Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-08-19

This was good plan, but now were
they to carry it out; The brake-wheel
was on top of the car, and they were IN
side. Faster and faster rolled the car.
1t began to rattle and roar as if dragged
along by swift engine. In moment,
Tommy began to cry. Mary tried to
look brave, and Kitty stared hard at the
level prairie flying past 1t was of no
use. They all broke down together, and
had hearty cry alone in the empty car
as it rolled on and on before the gale.
The station-master's wife rolled up her
sleeves to put the house in order while
the children were safely out of the way
The station master, feeling sure the chill
dren were safe in the freight-car, sat in
his Office nearly all the morning. At
last the beds were made, the dinner put
on the fire, and the mother wondered
how the girls were getting on IN their
PLAYHOUSE on the track. She threw a
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
exactv where she stood. Turning her
back to the wind she began to call the
children. How loudly. the wind roared
through the telegraph wires. Perhaps,
they could not hear in all this din. May
be they were inside the car and out of
hearing. She walked on toward the sid
ing. Not a thing to be seen! She Won
dered if there had not been a mistake: /:
Perhaps, the car was on the other side of
the track, No, the rails were unoccu-
pied as far as she could see in any direc-
ton. What did it mean: What had
happened: She staggered back into the
station. and startled her husband with a
cry of despair.
The car The children "
The Station-maSter ran out upon the
platform and looked up and down the
line Not car 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 destruc
ton. What would happen to it; Would
it meet train or run into station;
Would the children try to get out, or
would they stay in the car till 1t was
wrecked;
He sprang to the door of the depot to
telegraph the terrible news down the line,
but Just as he opened the door he saw a
faint white cloud on the western horizon.
1t was a train. Help was coming. At
the'same instant, his wife appeared with
new grief and terror in her eyes.
IL cannot get call in either direction.
The wires are blown down.
This only added to the danger, for
there was now no means of sending in
advance of the runaway car. ltmust go
on to It's fate without help or warning.
Help is coming, mother. Here's a
train bound east.
Nearer and nearer came the train, and
the father and mother stood watching 1t
as it crept along the rails. 1t seemed as
if it would never come. At last II
reached the platform and proved to be a
passenger train bound up the Black Riy
er Road, and not intended to 90 in the
direction in which the car had been blown
away. The instant it stopped, the sta
tion-maSter ran 70 the engineer and told
his terrible story. The mother, with
quicker wit, found the conductor and de-
manded that the engine be taken of and
sent after the children.
The conductor was man of regular
habits, and such a bold request struck
him as something extraordinary. Take
the engine of. and leave the train and
passengers waiting at this lonely station' :
The idea was preposterous! Some Of the
passengers gathered near and asked what
was the matter.
Three children lost, blown away in an
empty car. Some one said, "les, go at
once. We can wait here till the engine
returns" The conductor said he must
telegraph for instructions; but some one
said. The wires are down, and the
people only cried out the more, Let the
engine GO" so the mother ran to the
tender and began to pull out the pin,
that the engine might start.
Hold on, marm," said brakeman.
III cast her off. You jump aboard, if
you want to 60 too. Fire up, Jack, and
make her hum
1t was all done in moment, and away
flew the engine, leaving the conductor
and the station-maSter staring in surprise
at the singular proceeding. The station
master did not feel very happy. He had
half intended to 90 with the engine, but
il would never do to leave his post.
Fire steady, Jack said the engineer
to the fireman. It's no use to get excit-
ed, for we're in for a long race.
"Its enough to make fellow excited
to see that woman" said the fireman.
The engineer turned around, and there
bv his side stood the mother, her eyes
straining ahead down the line in search
of the missing ones.
"Oh, sir! open the throttle wide.
Don't try to save coal at such time as
this"
1--WE must keep cool, mam, and 60
steady, or we shall run out of coal and
water and come to a stand-still on the
line"
The woman said not word, but nodd-
ed mournfully ard leaned against the
cab for support, and then the fireman
gave her his seat, where she could look
out ahead over the line. How the en-