Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-03-13


bison put on clean apron and took
her sun bonnet to make her call OF
coincidence. It's likely they would
want watchers at Martins and she
was ready to do anything. She had
helped bear the burden Of life aud
death so long in Fairfield that i'll
ness, new baby or the mysterious
breathless presence in any house
was a peremptory invitation to her.
The boys were playing hide-and-
seek around the warehouse, and as
she crossed the open lot she saw
the usual line of wise men sitting
on the edge OF the platform with
their legs across the rail, as if they
had all agreed to make an offering
of their feet to the juggernaut of
the next passing train.
Willie dartcd like a bat or night
bird on his bicycle far up and far
down the smooth wagon road. Now
he took a turn, and came spinning
among the boys, scattering them
before him, and escaping as often
as they chased him. In one OF
these excursions he crossed his
mothers way. The lamps were
Just lighted in the station, and they
poured full over his laughing face.
Besides, the last red streaks and
high sunset lights were not gone
out OF the sky, and these would
have given her more than the sill
houtte Of Willie. She lifted mp her
hands and spelled, arc You start
ing out to hunt publisher nowF
And Willie laughed and nodded,
and made her a sign Of good-by.
The pleasant stiffness Of the even
ing fell around her like blessing
as she went on. Fire nies were fill
ing one field, as if conhagration
under that particular ground sent
up endless streams of sparks. She
smelled the budding elders, and was
reminded Of the tllc-like bits in heI
past, fitted oddly together.
Martin lived but few steps be
yond the village. She had been
! talking mere moment with Nancy
! Ellen, and had not yet entered the
room where the preacher lay, when
some other neighbor came IN with
excitement, and sad loud, over the
whispered talk of the mourning
house, that something was wrong
down at the depot.
'That express has run into some.
thing again. proclaimed the neigh.
Dor, and looks by the way folks
run, as if 1t wasn't a COW this time.
Enough cows and pigs has been
killed by that railroad
Il haven't seen the express, said
Mrs. HARRISON, feeling her head fnlI
of wheels. 1T was all quiet when
| was there a minute ago.
'Thc express has stopped. Good
reason. There's something on the
track, tell ye,' said the ncighbor
Willie's mother was sure it could
not be Willie. He was conscious oI
his inGrmity, and 50 cautious that
she had long ceased to be anxious
about him. He knew the times OF
all the trains with nice cxactness
also. Yet she started from the
house without speaking another
word, and ran until she reached the
crowd.
The engine stood Kissing; it con
fronted her with the glare of it,
eve. a horrid and rcmorseless fate
ready to go its way with bcll-clang
ing and all cheerful noise, no mat
ter who had been ground under III
wheels.
The conductor was just stepping
on board, for time and orders wal
for nothing. The engineer had al
ready climbed back to his cab; h
saw a running woman kneel dowl
on the platform and draw the boy
up from the boards to rest in he
arms. Having seen that much, the
engineer turned away his head an'
wept out loud; and the train moved
on bearing pale faces that looked
backward as long as they could dis
cern anything.
Mrs. HARRISON had stumbled owe
/ Willie's bent wheel first. Whe sin
found him indeed lald in the mlds
of the crowd, she dld not bellev'
| if. He vas not mangled. Iii
bones were sOund-she felt then
with 1ercely quiek hand. Ther'
was no mark about him excepting
dirty.looking spot Oh the temple.
Willie she said, shaking him
Willie! ! Willien
EWe'll have to carry him home,
said her husband at her side, hi
voice sounding far of, as if it cam
strained through some dens'
medium.
She looked up and could not IN
derstand it.
sHe's knocked senscless, she ex
claimed. 'Why doesn't somebod.
bring waterP
sHe never knowed what hur
him. cautiously said one vlllager t
another. 'Thc train was goin' s.
fast, and he came up from anon
the houses onto it so fast that it wa
done in a flash
'And don't never want to Sc
no better boy than Willie llarbiso
was responded the other.
: But ONLY his mother-when sh