The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-22

his brother and sister; Grace
was endeavoring to meet him when
Oscar held her firmly. shouting tc
Benny to run back. So Benny stood
dazed IN the middle of the track while
the locomotive swooped down upon
him.
Nelly Moore was smiling in a self
satisfied way over the bit of paper with
the curious marks and curves on it,
when the prolonged whistle of the loco
motive attracted her attention likewise
She looked quickly across the vacant
lot. 1t was deserted. Then she de
scried the children on the hi lside.
"I'll save the child if die for itr
she exclaimed between her set teeth a:
she sped across the open lot.
Those who witnessed her subsequent
actions from q distance ayerred they
never beheld mortal lessen distance as
rapidly as Nelly Moore in that mad
race for human life. Men at a dis.
tance shouted warningly Passengers
on the train seeing people on the streets
making motions, craned their necks out
of car windows.
The supreme moment in the life OF
Nellie Moore presented itself then and
there. She realized that the chances
were against her; that in all probabili-
ty one, perhaps both, would be killed.
If she had time to grasp and throw lit
tie Bennie from the path of the locomo-
tive, its cruel wheels would grind her
remorselessly. How often had she
shuddered at spectacles presented near
that spot? The laws of great State,
powerful and far-reaching though they
were, were not as powerful as the rail
way lobby that exempted the great cor
poration from the outly necessary to
the erection and maintenance of that
simplest form of preventive-an in
closure. The corporation plowed its
way through flesh and blood as if they
were things of less moment than the
machinery that manglcd human forms
beyond recognition.
The passengers looking out, and the
witnesses on the street turn ed shudder-
ingly away as Nelly Moore sprang upon
the railway and tossed the child far
from it. The many wheels revolving
stopped with grating sound. and a
score of men rushed to the spot where
the maid ofall-work lay writhing and
gasping in heap.
I'm next deaths door-take me
home" she gasped, when they lifted
her tenderly.
81 would never have behaved that,
sur, if had not seen it with my own
eyes," said tine-looking, straight
limbed young fellow, whose dress and
accent indicated the new-come Irish
man. He was visibly affected. His
voice trembled. He did not attempt to
restrain his tears as he looked after the
group bearing Nelly to her mistress
residence.
"What did you say her name is?" to
a lad standing near, who was talking
with the volubility of youth to those
around him.
sAll aboardr' the conductor shouted,
as he walked leisurely toward a plat
form. The young Irishman looked at
the motionless train, turned again to
the group of horrOr-stricken people
near. and again asked:
"What name did you say, my lad?"
''Nelly Moore. She lives with Britts
over there, and -"
The mans strong hand grasped the
boys arm with a vise-like grip as he
bent over him. His lips were drawn,
his face ashy pale, his eyes staring
wildly, as he exclaimed:
at can never bet is not possible
there's some awful mistakenly lad
-
His features worked convulsively, his
grasp relaxed as he staggered back,
and James Moore, who had never
known either sickness or fear, swooned
and would have fallen had not friend
ly hand caught him in time. When he
regained consciousness he said:
- lake me to her. If there's life in
her, she will remember her brother
her only brother, jamie. The merciful
God will not let her die without seeing
without speaking to me-"
But Nelly Moore to all all appearance
had looked her last on things earthly.
She was cropping feebly, very feebly in
the night which precedes death. Per-
haps the morning would never dawn
again for her.
When James Moore sat down beside
her he lifted her unnamed hand to his
lips, kissed it through binding tears,
stroked it gently and with streaming
eyes said: AYE, this is the hand that
worked and slaved to pay for my
that gave me all ever had;
that paid my way over. When | was
over the meadows, and dab
bling in the burn (brook), this hand
hard, bearing my burden,
sparing me all the sharp corners. She
might have saved her earnings-put
them in bank-she might have done
ike thousands before eher-married and
made home for herself. and no one
would have said she did not do her
1uty. But she never thought of her.
self. She was not content until | was
'chooled made fit for the new country.
When you come, Jamie, she wrote me,
i want you to surprise the Americans
,xtractin' the cube root you talk about.
Don't come, she wrote, till send for
you. I'll be sure to send in good time
She wrote me the names of the coin
md the curious words a poor stranger
ike me would never make out at all.
There was nothing she did not think of;
10 task too heavy for her. And l was
% repay her four-fold some day. That
vas her way of putting it. She would
lave double pleasure, the pleasure of
helping me, and of getting her own
,ack with interest when was sure of
ny footing"
He stroked the cold, nerveless hand
hat Law limp in his own; softly, now.
vith dry eyes, kissed it again and
Igain. and. kneeling down beside her,
bowed his head in prayer.
Through the long night he knelt
reside her. When the attendants
ooked in upon this picture brother
,neelino beside the sister he had