Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-06-10

station? 1t was moving away. No, it was
the car. It had left the siding and had
rolled out upon the main line and was
moving faster and faster along the road.
"Oh, we must get out! They are tax
ing us away"
s'No, nos said Kitty. 1--WE must stay
here till the brakeman comes round. 1
didn It hear them when they took us on the
train.'
"There isn't any train" said Tommy
looking up.and down the line.
''Oh, it's the wind! It's blowing the
car away! We must put on the brakes and
stop it!''
This was a good plan, but how were they
to carry it outp The brake-wheel was on
the top of the car, and they were inside.
Faster and faster rolled the car. It began
! to rattle and roar as if dragged by a 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
empty gale.
The station masters 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 children
were safe in the freight car, sat in the Of
flee 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 shawl over her
head and went 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 began
roared through the telegraph wires! Per-
haps they could not hear in all this din.
Maybe, they were inside the car, out of
hearing. She walked on toward the sid
ing. Not anything to be scent She won
dered if there had not been mistake?
| Perhaps the car was on the other side
track? No, the rails were unoccupied as
far as she could see in every direction.
What did it mean? What had happened2
She staggered back into the station and
startled her husband with 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 sightl It had been blown
away before the terrible wind, and was
perhaps at this instant rolling swiftly on
| xyo,d xr,;ff, ifo proo;ouo 1oad m dootruofion
What would happen to it2 Would it meet
train CT run into station? Would the
children try to get out, or would they stay
in the car till 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 a
faint cloud on the western horizon. 1t
was train. Help was coming. At the
same instant his wife appeared with new
grief and terror in her eyes.
81 cannot get a call in either direction.
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 its
fate without help or warning.
"Help is coming mother. Here's train
bound east.
Nearer and nearer came the train, and
the father and mother stood watching it as
it crept along the rails. 1t seemed as if il
would never come. At last it reached the
station and proved to be passenger train
bound up the Black River road and not in.
tended to go in the direction the car had
been blown away. The instant it stopped
the station-master ran to the engineer and
told the terrible story. The mother with
a 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 a bold request STRUCK
him as something extraordinary. Take
the engine off and leave the train and pas
sengers 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 ar
empty car. Some one said, eyes, go at
once. We can wait here until the engine
returns - The conductor said he must
telegraph for Instructions; but some one
said, "the wires are down, :" and the people
cried out the more, ''Let the engine go!
so the mother ran to the tender and be-
gan to pull out the pin, that the engine
might start.
"Hold on, marm," said brakeman -
''I1l cast her off. You jump aboard, II
you want to 60 too. Fire up, Jack, and
make her hum"
1t was all done IN a moment, and away
flew the engine, 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 60 with the engine, but it would
never DO to leave his post.
'sFire steady, Jack,'' said the engineer
to the fireman. ''It's no use to get excl
ted, for we're in for long race.''
''It's enough to make 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
her missing ones.
"Oh, sir, open the throttle wide. Don't
| try to save coal at such time as this!"
1--WE must keep cool, marin, and go
steady, or we shall run out Of coal and wa
| ter, and come to stand-still on the line. y
The woman said not word, but nodded
her head mournfully and leaned against
the side Of the cab for support. and then
the fireman gave her his seat, where she
| could look out ahead over the line. How