Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-10-29

ing. At last the beds were made, the
dinner put on the fire, and the mother
wondered how the girls were getting on
in their play house on the track. She
threw shawl over her head and went
out on the platform. At once the wind
blew the shawl over her face, and she
could not see exactly where she stood.
Turning her back to the wind, she be-
gan calling the children. How loudly
the wind roared through the telegraph
wires! Perhaps they could not hear in
all this din. Maybe they were inside
the car, out Of hearing. She walked on
toward the siding. Not thing was to
be seen She wondered if there had not
been a mistake. Perhaps the car was
on the other side track. No. the rails
we're uuoccupled as far as she could see
in every direction. What did it meanf
What had happened !? She staggered
back into the station. and startled her
husband with a cry Of despair. The
car The children y
The station master ran out upon the
platform and looked up and down the
line. Not Pear IN sight! 1t had been
blown away before the terrible wind.
and was perhaps at this instant rolling
swiftly onward with its precious load to
destruction. What would happen to it?
Would it meet tram or run INTO sta
tion? Would the children try to get ont
or would they stay in the car until it
was wrecked? He sprang TO the door OF
the depot to telegraph the terrible news
down the Inc. but just as he opened
the door he saw faint white cloud on
the western horizon.
1t was a train. Help was coming. AT
the instant the wife appeared with new
grief and terror in her eyes. | can
not get a cell in either direction. The
wires are blown down. This only add
ed to the danger, for there was now no
means of sending word IN advance OF
the runaway car. 1t must go on to lts
fate without help or warning. Help
Is coming. mother. Here's the train
bound east!
Nearer and nearer came the tram
and the father and mother stood watch
in it as it cfept along the rails. II
seemed "a irlt would never come. At
last It reached The platform. and prov
ed to be a passenger train bound up lhe
Black river road. and not intended TO
90 in the direction in which the car had
been blown away. The instant 1t stop
ned the station master ran to the en-
oineer and told his terrible story. The
mother with quicker wit. found The con
duclor. and demanded that the engine
be taken of and sent after the children.
The conductor was a man OF regular
habits and such bold request struck
him as something extraordinary. Take
the engine off and leave the train and
passengers waiting at this lonely station!
The idea was prcposterous $! Some OF
the passengers gathered near and asked
what was the matter. Three children
lost, blown away in an empty car
Some one said, Yes, 60 at once. We
can wait here till the engine returns
The conductor said he must telegraph
for instructions; but some enc sad'
'The wires arc down > and tie people
only cried ont The. more, Let the en-
glnc gov So the mother ran to the ten
der and began to pull out the pin' that
the ensine might start.
Hold on, marm! = said brakeman
q will cast her of. You jump aboard
if YOU want to 20 too. Fire up, Jack
and make her hum!' 1t was all done
in a moment. and away flew the en-
gIne. leaving the conductor and station
master staring IN surprise at this slngu-
lar proceeding.
The station master did not feel very
happy. He had halfiutended to 20 VIII
the engine. but it would never do tC
leave his post. Fire steady, Jack
said the engineer to the fireman. Its
no use to get excited, for we're in Tor
long race!
IT'S enough to make fellow excited
to see that woman said the fireman.
The engineer turned round, and ther'
by his side stood the mother, her eye
straining ahead down the line in Searc'
of the missing ones. oh, sir, open u
the throttle wide Don't try 10 saw
coal at such time as this
I'VE must keep cool, marm, and g
steady, or we shall run out OF coal AM
water and come to standstill on th
line
The woman said not word. but nod
ded mournfully and leaned against tn
side of the cab for support, and the'
the fireman gave her his seat, wher
she could look out ahead oyer the line
How the engine shook and roared! Th
little finger of the steam gauge tremble
and rose higher and higher as the stear
pressure increa sed over !hc raging fire
The engine seemed 10 be eating up til
track in front, and behind the rails spu
out like shining ribbons in the sun
The station and train had already sun
t down out of sight, and the grassy hor
> zon on either side seemed to fly ava
: in kind of gigantic waltz. The win
died away to dead calm, and in a fe
4, moments a little breeze sprang up an
, blew In ut the front windows.
I'VE are beating the wind the er
l