The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-05-16
BLOWN AWAY.

DLOW IN n w "A L.
There were three of them-Kitty, Mary,
and little Tommyihe children OF the station master
at Black River Junction on the great Southwestern
railroad. The station stood alone the open prairie
miles and miles from anywhere In particular. Black
river flowed through tho mountains, hundred miles
away TO the north aud ON clear DAYS the snowy noun
tains could he gllmmerng In the grassy horizon
The line leading TO the Black river met the South
western here and thus 1t was that the place was called
The station. master and his wife and three children
lived In the little depot quite happily, but there was
Al times the children thought 1t rather lonely.
There was nothing In particular to DO done except TO
times day. Once In while n freight car would he
left on the side track, and the children found that
an empty freight car makes capital play house
or sit by the open door and make believe they were
having ride.
One morning they were awakened by q curious
humming sound out Of doors and they scrambled and
looked out OF the window. How the wind did blow.
II whistied and roared round the house, and played
upon the telegraph wires upon the house as upon n
huge harp. As the wires were fastened to the roof
the house became great music box with the children
but the wind was so high that the passengers were
glad hurry from one train to the other as quickly as
possible. Then the trains went away and the great
wind harp on the roof sang louder than ever.
The station master said II blew gale and the chill
dren must stay In the house. lest they BIO blown
away on the prairie AMI lost. The station masters
wife said that It pity the children should stay In
the house all day. There was an empty freight car
The station master thought this good iIes and he
took Kitty by the hand and Tommy In his arms while
Mary took hold OF his coat and they al went out to the
tany thought they would he lifted up by the wind
and blown quite Into the sky: The empty car was
warm and snug, and once inside they quite out
of the way of the wind.
Mary thought the rear end would be good place to
they agreed to keep house at both ends OF the empty
car This was nice plan, for II gave them u chance
to visit each other and the open PARTLY the door made
promenade to walk In.
Louder and louder roared the gale. Safe and snug
in the car they went on with their play and thought
nothing OF the weather outside.
Suddenly the car seemed to shake, and they stopped
In their housekeeping and ran TO the door to what
"why, It's moving Somebody's pushing It,
said Mary.
'rhey are taking us away u freight train.
Come, we must get out
al didn't hear the whistle, ~ said Tommy. 81
guess something is pushing the carr
The girls had leaned out OF the door to see what had
happened. why, where was the platform9 What
was the matter with the station3 1t was moving
away. No, IL was the car. 1t had left the siding
and had rolled out upon the main line and was NOV
Ing faster and faster along the road.
.'oh we must get out They are taking MS
This was good plan, but how were they to carry
1t out? The brake wheel was the top of the car,
and they were inside. Faster and faster rolled the
ear: II began to rattle and roar rs IL drawn along by
aswlft engine. In moment Tommy began to cry.
Mary tried to look brave, and Kitty stared fast at the
broke down together and had a hearty cry alone In
the empty car AS 1t rolled on and before the gale.
put the house In order while the children were safely
out of the way. The station master, feeling that
the children were safe In the freight car sat In his
Office nearly all the morning. At last the beds were
| made and dinner put on the fire, and the mother
wondered how the girls got along, with their play
and went out on the platform. At once the wind
blew the shawl over her face and she could not see
10 I'll rnn ia
wind roared through the telegraph wires Perhaps
| they could not hear her IN all this din Maybe they
| toward the siding. Not thing to be seen. She
wondered If there had been mistake Perhaps the
nnoccuned as far as she could see In every direction
What did 1t mean? What had happenedg She
staggered back into the station startled her hus-
band with q 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 by the terrible wind, per-
haps at this instant rolling swiftly onward with Its
/ its Would 1t meet train into a station ?
Would the children try to get out would they stay
/ In the car until 1t was wrecked?
terrible news down the line, but Just he opened the
door he saw faint white cloud on the western hor
same time his wife appeared with new grief and ter
~ cannot get call in either direction. The wires
| are down.
This only added to the danger, for there were no
| means OF sending word in advance Of the runaway
car 1t must go on to its fate without help or warm
''Help Is coming, mother. Here's a train bound
| East.
Nearer and nearer came the train, and the father
and mother stood watching 1t us 1t crept along the
rails 1t seems If 1t would come. At last II
train bound mp the Black River road and not intended
| to go In the direction In which the car had been
| blown away. The Instant II stopped the station
master ran to the engineer and told his terrible story
The mother with quick wit, found the conductor
demanded that the engine be taken off and sent atei
Il 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 statony The Idea was pre-
posterous. some of the passengers gathered
| asked what was the matter
| Three children lost-blOwn away In an empty car
some one said - Yes go a. once. We can walt here
TIL the engine returns.'' The conductor said he mus
| telegraph FOR Instructions; but some said, 18th,
wires are down. the people only cried ont tn,
more: " Let the engine go!'' so the mother ran /,
The tender and began to pull out the pin, that the en-
Z" Hold on, marm, said a brakeman; "In east
% a SS aa hmm aa ssG Ssr IL y9 want to
1t was all done In a moment and away few the en-
CINE leaving the conductor and station master staring
In surprise at this singular proceeding The station
master did not feel very happy. He had half in
tended to go with the engine, but 1t would never do II
"Fire steady, jack said the engineer to the fire.
man. "lt's no use to get excited, for we'r In for
long race, o,,, ., ,,.,.. ,,,,,,.
"
| woman, ~ said the fireman.
The engineer turned round, and there by his sid
stood the mother her eyes straning ahead down the
line In search of the missing ones.
"oh. sir open the throttle wide. Don't try t
| save coal at such a time AS this. ~
| 1--WE must Keep cool marin. and 20 steady, We
shall run out of coal and come to standstill on tn
line. ~
The woman said not word. but nodded mournfully
and leaned against the side OF the cab for support
the fireman gave her his scat, where she could lool
out ahead over the line. How the engine shook an,
reared The little finger the steam gauge tremble,
and higher AS the steam pressure Increased owe
the raging Are. The engine seemed to be eating VI
the track In front and behind the rails spun out Tx
shining ribbons In the The station aud train ha
already sunk down out Of sight aud the grassy horizon
on either side seemed To ny away IN Kind Of giganti
waltz. The wind died away to dead calm. aud la
few moments breeze sprnng up aud blew In the iron
We are beating that wind, - said the engineer
'If We can keep up this pace we shall soon oyertak
them.
"How long have they been gone 9'' shouted tn
fireman above the roar OF the engine.
81 don't know, " screamed the woman, withou
the SKY. ait may have been two honrs on more tLel
were PLAYING In the empty ear -
- How ala she get out OF the sidings'' He mean
''Ifs one of the newswitches ~ said the engineer
cars can easily Jump out upon the main line -
No; the next station Whata terrible pace INVENT
miles already .
'oh, don't stopl cried the woman as she saw
the engineer put his hand on the throttle.valve.
~ must marin. We are getting out OF water
and perhaps we can learn something OF the run
away
The sudden arrival of the solitary engine, contain
Ing two men and woman, startled the station master
guess the TRUTH for he said:
" After the runaway carP''
Eyes yes. There are three children inside. -
ION, marin, m sorry for We. II went past here
going twenty miles an hour. II came down grade al
the way, but the upgrade begins about two mile
ont, was Inside when y passed. aud didn't see
How long 1t took to I'LL the tender. The engin