The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-05
"A Brothers Wife.
nv :. BARING GOULD.
lAuther of "Mehalsh.' "kitty Alone
sThs Queen of Love-" Etc.
HYNoPsIf


Mr. Murgatroyd Is a wealthy English
banker. hard and selfish la temper. but
devoted 20 his only son, I'm whom all his
hopes center The bankers brother,
George, had been something OF scape-
grace. and When finally he married "a
singing woman" was disinherited. All
trace OF him has been lost: indeed, IL seems
that little effort was made 20 ascertain his
fate. The father OF Mr.. Murgatroyd has
recently died. and IL has been decided that
Tie boy, Jack. must remain at school dur
ing the holidays. much 20 the sorrow or his
yaother But Jack. unable TO bear the dis
appointment. runs away. on hearing or
tbis Mr. Afurgatroyd takes the train 10 seek
Tor him He presently comes to an OBJ
etraiction-the wreck OF the train which the
Ioor boy probably took.
All stumbled from the train, there be-
ing no platform. There were cries,
scolding; some fell ana hurt them
selves. Some refused TO leave their car
iiages unless porters came to their as
sstance TO carry their packages and
rugs. A lady was carrying a paper
package containing Christmas presents
for her children. The string that con-
tanned the whole slipped off, and all the
toys were strewn on the sleepers and
between them, amidst loud exclama-
tions. There were not porters sufficient
TO assist all who clamored for help. A
good deal of selfshness was manifest
in the men passengers. Availing them
selves of the darkness and of their hav-
ing no encumbrances, they slipped
away without assisting the women bur-
<lened with babies and bundles.
A succession of braziers, emitting
volumes of coarse flames and heavy
stinking smoke, indicated where the
fall had been, and which was the way
no be pursued by the passengers.
In some places the earth was soft and
their feet sank i'm 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. Underfoot was
Iaud. Everyone was out of temper;
some women crying, children fright
ened and screaming.
"Now then, move on, pleased" 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 in
jured, 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 accident
from the guard. and was snubbed for so
doing He applied to the PeFte#s-they
were too busy TO attend to him.
He staggered over the accumulations
of fallen rock and soil. till he came on
a batch Of navvies engaged in removing
st, and saw beyond the wreckage of u
train. He Immediately inquired of u
workman what had happened, when
the accident had taken place, who had
been hurt, whether many had been in
jurcd. SO
The man was disposed to be insolent,
but the banker pressed half sovereign
into his clay-stained hand. The fellow
heldsjt TO the nearest brszier 10 ascer-
tain that the coin was not a farthing
or a,sixpence, and when he discovered
that he had been given gold, at once be-
came communicative.
"WeIl, yer see" said he, confidential
Iy,'I wasn't ERE when il 'appened, but
from wot I've cared twas regular
smashup. Yer see. the fall o. the sidin'