Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-21

the mountains. Little children were scream
Ing with hunger and WEAKNESS. and their
parents were worn out with the worry and
fatigue. Far into the night we heard the
shooting and frenzied bowls of the desper-
ate strikers, and learned later that night
that six men paid with their lives the pen
atty of their lawleSsness. About midnight
train was mysteriously backed down 10
the station and We were all ordered aboard
for the west. We hoped that our trials
were over for that trip at least. and when
day dawned and found us almost in the
shadow of the eternal hills we were quite
happy. though hungry and worn with our
nlShapS. At La Junta word came that
Noras mother was worse, Poor child, how
white and wan she looked, when the yellow
message huttered from her hands. We were
almost desperate after that. Under the
open window by which We sat We could
hear the everlasting con troversy and an
archistic utteranccs and knew we were yet
at the mercy of the strikers. Suddenly
RoSe-in-bloom, who was on the other side
of the car. gave a scream of delight and
dashed out on the platform. / thought the
excitement of the night had driven her
crazy and started after in alarm, to meet
her at the door hanging with both hands
on the arm of no less a parsonage than
Redtop!
RedtOp 10 the Rescue.
''Well, this shore is a picnicr he said
beamingly, as we all reached for him, and
he tried to shake hards with all of at
once Lord. but it air sight for sore
eyes to see you ALL Now. Rosey Posey. you
quit that bawling." he demonstrated. fur
lively wiping his own eyes, as he saw us
all using our handkerchiefs. but she only
laid her tired head on his arm and cried
the harder. We were so tired and dis
hearteIcd, you know.
Your stuck, l sahe. an you want to git
out. Come kiddie. well investergate. an
you kin tell me all about It," And. without
more ado. he took Rose-in-b bloom and went
off, assuring that everything would he
all right in a 'jiffy." How he managed it
l shall never know. / presume, but in less
than an hour he had everything arranged.
and with our baggage and ourselves piled
promiscuously in way car. Elaine. Doro-
thy. Nora, Rose-in- bloom and !, under the
escort of Redtop, were climbing the grade
to the great coal city of the west, Trinidad.
Our single car was attached to the engine,
and at every station there were angry
mob5 to impede our progress, and we We're
often greeted by "A fusilade of ston<s and
brickbats. but Redtop seemed to possess
the open sesame, for We passed Triumphant
" by them all. We had to stop once to let
the wreck of burning freight car be clear
ed away, and We found numerous obstruc-
lions on the r3ils--ovcrturne1 engines. box
cars and ties-but Redtop assured MS that
trlSty hand was at the throttle and cool
heads behind the brakes, and We need have
no fear We did not talk much on that
perilous ride up the hillsi We were too
tireily happy at our deiiyerance oft Of
the hands of tho Philistines TO question our
d liverer. At Trinidad We were emphati-
caliy informed that only the engine could
go through the tunnel
TN some duberSome about this here
play" said Redtop. thouShtfulN. That
hole In the ground is bite ont Of he'll
seems like. fore you git through IL. LIS
bad enough when you're shut in the c1r. If
you're hit squeamish. it'll lillelv do YOU up
TO take il on the engine. Int Blackie will
put you through on the fy.'
Dash Through n Tunnel.
We declared fer the engine trip. in prefer
erce 10 The longer suspense and sojourn
among the black -browed strikers about the
smoky mountain coal city. What trip it
was Packed in the cab Of the great Mogui
engine We went whizzing through the bow
els Of the EARTH the changing bell and
screeching whistle adding power TO the pan
demonium created by the pounding OF the
great drive wheels as We labored up the
grade. Through mountains whose SUBMITS
are always snow capped. past rippling
streams of cleac snow water, and over huge
boulders that looked like pebbles they were
so far below US. Then down great gorg-s
blasted through solid granite till the blue
sky hooked like ribbon stretched above
At last we reached the tunnel. Here there
Was q mile of inky blackneSs coal cinders
smoke. flashes from the blazing furnace un-
der the monster mountain climber. hot close
air. the black stretches echoing and re-
echoing with the ciangor of whistle and
bell. till we began to think that Reitop was
right. and We had struck at least one diyi-
sion on the road to llades. Then We
emerged once more, and saw that the world
as indeed good!
And such objects as We were when we got
through. Smoke begrimed and travel
stained. we dashed out of darkness into the
light of glorious morning among the
mountains. and sped down the hills into the
tiny valley, where a good hot breakfast and
an extra We're waiting for us. thanks to
-Re1top's acknowledgements pocket book,
in all probability. And he did not leave us
till Nora was safe i'm the arms OF her
mother. who was 10y that time on the road
to recovery.
I dread to think what might have been
our fate " kind divinity In the shane OF
Started him out with a bunch of cattle for
market. He makes light Of It, but l know
that what he did for was not easy 10
accomplish Actual contact with the s:rik-
ers has taught m" several things One s.
that we need strong hands at the helm
both of state and nation. sympathy with
labor does not necessarily mean conlone-
nlcnt of lawicssness Men Whose motiy.s
may have been honest enough in the start
Permit their minis TO become innamed with
passion aud prejudice. then reason deserts
hei throne, and Judgment fees aShast We
must remember that liberty is not synony-
nous of license. nor freedom of snarchy
Some day ! shall. perhaps. write a book
about what 1 know or strik~s. But II will
not be A happy story. because there win be
before me as | write n little dead bsbv's
face and lonely mothers grief And try
es msy. | shall never b. able TO keen o,,t
OF IL the wan. haggarei faces of those other
women whose only heritage from these
asitations is more suffering.