The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-06-21

there are few places like the charming
little city Of Anderson, S. G.
A Branch Of New Railroadlng.
READING, Pa, June 5.-An old rail-
road man, who is we'll posted on North
ern railroads generally, said recently
"Nearly every leading railroad has
specia, men employed to blk the news
of death to the families of men who are
killed in the service of the company.
Whenever an employee is killed along
the line the officials do not allow the
family to be rudely apprised of the fact.
On the contrary, they send men to the
house who are well qualified to break
the news as gently as possible. do this
for the reading Company at several
points. The experience Of men who
carry these messages is full of sorrow.
Often, when you get to the house you
see the wife busy at work in the yard,
and the children playing on the poarch,
little dreaming of the blow that is about
to fall on them: atz
"It Was only few days ago that I
went to q home and found the wife chat
ting and laughing with neighbor's wife
while she was at work among her rose
bushes and flowers. She hadn't been
married long: 1 first asked whether her
husband was at home. She stared at
me, became white as piece of chalk,
then shrieked and fell among the plants.
/ helped to carry her into the house.
"'He's dead: my husband is dead. I
know he has been killedP
"'Who told you9' I asked, when she
revived.
"No one. only thought so. Is it
true?'
'sIt was easy then to finish my errand.
,."Some time ago I came to house on
a Saturday when the good wife was bak-
ing. went in at the side gate. when
do you expect Jacob home?' I asked.
"The wife smiled and replied: TO.
night, the Lord willing and at the same
time she stopped kneadipg the dough
and told her oldest daughter to brush the
hair of her seven.year.old sister back
from her forehead.
"'Why do you cay the Lord willingT
I asked solemnly.
"'My God You don't bring me bad
news of my husband?' she exclaimed,
and sank back into chair in a dead faint.
I told two neighbor women who just then
came in, and they remained with the
.giref.stricken widow to help her prepare
for the coming of the dead body of her
husband, who had been killed but an
hour.
"You see the railroad officials hear of
these accidents by telegraph quicker than
other people, and We, therefore, are able,
nine cases out of ten, to get to the home
of the unfortunate before the accident is
known there.
"I was once sent to tell an aged and
| in6rm widow that her son had been cut
to pieces by q train of freight cars. He
was her only support and would soon
have been promoted to be conductor.
I raped at the doot and the old woman
responded. She was very feeble, and as
innocent an old soul as I had ever seen
since my own good mother died. asked
whether it was true that her house was
for sale. She drew long breath and
answered:
"'I'm SO glad you didn't have bad
news for me- trying to smile as she spoke.
"I have had such thoughts about my
boy all morning. No, this house amt
for sale, hope. You see we only rent
it; that is, my son rents it,
81 actually turned on my heel and
walked away few steps. I couldn't go
on. am hard-hearted by this time, but
1 couldn't tell that trembling old mother
that her boy had been killed. Finally I
went back again.
"'You said something about bad n ,ws
of your son. I said to her. well, you
mugn't be 30 alarmed. The company
would see that you should not want. in
case anything should happen. Besides,
your boy belongs to several lodges and
unions
IT kept on talking in this way for a
minute or two, and finally said: you
must always be prepared to hear the
worst, for railroader is always in great
danger of losing his life. There may be
bad news from your boy. Lust heard
something had happened
"Just then two neighbors whom 1 had
informed came in with blanched cheeks.
They whispered into The old lady's ears,
and the good old soul burst out in an
agony of wailing that I will not forget OF
my dying day.
IT once called on woman to tell her
her husband had been killed by striking
against an overhead bridge. This was
three years ago, near Philadelphia. The
wife curled up her lip and replied:
"If he's been killed heaven has re.
venged me. He abused me long enough
He'll abuse no more women now
".That was the easiest job in my line
ever had. Five minutes later the woman
was in Mysteries and tears"
= 1t was fortunate in the case of trip
lets born lately in Pekin, China, that they
were girls. Had they been all boys, un-
der the laws of the Empire they would