Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-10-10

We stopped. I put my head out OF the
little window in the car was in. A mar
rushed by with white scared face.
'There's man killed" he gasped, aRd
was out of sight.
I followed him.
Something lay beside the track, surroun
ded by fast-gathering crowd.
''Who is it ?" said one. '.Karn tell tel
look on him, he's SO smashed, )" said anoth
er, holding his lantern close to the disfg
ured mass.
''Send fur curriner," whispered fat
man with red face.
"Whe's missed on the tramp said the
conductor, coming up. A pause.
"Tim Kohler," said the fireman. ssGOOd
God, here's his boy!"
A little figure edged itself into thu
crowd. A pale thin boy with great mass
| OF tow-colored hair and sad blue eyes
Jim and l met again.
"Git out O. here" growled the fireman,
wiping away big tears. "This amt NJ
place for boys like you"
II guess kin stay" Jim said, in a still
sort of way. His lips were white, bal
there were no tears in the blue eyes. He
picked the head up and laid it on his lap
softly grooming to himself.
s'Don't fetch him till the currineI
comes" said the fat man, who thought
''curriners" were all powerful.
"He's my father" said the lad. 'I've
got right ter fetch him."
who'll tell his woman?" said the fire.
man.
sit will be hardish,' whispered the con-
ductor.
Jim lifted his head. mo, 'twont; she's
drunk, and when she's that she never
cares"
It was strange scene. The great mass
Of mountains in the distance, black awful
shadows; the still canal; the WIDE expanse
of railroad track; the great engine putting
and snorting, looking like an evil beast;
the men in their red shirts and with hor-
rifed faces, hold in grimy hands the Ian
terms whose Pickering light fell on the
quiet, motionless figure on the ground
with the dead mans head in his lap.
FEATHER were good to me. he were;"
said Jim, slowly. Eyer needn't shake yer
head, Bill Smith; if he did lick me, twas
cause L needed ont. 1t amt none Of yer
business either, John Billings; what yer
howlin' for? he want yer father, wa
he?" Then John relapses into silence.
Pretty soon the ''curriner'' comes, and
in few moments the body is lifted on a
shutter and four men carry it up to the
toll path, then after short distance, down
to a miserable shanty, stopping moment
on the very doorstep where had first seen
Jim.
He pushed open the door.
"Come in, fellers, an lay him on my
bunk; old. woman's in the tother.''
Iglanced around the room. A rusty old
stove propped up with bricks, two broken
down chairs, a rickety table and two beds
we're all the furniture. The window
panes were stuffed with old rags, and a
few cracked dishes stood on the dingy old
mantle piece. On one of the beds lay a
woman sleeping drunken sleep. a hideous
loathsome object.
started to 60 out. In fact, had no
business to enter, but wanted-well, I
don't know what; followed the crowd.
But little hand is laid on my arm.
'It's Jim;" hesays softly, you're the en-
gineer Teller; knows yer. Please stay
with me till she wakes up.'
There was no resisting that pathetic APP
peal. sat glngerly on one of the rickety
chairs and waited, wondering why he had
asked me instead of one of his fathers
associates.
Pretty soon the child came and sat
down, folding his tiny hands and gently
rocking himself to and fro. could not
help thinking of little Paul in ''Domby
and Son.
"You think it's sorter funny axed yer
to stop, but them others is ruff on herr
with a backward glance towards his mo-
ther;) "they makes fun on herr
! The mass on the bed moved. 1t opened
its ewes and cried, ''Wasser! wasser!" in q
hoarse voice.
Jim held the cup to her lips.
where's yer father, yer brat? amt he
COON yit ?''
"He's coom,'' said the boy.
"Where's he? 1 wants him."
sHe's on the bed and can't coom."
"Hey! droonk agin, ma Doubt
"No. mother, he's not droonk; will yer
look at him?"
'.What he's sick ?" she cried, starting
! up.
"Yis."
"Help me.up, yer brat; g'e me yer han. p
Jim helped her up.
Zach! I kin but jes wurk leetle drap,
that's a., that's az
The strange pair moved slowly up to the
bed. The dingy kerosene lamp gave out
feeble light, but light enough to see the
blood trucking down into the red pool on
tina floor.
"Run for the women in the neighbor-
hood, quick" I said to Jim, but he hest.
tated.
"Maybe they won't coom," said he,
sThey never does.s
s'Tell them I'll give them money. Co."
Pretty soon, a herd of creatures, unde-
serving of the name Of women, came
crowding in with loud laughter and coarse
words, and the 'curriner" was with them.
AS he seemed person of much conse-
quence, left a sum of money with him