The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-09-08
: THE ETHEL LYNCH"
A Little Western Girls Brave Deed
and Her Reward.

SLaUlOn on the oliver Creek rallrOau,
called Halfway. Why the station was
called by that odd name is impossible
to state, unless 1t was because it was
located about the center of the road.
1t was not much of a station either, the
only building being the shed that con-
tanned the engine and pumps which
pumped water to the tank that supplied
the road engines with water.
Few trains ever stopped for any other
purpose, unless tlley were tagged, as
there wasn't house within two miles
of the station, with the exception of
the little cabin occupied by the agent
and his family, which consisted of him
self, his wife, daughter and her little
baby brother. Ethel, the daughter,
was a sprightly little girl of perhaps
twelve or thirteen years of age, and
pretty enough for an artists model, as
she sat upon the back of her milk-white
pony, man fashion, her legs bare to her
knees, and dressed in a gray plaid
skirt, tight-ftting velvet jacket, and
train-boy's cap resting jauntily upon
her beautiful auburn curls. Ethel
Lynch was prime favorite with the
trainmen and regular passengers on the
Silver Creek road, and they were al
ways on the alert to get glimpse of
the red-headed girl and the white
horse
Mr.. Lynch was formerly engineer on
the engine that pulled the train known
as the Thunderbolt-a limited express
upon the main line of which the Silver
Creek road was branch. But one
night train robbers removed rail from
the track, and Ira Lynch (who saved
the lives of the passengers intrusted to
his care by standing faithfully at his
post of duty was dragged from under
the pile of broken and twisted iron and
steel that once formed part of his be-
loved engine, burned and bleeding
mass. Of all the many people who wit
messed the terrible sight, not one
thought it possible for him to live; but
by careful nursing and a strong de-
termination on his part to live for his
wife's and little daughters sake, he so
far recovered as to be able to take
charge of the little station at Halfway.
At the time our story opens, Mr..
Lynch was standing at the open win
dow of the pump house, gazing intent
ly at some object in the direction of his
cabin.
1t was at the close of lovely day in
June. The rays of the setting sun (for
IL lacked but an hour of sunset) shone
full in his face. Shading his eyes with
his hand, he looked long and earnestly.
'Weil, l declare!' he exclaimed, in a
tone of surprise, Its our Ethel! Ma
must be feeling better, or she wouldn't
leave her alone!'
Being satisfied that everything was
all right, he again gave his attention
to his work, so as to have things in
shape to leave for the night BY the
time the task was completed, Ethel
had approached to within speaking dis
tance. The pony was walking along
very leisurely, under loose rein, $50
as not to scare pa" Ethel had said to
herself, as she checked the pony down
to walk.
"Well, how's ma and the baby been,
to-day?" inquired Mr.. Lynch, as Ethel
slid from the pony's back to the
ground
"Oh, they've been splendid all day!
Mamma wanted to get up, she felt SO
we'll"
I'm glad to hear that, for it don't
seem very much like home when ma is
sick. Does it?"
mo, indeed; but doyou want to know
what l came over for?"
''Why, yes, to be sure!'
well, listen, and I'll tell you: This
| afternoon mamma foil ociaa,> ,nJ bo
had an awful dream. 1t worried her
SO that she told it to me, and came
over to be sure it wasn't SO; but you
couldn't make mamma believe it wasn't
so, for she said she never could until
she had seen you with her own eyes,"
''Why! 1t must have been something
terrible to frighten your ma. She isn't
a very timid woman. But tell me, and
then I'll know for myself"
''Well, mamma said that she saw five
men walking up the track. They all
wore big bushy whiskers and carried
guns. She said she didn't think any
thing strange about it, but thought
they were hunters, until one of them
said: 1T must be that he is in the
pump-house.' So she just watched
them, and, sure enough, they came di-
rectlF here, the big man that spoke be-
ing in the lead They approached the
window very cautiously; the big man
put his gun through the window and
fired. Then she saw you throw up
your hands and fall to the ground
deadr'
THAT was quite a dream. and it's nc
wonder it frightened her. But you GO
right back and tell her that am well
and will be home soon, and she will be
satisfied"
"N9, she won't either, pa, for she
said that she could never believe that
it was only dream, until she had seen
you with her own eyes. You must GO
home. I'll stay and give water to AIS
engine, and signal No. o."
''All right, Ethel, if you think that
she will feel any better for seeing me.
Here are the keys. You be sure and
don't stay longer than is necessary, fol
it will be dark long before you reach
home" e '
'Yes, pa, I'll do just as you say, only
do make haste SO that ma won't worry.
Good-by."
kissing her father, she waited impa,
tiently until he had taken his leave.
81 guess / had better tie Snowflake
behind the pumphouse," said little
Ethel, as her father disappeared from
view, because the SCOT from the en-
gines makes him all speckled."
That done, she went to examine the
| switch 10 see that IL WAS thrown ripht