Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-07

81 sny, have you n haltO vOice:"
his ticket, and he flung himself into a car
riage, in spite of the shou. of The guard
while it was in movement
Mr.. Murg1troyd was breathless when he
reached the seat of thrd-clasS carriage
He usually travelled second, occasionally
first-class, Lever third, as that did not con-
sist with his dignity, and might give peo-
pie the impression that the bank was not
in flouriShing oniit:on.
He wiped his brow and looked about him.
The short December day had already closed
in, and the lamp was lighted in the car
rage.
The weather was wretched. There was
no snow.
How seldom do We now have snow at
Christmas Sharp and bitter weather there
snow had melted. there were floods. rain
descended, cold and driving. and The night
was black as Erebus.
What had become of Jack? Had he
money? He doubted it. At the school
all pocket money was taken away the first
day of term and dofed out weekly in three
pences and fourpences. His boy. he had
insisted, was to have sixpence. The mas
ter said this was unusual, but he had in
sisted. Whittier could Jack have gone?
He had no relatives no acquaintances at
Heptonstall.
Was it certain that he had run away I?
Might not some accident have befallen
him? When the rivers were swollen and
had overlooked their banks. he might haye
slipped INFO the water and been drowned
At the thought Mr.. Murgasroy,l groaned,
and his distress was so apparent that the
fellow travellers looked at him with COM
passion.
''Stomick-ache, sir%' asked compass
s.onate fellow traveller. The banker made
no reply.
Have peppermint, sir?" said the SYM
pathiZing traveller.
Mr.. Murgatroyd took one, without know
ing what he did.
AS for the fortune into which he had
| come by the death of his father. he thought
of 1t no more. What was wealth TO him
| without his child to interi. it? Life itself
was valueless to him apart from his son,
in whom all his ambition, all his pride, his
love, were conferred.
The train moved very slowly. Without
considering what he was about, AIr. Muir
gatroyd stood up ard thrust against the
compartment back opposite him. as if by
so doing he could drive the train along
quicker.
His eyes rested on the unsteady flicker
ing light in the lamp. Then he threw open
the window and looked forth into .he night.
All without was dark. and the drops of rain
glittered as they caught the light from
within.
The train approached station-a town;
a haze of light, halo surrounded the clus-
| ter of human habitations. In the falling
rain and enveloping vapers nothing could
| be made out with distinctness. He locked
at his watch.
Late! later he said "Behindhand twenty
minutes"
| I'VE shall be delayed: more than that"
why so?" ~ 80 .-t
Because of the accident"
Accident! What 'aecident?'
Have you not heard?'
mot word" sweat. cold but profuse,
broke out over the bankers brow.
There was fall in a cutting and train
| ran into it and got off the line and was up
set. Heard 1t at the station when started"
"Train-trainI What train?''
"Oh! the up train"
'"rhe up tranr' Mr.. Murgatroyd fell back
and groaned.
and presume shall have to get out of our
carriages and walk. There will probably
| be train to meet US. do not suppose the
| rock and earth and the wreckage can nave
been cleared away by this time. 1t will be
very unpleasant in the rain and in the
darkness 1 shouldn't have come but that
| business called me. However, We shall see;
| we shall see.
| The engine slackened pace, the brake was
I put on. the wheels groaned, but the putting
| and snorting Of the engine increased. aid
| the steam whistle sounded. Then the train
was brought to a standstill. AT once win
| dows were lowered, and heads thrust forth,
| and inquiries shouted as to what was the
matter. Had anything occurred?
| The rain beat in the faces OF those who
| looked forth They saw puns of illum:ned
steam and fires of coal pouring forth smoke
| and fame.
| Presently swaying light was visible, and
a voice was heard shouting. The guard was
coming down the length of the train. swing
| ing his lamp and telling the passengers to
| get out of the carriages.
| Now. then, all out! and straight ahead
between them fires and foiler your noses"
| All stumbled from the train, there being
no platform. There were cries. scolding
| some fell and hurt themselves; some re-
| fused to leave their carriages unless por-
! ters came to their assistance to carry their
| packages and rugs. A lady was carrying a
| paper package containing Christmas pres
| ents for her children. The string that con-
| tanned the whole slipped off, and all the
| toys were strewn on the sleepers and be-
| tween them, amidst loud explanations.
| There were not porters sufficient to assist
| all who clamored for help. A good deal OF
| selfishness was manifest In the men pas
| sengers. Awaiting themselves OF the dark
| ness and of their having no membranes
| they slipped away without assisting the
women burdened with babies and bundles
| A succession of braZ;ers, emitting volumes
| Indicated where the fall had been and
! which the way to be pursued by the
| passengers.
| In some places the earth was soft, and
| their feet sank in above the ankles; In other
places were blocks of stone, over which
| they broke their shins. The rain fell, the
| wind blew the volumes of smoke in their
] faces Jnderfoot was mud. Every one was
out of temper; some women crying, children
| frightened and screaming.
| Now, then, move on. please! was the
| call of the guard and porters.
Mr.. Murgatroyd. regardless of every one
| in his prepossession of the idea that his son
| might have been, and probably had been, In
| the train that had been injured, scrambled
/ over the fallen stones, waded through the
/ moist earth, slipped. picked himself up went
/ down on his knees, recovered himself, then
| insisted on particulars relative to the acct
| dent from the guard, and was snubbed for
| so doing. He applied to the porters-they
were too busy to attend to him..
He staggered over the Accommodations OF
| fallen rock and soil. till he came on batch
of navvies engaged in removing it, and saw
beyond the wreckage of train. He i'm
mediately inquired of workman what had
! happened, when the accident had taken
place. who had been hurt, whether many had