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

There were three of them-Kitty, Mary
and little Tommy-the children of the sta
ton master at Black River Junction, on
the Great South Western Railroad. The
station stood alone on the prairie, miles
and miles from anywhere in PARTICULAR
Black River flowed through the mountains
a hundred miles away to the north; and on
clear days, the snowy mountains could be
seen glimmering on the grassy horizon
The line leading to the Black River met
the South Western here, and thus it was
! the place was called Black River juno
ton.
The station-master and his wife and
three children lived in the little depot quite
happy, but there was not another family
within ten miles, in any direction.
| At times the children thought it rather
lonely. There was nothing in particular
to be done, except to watch the trains that
stopped at the junction several times a
day. Once in while, a freight-car would
be left GA the side-track, and the children
soon found that an empty freight-car
makes an elegant playhouse. They could
keep house in the corners and make visits,
or sit by the open door and make believe
they were having ride.
One morning they we're wakened by a
curious humming sound out of doors, and
they all scrambled up and looked out of
the window. How the wind did blow! 1t
whistled and roared round the house and
played on the telegraph wires, and upon
the roof as upon huge harp. As the
wires were fastened to the roof, the house
became great music-box, with children
inside. After breakfast, the morning
trains arrived, but the wind was so high
that the passengers were glad to hurry
from one train to another as quickly as
possible, then the trains went away, and
the great wind harp on the roof sang loud
er than ever.
The station-master said it blew gale,
and that the children must stay in the
house, lest they be blown away into the
prairie and be lost. The station-master's
wife said it was pity the children must
stay in the house all day. There was an
empty freight car on the track; perhaps
they might play in that. The station
master thought this good idea, and took
Kitty by the hand and Tommy in his
arms, while Mary took hold of his coat,
and they all went out to the empty car
Whew! How it did blow! They certain
ly thought that they would be lifted up by
/ the wind and blown into the sky. The
empty car was warm and snug, and, once
inside, they were quite out of the way of
the wind.
Mary thought the rear end would be a
good place to keep house, but Tommy pre-
ferred the other end, so they agreed to
keep house at both ends of the empty car.
This was nice plan. for it gave them a
i chance to visit each other, and the open
part by the door makes grand promenade
to walk on.
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.
| Suddenlythe Car seemed to shake. and
they stopped in their housekeeping and
ran to the door to see what had happened.
"Why, it's moving! somebody's pushing
it!'' said Mary.
''They are taking us away on the freight
train. Come, we must get out"
II didn't hear the whistle, said Tommy.
II guess somethin' is pushing the car"
The girls leaned out of the door to see