The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-18
NEW BRANCH OF RA1LRoAp1Na.
BereaVed Families Apprised of Mis-
fortune by Skilled Men.

IOrLun0 Dy SKllleQ Men.
From the Neto York Sun
READING, Pa, June IAN old railroad
man, who is well posted on northern rail
roads generally, said recently:
Nearly every leading railroad has special
men employed to break the news of death
to the families of men who are killed in the
service of the company. Whenever an
employe is killed along the line the officials
do no. allow the family to be rudely ap-
| prised of the fact. On the contrary, they
| send men to the house who are well quail
ned to break the news as gently as possible
l do this for the Reading company at SOW
eral points. The experience of men who
carry these death 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 porch, little
dreaming of the blow that is about to fall
on them.
ut was only few days ago that went to
home. and found the wife chatting and
laughing with neighbours wife while she
was at work among her rose bushes and
flowers. She hadn't been married very
long. first asked whether her husband
was at home. She stared at me, became
white as piece of chalk then shrieked and
Tell among the plants. | helped to carry
| her into the house
"'He's dead; my husband is dead l
know he has been killedp
vived.
No one. 1 only thought 80. Is it,true?
ut was easy then to finish my errand
Some time ago l came to a house on
Saturday when the good wife was baking
l went in at the side gate When do you
| expect Jacob home" | asked.
The wife smiled and replied: Tonight,
the Lord willing and at the same time she
| stopped kneading the dough and told her
| oldest daughter to brush the hair of her
7-year- old sister back from its forehead.
why do you say the Lord willing? l
| asked solemnly.
"'My Godl You don't bring me bad news
of my husbandP she exclaimed, and sank
back into chair in dead faint | told
two neighbor women who just then came
in, and they remained with the grief
stricken widow to help er prepare for the
coming of the dead dy 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.
81 was once sent to tell an aged and in
| firm widow that her son had been cut to
pieces by a train of freight ears. He was
her only support and would soon have been
promoted to be a conductor | raped at
the door and the old woman responded.
She was very feeble, and as innocent an old
soul as | had ever seen since my own good
mother died. l asked whether it was true
that her house was for sale. She drew a
long breath and answered:
"'Im so glad you didn't have bad news
for me-, trying to smile as she spoke. L
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. | couldn't go on. | am
hard-hearted by this time, but l couldn't
tell that trembling old mother that her
boy had been killed. Finally 1 went back
and tried it again.
You said something about bad news of
your son, l said to her. Well, you mustn't
be so alarmed. The company would see
that you should not want in case anything
should happen. Besides your boy belongs
to several lodges and unions
81 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. just heard something had
happened
"Just then two neighbors whom had
informed came in with blanched cheeks.
They whispered into the old ladys ears, and
the good old soul burst out in an agony of
wailing that l will not forget to my dying
day.
q once called on a 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:
eff he's been killed, heaven has revenged
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
In, h cke.i nj u