The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-26
WILLIE'S SERVICE.


Willie JcntI Is a miunr's son, 12 years
old, and lives in a tumble down shanty
beside the Illinois Central railroad at
Rutland, 8 mining canp situated in the
lower end of La Sale county, Ills.
One afternoon during the miners strike
Willie went, with several boys, up to the
Santa Fe pond to fish, for should he sue
coed, he thought, in bringing home even
a few bullheads, il would serve for one
meal at least. The santa Fe pond is de-
preston of about $40 feet in length by 50
feet In width, made = couple of years ago
In excavating for the main extension OF
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail
road 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 long, green willow rod in his
hand, to the end of which was fastened a
strong piece of linen thread, bent pin
and an angleworm. But the fish didn' {
bite well. Willie had caught three, and
one of his companions had landed a mis-
cradle little sunfsh. So the boys were
growing tired and discouraged.
Let's git up ON the track and look
arounc," suggested Jamsey Brady, a
brown eyed Irish boy.
The boys reached the top of the en-
bankment and played about for some time,
throwing pebbles at the birds as they
would alight for a moment on the tele-
graph wires, walking tie rails or watch
ing the farm wagons as they crept slowly
along the smooth prairie roads. Willie
finally wandered down the track toward
the wooden bridge, and as he reached il
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
3 rail a piece of round iron pipe while
from the end there protruded short piece
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 at 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:
''Come up here!''
What ye want?'' inquired Jamesy
Brady as the boys slowly approached.
Dye see that" said Willie as he point.
ID toward the bomb.
''Humph!'' calculated Pete Robbins,
the big boy of the crowd. Pete was Ia
years Of age and felt his authority among
his comrades. Guess they're going ter
blow her up"
But think of them people that'll be
comm over here in that passenger, re-
piled Willie, feelia g something he did not
like in Pete's tone. What if they'd touch
1t off tonight There'd be an orful lot OF
folks killed.
We'll, I'm agin the 'noplies," declared
Pete stoutly, initiating as well as he could
the speech of his father, who was known
among the strikers as an agitatOr of some
note. ''Ye JUS got ter do 'em up every
possible way ye kin"
I'm goin ter tell the p'leece," declared
Willie, with firmness.
No, We amt, 4" said Pete quickly. 81
amt goin ter low it.
well, will" and before Pete knew
what had happened Willie had given him
a 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 move
Willie had darted down the south side OF
the embankment and was running along
the wagon road toward Rutland as fast az
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 was wrong pulled out an
old French revolver, pointed it at the fee
ing boy and fired. Wiuie's companions
screamed with terror IS they saw him
suddenly pitch forward and nearly fall.
But In q moment he had recovered him.
self and was hurrying on.
A sharp pain ran through his arm near
the shoulder, but he was determined ii
should not overcome him, for he must
get to Rutland and in some way prevent
the destruction or the hundreds of people
that would be on that passenger train.
Hi, kid, what's the matter Of yer"
iazily inquired the Rutland village mar
shal, who bad been sitting on store box
whiting and telling horse stories, as
dusty, begrimed little chap came painting
down the street and toward the place
where the marshal sat why, why,
what's that blood on yer shirt, We beens"-
Coin T. blow up Santa Fe bridget" |
gasped the child as he seized a hitching |
chain to support his shaking legs. Min. |
ers got bomb under it. seen it, n they |
shot at me, ~ willie's strength was |
gone. The little fellow tumbled forward. |
and rolling down the sloping sidewalk |
into the gutter for the first time in his /
life tainted.
What excitement there wasi Why, is |
wasn't 90 minutes before a crowd of 80 /
were about the bleeding child. and faces
became wbitened as the word bomb
was mentioned. need not tell how the |
village doctor was called to attend to Will |
lies injuries, which consisted of a deep
cut In the fleshy part of the right arm !.
where the bullet had plowed its way
through, but had luckily not struck the
bone; how the marshal ran for dear life
20 the telegraph Office and sent word OF
what was threatening to the Santa Fe
'rainmaster on the Chillicothe division.
That evening deputy United States mar
'hals, together with the sheriff's posse,
captured 20 men at the bridge just before
The Chicago passenger Numbered along
Rutland's citizens held meeting and
yave Willie purse of $50. 1 was talking