Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-12

| W anu ITO DIS u6 udu OIt6u seen Tue nag
man do.
IN came the train; now it was nea
! enough fer the engineer to plainly see him
| The next instant prolonged whistle which
| B.nne knew meant down brakes" rang
on the air and he jumped from tbs
track.
The cars shot by him, but came to +;
stand still near the curve. Tie enginee1
sprang from his cab asking:
"Well, my boy. What is it?''
Just step around the curve, and you i
see for yourself" answered Bonnie.
| The engineer, fireman, conductor. and {
crowd of passengers hurried into the cut
way, and a moment later stood by the
boulder.
''Itis a big mornings work you have
| done, my lad, " the conductor at length
said. Had we come round that curve ard
stove fullforce into that rock, there would
have been terrible work here How came
you to discover it?''
So Bonnie briefly told his story.
II was going to work for Field 4 Swim
burne down at Scotsvill this morning at
nine O. clock, and left our cabin back here
couple of miles to go there. When got
mere saw the rock and | knew ought to
stag to give you warning. Though s'pose
have lost my place by it, he added re-
gretfully.
How is that ?" asked tall finely dress
cd gentleman, standing by.
why, Mr.. Swlnburne said | was to be
there en- time" answered Bonnie, ''or else
they should hire some other boy
The conductor now decided that, with
enough men and proper too's, the obstruc-
tlon could be removed in an hour Or two
DIT the furtherest, and dispatched messen-
ger to the village for them. He also ad-
vlsed the passengers to return to the cars,
and make themselves as comfortable as
possible during the delay.
Then a gentleman spoke up enthusi-
asticaly.
Let US make up a purse for the lad.
Here are five dollars towards it.
4 hat was passed among the passengers,
and few minutes later the gentlemen an
nounced
I'VE have got a hundred dollars. Now
where is the boy?"
He could not be found; but brakeman
finally said:
81 saw him 90 off towards the village
with the man the conductor sent down
there
He'll be back this way by and by,
likely as not" said the conductor. IF
not, it can be Jeff at the Scottsville depot
for him"
1t was true Bennie fastened off to the
store before some one else was engaged
But in this he was disappointed. For, as
he entered Mr.. Swinburne's Office that
gentleman looked up at him and CURLY
said:
"You are too late, sir; / engaged
another lad half an hour ago. Learn next
time to be punctul at the appointed
hour"
Poor Bonnie! Without Offering a word
Of explanat on, he left the store and hur-
RED off home He had no heart to look
elsewhere for work that day at least. He
knew he had done right, that his mother
would approve of his course. Still he
could not get over the great disappoint-
ment that had come to him. What in
the world should they do now for bread :?
As he reacl ed the cutaway, he found the
men busilv blasting the boulder to pieces
and paused to watch them. While he
stood there, the conductor caught sight of
aim.
Look here, youngster," he said
aren't you the boy chat stopped the
train?''
Yes, sir, promptly responded Bonnie.
''Weli," he went on, 'there is gentle
man up at the cars that wishes to see
you.
Wondering what could be wanted Of
him Bonnie went up to the train, Chamber
I'd into the parlor car and asked:
as there man here who wants to see
me?"
Yes, SIR exclaimed gentleman,
dropping his paper and springing to his
feet.
I'VE all want to see you. We want to
thank you for your unselfSh conduct this
morning, and give you this roll Of bills as
Il token of o I appreciation of your act. .
And he handed Bonnie the money.
Il didn't expect nothing" said Bennie,
modesty and pgrammatically. 81 didn t
just like to see the train busted
I'VE can well afford to give this money
to you,'' replied the gentleman, kindly;
for some Of us would have doubtless lost
our lives but for you, and had the over
turned cars taken fire In that cut, none OF
us could have escaped.
With joyful heart Bonnie now hasten
ed home. Nor was his JOY any less when
his mother, after listening to his story,
said:
Il would rather son of mine should
do his duty, even if it forced US to beg,
than to have secured the best position by
dishonorable act"
But the good flowing forth from Ben,
nit's unselish act did not end here. The
very next morning, as he was cutting
wood at the door, a gentleman rode up
and Asked
Are you Bonnie Waters?"
Yes, sir, replied the astonished boy.
"Well, here's a letter | was asked to
leave here, said the man handing it to
him.
1t bore the heading of Field & Swim
burne,' and read:-
SCoTTsvILLE, KY.
Mr.. Bonnie Waters Dear Sir,-Mr
Field OF the firm vas upon the train you
so bravely warned of its danger yesterday,
regardless of your loss. We have decided
that we have place in our store for a
mother tenement in the village, rent
free. and allow you at first five dollars d
week. | trust you will be magnanimous
| enough to overlook my objectionable
curtness of yesterday; for, had you explain
Ell Tue cause u your ueidS, we SnOuiu nave
hired you then and there. At your
earliest convenience let us know your
| decision
Respectfully yours.
GEORGE A. SwINBURN.
irm of Field & Swinburn.
| Bonnie and his mother have already
moved into their comfortable home at the
village and he is busy at work in the
store. He studies hard evenings. and
hopes to thoroughly mas z the business
he has entered. He says:
| ~ INST did that 1nnrni1ac. srhat [ knen