The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-09
WIILIE'S SERVICE

old, ard lives in q tumble down shanty
beside the Illinois Central railroad at
Rutland. mining camp situated in the
DOVER end of La Sale oeunty, Ills.
One afternoon during the miners strike
Willie went, with several boys, up to tbs
Santa Fe pond to fish, for should he sue
coed, he thought, in bringing kome even
a few bull eads, it would serve for one
meal at least. The Santa Fe pond is a de-
preston Of about 800 feet in length by 90
feet in width, made a couple OF years ago
in excavating for the main extension Of
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail-
read from Chillicothe to Ancona, Ills
This railroad crosses the Illinois Central
At point about two miles north of Rut-
land.
Willie spent perhaps two hours sitting
in the hot sun on the west bank of the
pond with a long, green willow rod in his
hand, to the end Of which was fastened q
strong piece of linen thread, a bent pin
and an angIeworm. But the fish didn't
bite well Willie had caught three, and
one Of his companions had landed mis-
cradle little sunhsh. So the boys were
growing tired and discouraged.
Let's git up the track and look
around, suggested Jamsey Brady, q
brown eyed Irish boy.
The boys reached the top OF the en-
bankment and played about for some time,
throwing pebbles at the birds they
would alight for a moment on the tele-
ing the farm wagons as they crept slowly
along the smooth prairie roads. Willie
finally wandered down the track toward
the wooden bridge, and he reached it
began to pick his way over the heavy ties.
Suddenly he noticed that oil had been
poured over the beams, and tiny pools,
with their dark green scum, lay In the
hollows and crevices. He went to the other
side and saw partially concealed beneath
a rail a piece of round iron pipe, while
Of rope. The child looked at the spot
Mortified. He knew what all this meant.
The miners were going to set fire TO the
bridge and blow it up.
AS this 12-year- old boy stood and look
ed ut the gas pipe, with its rope fuse, he
thought Of the passenger train that was
due to pass over this very bridge early in
the evening and Of the coal train that
would follow an hour later. The thought
frightened him SO that he could scarcely
stir.
Willie at last found tongue to shout
down to his playmates:
Gone up herel'
what ye wantP'' inquired Jamesy
Brady as the boys slowly approached
ID we see that2' said Willie as he point
ed toward the bomb.
..Humphl' calculated Pete Robbins,
the big boy Of the crowd Pete was 10
years of age and felt his authority among
his comrades. uess they're going tel
But think Of them people that'n be
comm over here in that passenger, = re-
piled Willie, feeling something he did not
like in Pete's tone. w hat il they'd touch
it off tonight? There'd be orful lot of
folks killed -
.sWen, I'm agin the 'noplies, y declared
Pete stoutly, initiating well as he could
the speech of his father, who was known
among the strikers an agitator of some
note. Ye jus got ter do 'em up every
possible way ye kin"
IN goin ter tell the p leece, - declared
Willie, with firmness.
Mo- ye ain {, = said Pete quickly. II
ain't goin ter low it.
ssWen, I will, = and before Pete knew
what had happened Willie had given him
q sudden push that sent him rolling over
and over down the north side of the en-
bankment. Before the other frightened
and astonished boys could make a moys
Willie had darted down the south side OF
the embankment and was running along
the wagon road toward Rutland AS fast as
his little bare feet could take him.
The boys. in their loud and excited talk,
had not noticed the slow approach Of
lame Italian, who had been stationed by
the strikers to watch the bridge. He had
been doing near the track, but hearing
the noise had aroused himself and was
now hobbling toward the bridge, shout
ing and gesticulating. He caught sight
Of Willie down the road, and surmising
that something W as wrong pulled out an
old French revolver, pointed it at the flee
ing boy and fired. Wthie's com panions
screamed with terror they saw him
suddenly pitch forward and nearly fall
But in q moment he had recovered him
self and was hurrying on
sharp pain ran through his arm near
the shoulder, but he was determined it
should not overcome him, for he must
get to Rutland and in some way prevent
the destruction of the hundreds Of people
that would be on that passenger train
Hi, kid, what's tho matter Of yer
1azily inquired the Rutland village mar
shall, who had been sit ting on store box
whiting and telling horse stories, as a
dusty, begrimed little chap came painting
where the marshal sa t. why, why,
what's that blood on yer shirt, We been =
Coin t blow up = anita Fe bridget
gasped the child as no seized a hitchlng
chain TO support his shall ting legs. Min
ers got a bomb under it. I seen it, n they
shot at me- NJ Will els strength was
gone. The little fellow umbIed forward,
and rolling down the s looping sidewalk
into the gutter fer the first time in his
life tainted
What excitement there wasl Why, It
wasn't 20 minutes before a crowd Of so
were about the bleeding child, and fees
became whitened as the y ord bomb
was mentioned. need mol tell how the
village doctor was called TO ttend to VIII
lies injuries, which consista q Of a deep
cut in the 1eshy part of tho right arm