The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1894-02-02
THE ETHEL LYNCH.

xAE III hAA IL NSAs
Ira Lynch was the agent at a little static
on the Silver Creek Railroad, called Halfway
Why the station was called by that odd nam
10 impossible to state. unless 1t was because
7 was located about the center of the roaG
It was not much Of station either, the onl
building being the shed that contaiped tn
engine and pumps which pumped water t
the tank that supplied the road engines.
Few trains ever stopped for any other pur
pnse, unless they were tagged. as there wa
, not house within two miles Of the station
With the exception OF the little cabin occupied
BY the agent and bis family, which consisted
Of himself, bis wife and daughter and bel
little baby brother. Ethel, the dau hter
was sprighty little girl Of perhaps 70 or Il
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 gray plaid skirt, a
| tight fitting ,cket and trim bows cap rest
| i"g unity upon her beautiful auburn curls
Ethel Lynch was prime favorite with the
trainmen and regular passengers on the Silver
Creek road and they were always on the alert
to get glimpse of the red headed girl and
the white borse.
Mr.. Lynch was formerly engineer on the
engine that pulled the train known Is the
Thunderbolt-a limited express upon the
main line of which the Silver Creek road was
q branch. But nne night train robbers re-
removed q rail from the track and Ira Lynch
who saved the life of the passengers In.
trusted to his care bv standing faithfully at
his post of duty-was drag ed from under
; h. pile of broken and twisted iron and steel
that once formed part Of bis beloved en-
CINE burned and bleeding mass. or all the
not one thought It possible for him to live,
ont nv caretu, nursing and . strong determi-
nation on his part to i've for bis wife and h's
little daughters sake be so far recover ed o.
to he able to take charge of the little station
at Halfway.
Al the time our story opens, Mr.. Lynch
was standing at the open window Of the
pumphouse gazing intentlv at some ohjec'
In the direction OF bis cabin.
1t was at the close Of lovely dav In June
the rays of the setting sun for It lacked but
an hour OF surset-shone full In bis face
Shading hts eyes with bis hands be looked
long and earnestly.
Well, I declared" be exclaimed In tone
Of surprise, Its our Ethel! M. must be feel
ing better. or she wouldn't leave her alone :"
Being satisfied that everything was all
right, he again gave bis attention to bis work
80 as to have things IN shape to leave for the
night. By the time the task was completed.
E bel had approached to within speaking dis
lance. The pony was walking along very
leisurely, under a loose reign, $50 as not to
scare ps,' Ethel had said 10 herself as she
checked the pom down to walk.
swell, how's ma and the baby been today Z"
inquired Mr.. Lynch, as Ethel Slid from the
pon.'s back to the ground.
'Ob. they've been splendid all dayy Man,
ma wanted to get up she felt so WELL"
frnr lad 30, hAA NkAA Co. IL
very much like home when ma is sick; does
.'No. indeed. But do you want to know
wba, came over fory'
"Wby, yes, to be sure,"
swell, listen and I'll tell 1t to you: This af.
ternoon mamma fell asleep. and she had an
awful dream. 1t worrie' her so that she told
1t to me. and came over to he sure that II
wasn't so but you couldn't make mamma be-
leve 1t wasn't so, for she said she never c. uld
until she bad seen you with her own eyes,
"Why! 1t must have been somethin, ter |
rible to brighten your ma. She Tents very |
timtj woman. But tell me, and then I'll know |
Tor myself.
swell. mamma said that she saw five men |
walking up the track. Thew all wore zig |
bushy whiskers and carried guns. She said |
she diun't think anything strange about it.but |
thought they were bunters, until one of them
said, IT must be that be is In the pumpbouse
So she just watched them, and, sure enough.
they came directly here the big man that
spoke being in the lead. They approached
he window very cautiously; the big man put
Bis gun through the window and fired. Then
he saw you throw up nds and fall to the
ground, dpadr'
THAT WA. quite dream. and it's no won.
Ter It frightened her. But you 90 right back
oon. and she will be satisfied +"
mo, she won't either, pa, for she said that
be could never believe that It was only q
lream. until she had seen you with her own
yes. You must go home. I'll stay and give
water 10 AIS engine. and signal No. g."
'.AlI right, Ethel, II you think that she win
eel any better for seeing me. Here are TIE
ieys. Now be sure and don't STAY longer than
necessary, for 1t will be dark long before
'ou reach home"
Eyes. pa, I'll do just as you saw, only do
nike haste so that ma won't worry. Good
W. {
Kissing her father. she waited impstientIy Z
ntil be bad taken his leave.
"A girl Of whom an, man might we'll be
roud." solioQu'Zed Mr.. Lynch, a. be paused q
D look back and wave bis hand to Ethel. Re. .
uminf bis walk, be continued:
why, ! wouldn't take the best mine In !
colorado for that redheaded girl and her '
'hite pow Ethel is girl that can be trusted. b
feel perfectly safe to 90 home and leave her :
,ere. for know che will do her duty. Why, q
lttimes, With her sitting on my knee. just to .
'sse her, I've said. 'Pshsw, Ethel, you don't o
Ire very much for your old, crippled up pa, q
D your d
Then she'd throw Der dainty head back 40 u
roud as any queen and saw:
II DO, ton. love you. Ps Lynch. I had r.
ther be the daughter of cripple II be got Q
lrt while doing his duty, as you did. than to r
I've king for my father, II be were q u
'ward.r n
"Wen. she don't think any more of me th.n u
DO OF her. so IT'S sn even thing all sround"
Thus Mr.. Lynsh unused. as be walked bl
'mewsrd 10 assure bis Invalid wife be was "
right.
II guess / hsd better tie Snowflake behind "
e mphousf :" sid little Ethel. So Der fafh. in
disappeared from view. ..becsuse the soot
I'm the engines makes him ell speckled.- In