Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-02-23


She had even been wicked enough
to be thankful to be rid of him !
What if she should lose him forever?
The thought made her faint and
sick, but she drove it back, and
quickened her tagging pace. Oh,
how tired she was /! 1t seemed some
times as if she could not walk anoth-
er step. but the thought other baby,
her pet, alone in the city streets
spurred her on.
What would the poor little one do
when the gathering shades of night
surrounded him !? Frightened, tired
and hungry, and no one by to COM
fort him, what would become of him?
The tears filed her eyes at thought
of his desolation.
Inquiring Of several if they had
seen such a little body, two chill
dren at length Remembered to have
seen such a one, some time before
following a hand organ, ,whose dis
tant tones guided the hopeful moth
CIR to the spot.
As she drew nearer, no music had
ever seemed as sweet as the wheezy
cracked tones of that organ, guiding
her to her darling.
But when, breathless from her
rapid walk, she reached the place, it
was only to meet disappointment. "a
little fellow was there, indeed, but it
was not her Charlie, or did he seem
to comprehend her anxious inquir
les !; so she turned away sadly.
What if her boy had disappeared
mysterlously and entirely? Her
flying feet hardly touched the hot
pavements as this new dread blanch-
ed her face and chilled the blood in
her veins.
A church clock near by struck 6.
Tea time ! Her husband would be
at home, wondering at her unusual
absence He could help in the search;
and she turned her weary steps to-
ward the home made desolatc by the
loss of the bright-eycd boy who was
lis sunbeam.
Perhaps he had returned before
this? No, alas no, and in frantic
despair the bereayed parents sailed
forth in different directions. Wan
dering through the streets, bewilder-
ed and uncertain where to go next,
the poor mother at last obtained a
slight clew to the lost one.
A bareheaded bog about bis age
had been seen, about half an hour
bsfore, running at full speed in the
direction Of tie railroad.
The railroad Merciful heaven
And no one has thought to stop him.
What if she should be too late ?
With this dull fear gnawiDg at her
heart strings, the frantic mother
rushed down the street, and up the
slight decliyity which commands a
view of the track for some distance.
With a shrill scream of delight
she caught sight of her loved one.
His hat was gone, and his tangled
golden curls were blown about his
face by the soft summer zephyr.
The lingering rays of the sun IL
lumined his lovely head as with an
aureole. Clenched tight in one club
by hand was tack hammer, which
he must have carried off, unnoticed
by his busy mother, and he was alb
sorbed in the vain effort TO drive an
old rusty nail into one Of the iron
rails.
It was strange sight, thi, inno-
cent child, unconscious of danger,
playing in the very lap of death.
Almost ere Mrs. Erskine had dis
covered Ter boy, The dull roar of en-
approaching train fell upon her ear,
and, for an instant, paralyzed alike
brain and body. It was the light
ming express, due few minutes be-
fore, and hurrying to make up time.
With a Wild cry for help, and a
voiceless prayer to Him who hath
given His angels charge over us, she
sprang forward, when rough hard
pushed her back, rough voice
shouted, hoarselys