The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-03-03

freight car, sat IN his Office nearly all
the morning. At last the beds were
made, the dinner put on the stove. and
the mother wondered how the girls
we're getting on in their playhouse 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 che could not see exactly
where she stood. Turning her back to
the wind, she began to call the chill
dren. How loudly the wind roared
through the telegraph wires! Per-
haps they could not hear her in all this
din. Maybe they were inside the car,
out of hearing. She walked on toward
the siding. Not thing to be seen.
She wondered if there had been q mis-
take. Perhaps the Car was on the other
side track. No. the rails were unoccu-
pied as far as she could see in every d.
rection. What did it mean? What
had happened? She staggered back
into the station and startled her hus-
band with cry of despair.
The car! The childrenl"
The station-master ran out on the
platform and looked up and down the
line. Not Car in sight! It had been
blown away by the terrible wind, and
perhaps at this instant was rolling
swiftly onward with it's precious load to
destruction. What would happen to
it? Would it meet train, or run into
a station? Would the children try to
get out, 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
line, but, just as he opened the door, he
saw faint white cloud on the western
horizon. It was train. Help was
coming. At the same moment his wife
appeared with new grief and terror in
her eyes.
IT cannot get call in either direc-
ton. The wires are blown down."
This only added to the danger, for
there was no means of sending word in
advance of the runaway car. It must
go on to it's fate without help or warn
ing.
"Help is coming, mother. Here's
train bound east"
Nearer and nearer came the train,
and the father and mother stood watch
ing it as it crept along the rails. It
seemed as if it would never come. At
last it reached the platform, and proved
to be passenger train bound up the
Black River road, and not intended to
60 in tho direction in which the car had
been blown away. The instant it
stopped the station-master ran to the
engineer and told his terrible story.
The mother, with quicker wit, found
the conductor and demanded that the
engine be taken off and sent after the
children.
The conductor was man of regular
habits, and such bold request struck
him as something extraordinary. Take
the engine of, and leave the train and
passengers waiting at this lonely sta
ton! 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, " Yes,
go at once. We can wait here till
the engine returns" The conductor
said that he must telegraph for in
structions; but some one said, The
wires are down." and the people only
cried out the more, Let the engine
gol" so the mother ran to the tender
and began to pull out the pin, that the
engine might start. .."...
"Hold on, marm," said a brakeman
I'll cast her off. You Jump aboard if
you want to go. too. Fire up, Jack, and
make her HUMP
It was all done in q moment, and
away few the engine, leaving the con-
ductor and station-master staring in
surprise at this singular proceeding.
The station-master did not feel very
happy. He had half intended to 20
with the engine, but it would never do
to leave his post.
Fire steady, Jack" said the engineer
to the fireman. cts no use to get ex-
cited, for we're in for long race
Its enough to make a fellow excited
to see that woman said the fireman.
The engineer turned round, and there
by 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 a time as
this"
ave must keep cool, marin, and go
steady, or we shall run out of coal and
water, and come to a standstill on the
line"
The woman said not word, but nod
ded mournfully, and leaned against the
side of the cab for support, and the
fireman gave her his seat, where she
could look out ahead over the line.
How the engine shook and roared.
The little finger of the steam-gaug
trembled and rose higher, as the steam
pressure increased over the raging fire.
The engine seemed to be eating up the
track in front, and behind the rails
spun out like shining ribbons in the
sun. The station and train had al
ready sunk down out of sight, and the
grassy horizon on either side seemed to
fly away in kind of gigantic waltz.
The wind died away to dead calm,
and in few moments little breeze
sprang up, and blew in at the front win
dows.
ave are beating the wind" said the
engineer. If we can keep up this
pace, we shall soon overtake them"
"How long have they been gomez"
shouted the fireman, above the roar
the enpino