-ten yards-were we
never going TO pass over the spot or
would some miraculous power stop the en-
CINE? [ tried to shout, but only curious
hoarse noise came from my throat; l
wanted TO wave my hands, but they re-
mained stretched out obslinateIy toward
the child.
Five yards-four-thr There was
the little thing laughing in It's innocent
glee, for it was expecting some little pres
ent from me, who was then calling myself
its murderer, and there lay mosionless as
a statue.
Two yards-one-at last-all over
There was shock as we dashed down on
the little thing, who seemed to stretch out
its hands to mine, and TO leap, actually
jump into my arms, ard then, with it
tightly grasped, we were still going on
and on, with my eyes shut, but feeling
that | had the child tightly held to my
breast, and yet not able to look to see if
1t was hurt.
Then don't know how it was, but
believe l must have got up and crawled
back to the place by the stoker but l
don't know, can't recollect doing it, on
ly finding myself sitting down there hold
ing the frightened little child in my arms,
and feeling stunned and helpless as a child
myself.
''What am doing of ?" said at last,
for my stoker had spoken to me. s'Why,
I'm crying" | said and so was, crying