Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-10-21

sometimes IN pleasant weather they
wander on the track. lie down. fall asleep
and never waken.
farner Brady knew all this. lie had
known il for years. 1t had been a source
oi great anxiety to him. But his own
and his wifes watchful eyes had saved
them from any such calamity. The chill
dren had all grown up to years of dis
cretion, save little Robert, his darling.
lie too would soon be Old enough to com
prehend the danger, and then all anxiety
would cease.
II was in the month OF July. Farmer
Brady WAS doing his hayius in the
meadow. The field where he was at
work was on the opposite side OF the
RAILROAD, between The uacS and the river.
There was rising ground between him
and the house, 50 that he could not see
the track where it passed in front of the
buildings Farmer Brady had eaten his
dinner that day. and was preparing TO 30
o his work A he passed ont at the
door he took little Robert up in his arms
aud kissed him. Little Robert twined
his arms around his fathers neck and re-
turned the kiss. Ii Wa, the last time!
when Farmer Brady sat liule Robert
down, something impelIed him to say to
his wife: Il never iee easy when | am
away. You know what an awful thing
it would be If Robert should go on the
track Keep your eyes uu him. aud do
ao, ie, him 90 ou, lor moment
Mrs Brady promised To- do 50. and the
tanner wcut to his work.
Donald McShecley Was the engineer oi
ihc freight train That day hc ran down
the ri,vr. The next DAY lac was to run
zap. Two hours after dinner he train OF
diy heavily laden freight cars came
thrudcrins down the valley. Opposite
Br,d,'> house it Was descending grade.
The house was hidden by curve until
the train was within hundred rods As
the train Swcp, round the curve Donald
McSAeeley s.,W child OH the track, op.
,o,iie the house A shrIl alum whistle
startled farmer Brady at his work. Rush.
ius To- Tie brow If The little declivity he
he threw his arms wildly in the air and
sh,icked aloud My God Robert Is on
the uacS :"
Fifty heavily laden freight cars are not
easily stopped. The steam was reversed,
every break ~, applied, but the train
still Numbered on. on, on The brave
engineer ran out on the engine at the
peril of hi, lite, and suoye TO save the
child /, was all in vain. The mercleSs
wheels rolled on them way No one
would have dreamed that the mansled,
shapeless mass so tenderly borne into the
home alter the train had passed WAS Little
Robert Brady. the beautiful. bluc.eyed,
curly headed boy. the light OF whose lie
had gone out forever. From that mo.
mcnt the question was on every tongue.
Could Donald McSheeley have stopped
The train in season to save the child II
he could have done it, yet failed to, was
he not a murderer Was Donald Nc
Sheeley murderer? Was lie guilty. or
not guilty This was the all absorbing
question. not only Of private conyersa.
tion but Of public journals
The train moved on to It's destination.
No one KNOWS what WAS in the heart OF
Donald McSheeley At that hour. This
can only be couicciured from what follow
ed. Two DAYS after li;t!e Robert Brady's
mAugled body was laid away. The little
curly head. the little arms that twined SO
+ lovingly around the fathers neck, were
hid away in the darkness and silence.
Think ye that little Roberts spirit is hid
away with the manglsd body? Or has it
I flown where it walks in new beauty and
rejoices in new body that can never
/ fee The touch Of pain and decay? No
/ peu can picture the anguish ol farmer
( Brady's household How it occurred
that little Robert stole out so mysterious.
! IL and WAS not Discovered until i, was
too late will never bc known
From that hour farmer Brady could not
help revolving in his mind the oft re-
/ iterated question, was Donald McSheeley
guilty OF the murder OF his boy? The
story was told in the papers Tar and near,
and the startling question everywhere
raised was he guilty. or not guilty?
\ week passed and farmer Brady OBJ
tanned no satisfactory answer TO the ques-
lion. lie began to believe that Donald
McSheeley had not tried TO save the child.
He fancied that his climbing out on the
engine was merely Il pretence. No, he
did not intend TO save the child. A few
such examples would learn people TO
keep children off the track. Engineers
could not stop the trains for everybody's
children. So farmer Brady reasoned and
believed 1t was impossible for him to
understand the awful momentum Of fifty
heavily laden freight cars. Tue public
glew clamorous Tor M answer. But
what need WAS there for an answer? Why
should the public clamor that Donald
McSheeley should be called to account
ior such an improbable murder, when
numbers of more accidents occasioned by
utter recklessness had passed unnoticed'
l, is hard to tell. unless destiny ordered
il all.