Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-07
The man was disposed to be insolent. but

the banker pressed half a sovereign into his
clay-stained hand. The fellow held It to the
nearest brazier to ascertain that the coin
was not farthing or sixpence. and When
he discovered that he had been given gold, at
once became communicative.
well, yer see," said he, conf1dentfaily. L
wasn't ere when 1t 'appened. but from wot
I've cared twas a reglar smash-up. Yer
see, the fall O. the sidin' took place just afore
the train came up, and there wasn't no
warnin', so she ran slap-bang into It ALL ana
then the ingin biler busted. and there you
see the ingn lynn off the rails on 'er side like
killed pig
"And were many of the passengers hurt?"
"Oh, lots. Legs and arms and all that
broke. and screaming awful"
"A boy. a little lad. mean, hardly more
than a child?"
Twas reg'lar carnation." Carnage he
meant; Mr. Murgatroyd understood him.
Il wasn't ere" pursued the man. Il wor
sent on wi my pals to clear the line; and
gers. I'll ketch it,
Mr.. Murgatroyd, satisfied that he could OBJ
tain no further information from the navy.
and doubtful whether what he had obtained
was reliable, now pushed on to where tie
fragments of the broken carriages lay.
These were being removed with the greatest
rapidity. Railroad companies do their ut
most to efface all traces of an accident with
promptitude and dispa tch. Lines were torn,
rails bent, sleepers started out of their posi-
lions.
The banker went amidst the ruined car
riages.
Now then. now them" said an official.
mot this way. please. Don't you your
train over yonder? Get along like CREASED
lightning and in, or she'll leave you in the
lurch."
Il do not want the train." answered Mr..
Murgatroyd. Il want to know about my
boy. Is he hurt? Where is he? Was he in
the train that ran off the rails?'
How am to know? Ask them as Does
was the churlish retort.-
But whom am l to ask?''
Find out for yourself. I'm not here to
moVin' on"
father
Then find some one on whom you can in
slst, answered the functionary, moving
away.
Mr.. Murgatroyd sought the foreman and
put the question to him. How many had
been injured? Who were the iniured?''
Look here answered the man addressed
be you for the press?"
NO, I'm not; am father
"Oh, father be blowed. If you was on the
press l might ha' done something for you"
Place yourself at my disposal-here is
a sovereign
"oh" exclaimed the man, that's
morse of another color. Now, then, step
| aside on to the bank What is it you
| want?" wv
Il want to know whether my son was in
the carriages that were smashed, and, if
i've feelings myself said the super
lntendent III tell you wot One of two
things has happened. If he was in the
train and didn't get knocked to bits and
ton. lou passed train, didn't your
Yes
We'll, all as could went on in that"
And these who couldn't?''
They was took to the public 'ouses and
anywhere where they could be took in
roundabouts. That's where you must look
for him. That's what you must do sir
trot about among the publics, and see if
mes there; II he amt trot ONE. I've feel
ings"
Mr. Murgatreyed climbed the bank and
threw himself over the ratings inclos:ng
the grounds belonging to the railway COM
pany. and 3egan to wade through plowed
held, with the clay as consistent and ten
acious as glue. After laboring along
some way he halted Whittier was he
going? Where was the gate to the field?
would he reach It with the boots on his
feet?
He turned back and recrossed the rails
redescended the bank, and asked the way
of a workman.
He was hidden follow the lines, pass the
train in waiting. and he would come to a
bridge whore the high road was carried
over the lire He must ascend to that and
then he could not miss his way.
Accordingly he obeyed the instructions
gwen him.
Nov. then, where are you going?"
shouted the guard or the train waiting for
the passengers. "Look alive. jump in!
You're not going along the line"
Mr.. Murgatroyd persisted. He reached
the bridge The bank beside was tramp,ed
| into steps. and the railing torn down. By
this way had those who had escaped I'M
injured from the wrecked train left the
scene of the accident. and by this way had
those been removed who had been hurt and
killed. A red lamp glared like an evil eye
upon the place where the great disaster
lad ot CURED, and a threat to the bank
er that he must expect the worst. He was
resolved in mind that his son had sought
| to return home by this identical train
which had crashed into the fallen masses
| of rock and earth. Whittier should the boy
| go but home? He had not come by an
| earlier train. or he would have reached his
destination. II he had escaped unharmed,
| he might have. he probably would have,
been conveyed over the mass Of debris and
| Keen whjrled homeward in the train that
had passed with whiZ and a flash of light
as he came in the opposite direction. II
| so, by this time he was safe in his mothers
arms But there was the chance that he
| had suffered. that he was lying in one Of
| the refugees opened hastily for the accom-
mediation of those injured. and before re-
i turning home he must make sure whether
this were not.
On the bridge a party of carolers were
walking, shouting out snatches of the
Christmas hymn
christians awake. salute the happy morn
Wherein the Savior of the world was born. "