Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-11-30

''Tho. shaking with fear at the
thought of the evils threatening the
dearly loved home folks if the poor
man had become violent-and fearing
disaster and more wrecks if any one
OF these messages should be obeyed
by any engineer, who never thought OF
dlsregarding an order from the Glen
office, Ernest spelled out
" Father, tell mother to keep q pot
OF coffee hot for me as Pm standing in
the water without coat. Will
you keep q lookout from the east
window for me-
AS he had calculated, Bird Penn
dropped everything an hurried home
to watch for his boy, an there he
staid, keepln' a lighted lantern hang
in in the east window, perrin out iu-
to the storm the entire night.
Poor fatherP said Ernest to me
afterward, 4 knew he'd do that, but
couldn't think of another way to call
him down.
'The comp'ny, after that wreck, Of
fered him still better place with sew.
enty dollars pay, an as Dick was able
to tend the Glen Office, an Bird was
so much better Ernest made up his
mind to take this chance.
about that time yellow fever broke
out in Florida, an he slipped offdown
there, before we knew he was gone.
1--WE were terribly anxious to hear
from that boy, an one day Bird told
us that Ernest was comm home in
three days.
sit was RELY laughable to see Bird
Penn strut, and hear him say My son
Ernest
"Ihe next mornin' | found, in the
office, Dick sobbin' bitterly over let
ter that told sad, sad news.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, Sept. 10, 1883.
DEAR DIcK:-Tell mother to behead
the old gobbler, an prepare to bake her
very best cream biscuit, as Pm hungry
Everything tastes OF yellow fever here, an
don eat much, but Pm dreamin' of the
feast mother II spread before her prodigal.
"'And tell father I've collected a lot OF
shells and queer things for MIN to study
over.
"'Pye not been sick an hour since I've
been here but oh, Dick, I've witnessed
heart-rending scenes here. Pm 80 glad |
came, as | have been badly needed.
The doctors said | courted death by
coming here, but ! could not shake off the
feeling that it was my duty to come, tho
/ do want to live, because OF fathers and
mothers need for me, an then | enjoy life.
"'Say to little Ruthie she'll get some
bear hugs when brother Ernest comes home
in a few days, an that he never did love
her more than he does tonight.
"'Hark q call-good night
Then q few lines III q strange hand
writing told us that Ernest Penn was
dead and buried. Found dead one
morning, his cold dead hand Dre7sn'
the key at the operators table.
sit fell upon me to carry the news
to the parents.
"Mary Penn sunk down on her
knees sayin':
"'Oh, my son, my son. while Bird
looked like one in g dream.
'Iittle Ruthle sung out, My buzzer
Ernie's tummin' home all then |
lust bellered aloud an couldn't stop
anyway, an when Mary Penn said
solemn, 'Ruthie, our Ernie has gone
to the land that is falrer than day.,
that hurt me deeper than ever, and
then jest set out Tor home causin'
my wife to go most into high strikes
when she saw me takin' on so.
"A doctor wrote about Ernest's
death, said the boy had worked night
an day when needed, nussin' the sick,
an in the telegraph office. seemin' to
stand the strain purity well, an Just
at the time relief came, an he saw his
way clear to go home, some idle,
vicious creatures that huddled to-
gether in a vile den, were attacked,
an nobody would 60 to their help.
cone night one of the outcasts got
to the door an hollered for help until
Ernest shut up his office an went to
the den. an thar the doctor found
him at dawn.
"He said then that he feared the
poor boy had sealed his own doom,
as two OF the men were dead an a
woman Gyin', held fast Ernest's hand,
an the air in the hut was terrible.
"The doctor fairly dragged the boy
away, an gave him medicine, an
looked in on him several times that
day an night, an the next day. On
the next day he was to go home.
"On that morning DIR. Fame found
the poor fellow beside his table, an icy
cold hand on the key, an his head
bowed upon the table. He had died
alone, but at his post.
ain the drawer was the unfinished
letter, which was sent home.
Bird Penn has settled into quiet,
harmless state, sits the most OF the
time at that east window, often gettin'
up in the night to light the lantern,
and hangin' it in the window to light
Ernest home, while little Ruthie trots
to the door when the passenger train
comes in, lookin' for Ernie.
"The Pomfret folks said their hero
should have a marble monneyment,
if he did lie in southern cemetery,
so the women gave OF their chicken
and butter money, an we men, work
in by the days work, put in our mite
an without calm on his folks, we
bought that marble stone markin'
his grave.
"Pm sure you'll think with me, that
Pomfret should honor the lad that
loved others more than himself. In
this selfish world it does one good to
know that the milk OF human kind
ness ism t all curdled yet.
"Your trains comm at last, draw
your waterproof close about you as
it's a wild night, reg'lar blizzard,
Nights been quick in closin' in an
Dicks comm from supper.
"He's q good boy but not to be
compared with Pomtret's Pride
Ernest Penn.
joe MulhattOn.