Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-01-08
BLOWN AWAY.
BY CHARLES BERNARD.

There were three of them-Kitty,
Mary and little TOmmy-the chill
dren of the stat9on-master at Black
River Junction, on the Great South
western railroad. The station stood
alone on the open 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 Southwestern here, and
thus it was the place was called
Black River Junction.
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
very 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 a while a freight car would be
left ON the side-track, and the chill
dren soon found that an empty
freight car makes a capital play
house. They could keep house in
the corners, and make visits, or sit
by the open door and make believe
they were having a ride.
One morning they were awakened
by a curious humming sound out of
doors, and they all scrambled W.
and looked out of the window. How
the wind did blow! 1t whistled
and roared around the house and
played on the telegraph wires upon
the roof as upon a huge harp. As
the wires were fastened to the roof,
the house became a great music-bOX,
with the children inside. After
breakfast, the morning trains ar
rived, but the wind was so high
that the passengers were glad to
hurry from one train to another as
quickly as possible. Then the train
went away, and the great wind
harp on the roof sang louder than
ever.
The statiOn-master said it blew a
gale, and the children must stay in
the house, lest they be blown away
into the prairie and be lost. The
station masters wife said it was a
pity the children must stay in the
house all day. There was an empty
freight car on the side-track; per-
haps they might play in that. The
station-master thought this a good
idea, and he took Kitty by the
hand and Tommy in his arms,
while Mary took hold of his coat,
and they went out TO the empty
car. Whew! how it did blow !!
They certainly thought they would
be lifted up by the wind and blown
quite into the sky. The empty car
was warm and snug, and, once in
side, 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 preferred the other end, so
they agreed to keep house at both
ends of the car. This was a nice
plan, for it gave them a chance to
visit each other, and the open part
by the door made grand prOmen-
ade 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.
Suddenly the car seemed to shake,
and they stopped in their house
keeping 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"
81 didn't hear the whistle" said
Tommy. 81 guess something is
pushing the car"
The girls leaned out of the door
to see what had happened. Why,
where was the platform ? 1t was
moving away. No, il was the car.
out upon the main line and was
moving faster and faster along the
road.
"Oh, we must get out! They are
taking us away
"NO, no." said Kitty; Eve must
stay here till the brakeman comes
around. l didn't 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 out? The
brake wheel was on the top of the
car, and they were inside. 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 fast.
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, feeling sure
the children were safe in the freight
car, sat in the Office nearly all morn
ing. AT last the beds were made.
the dinner put on the fire, and the
mother wondered how the children