The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-06-19

wy ~
"Stop," sdid hCtdrmcr
BRING it to Denver and then take it
back to the farm at Salina. The travel.
ny engineer went out with special
engine and the superintendent private
ear, and | went with him.
1t is not a pleasant task to deliver the
lead to beroaved relatives but it is the
least that can be done, and some one
must do it. Tho engine loft the track
precisely Mt midnight, Friday night,
and it was not until the afternoon Of the
Tuesday that Preached Salina.
There had been six children in this
happy family--threo boys and three
girls The eldest son was a locomotive
engineer but he had left the road for
good and was now with the family at
the Kansas farm.
How does he look?" asked the ongi-
neer when we had taken seats in the
farm carriage. Can mother see him;"
He looks very WELL said |, and
then remembering that ugly furrow in
his face, but would it not be better for
all Of you to remember him just as he
left homer
Il shall leave that all to you" he
said, while the hot tears fairly rained
down upon the laprobe that covered our
knees.
When we reached the Mcconnell
place, aud | went into the house where
the family were all assembled in the
large plain parlor, there was no need of
an introduction They all knew me and
knew why | had come, and when they
crowded about me, all weeping so bit
terly, | felt that | could not hold out
much longer myself | did better than
had expected, however, until | attempt
ed to talk, when the tears came up in
my throat and choked me So, with a
little brother on one knee little sis
ter ON the other, while the two young
ladies were sobbing by the window and
the brave young engineer was trying
between his tears to calm his mother,
gave way and wept with the rest.
When we had all gained the little re-
lief that always comes with shower of
tears, the mother began to talk to me
and ask questions To begin with, she
asked me if | could tell her exactly
when her boy was killed.
Last Friday night, " said.
"What timer" she asked, glancing at
her two daughters, who had turned from
the window and were trying to dry their
eyes.
almost exactly at midnight, " was
my reply
"Ah," she said, bursting into tears
again, II knew It'll knew it''
HE was killed instantly" said l.
He never knew what happened. "
| said this with the hope of their de-
irving a shade of comfort from the fact
that the dear brave boy was not roasted
alive, as so many enginemen are.
mot quite instantly, said the weep.
ing mother. He called me twice,
Mother, mother' and saw him stand.
ing before me with great deep furrow
across his face"
Then she placed the edge of her hand
against her face to show me where the
scar was, and when | saw her mark the
very angle of the ugly groove l felt a
strange tingling sensation at the roots
of my hair.
Has any one written You the par
ticulars of the wreck" | said
"No," she answered; 1--WE have had
but two telegrams-One from the super
intendent, telling of his death, and the
one from you when You left Denver. "
What she said so affected me that /
excused myself and walked out to the
barn, where ! could think. was not
long in arriving at the conclusion that
when the III left the track in that in
finitesimal fragment of time the boy saw
that he was in the shadow Of death, and
his first and only thought was of his
mother His whole soul went out to her
so swiftly and 81 surely that she not
only heard him call her, but saw him,
just as he was.
At the barn / found the dead boy S
father, who had insisted upon his son S
going in with me upon our arrival at
the house while he put up" the team.
thought his the saddest face had ever
seen as he moved about in his fearless
and silent sorrow.
"How did it happen?" asked the
farmer when he had finished his chores
and we were walking back toward the
house together.
Hit q bunch of cattle, " said /.
"In the night?"
YES" was my answer, Just about
midnight.
"What night?"
Last Friday"
"Stop" said the farmer, touching my
arm. 81 want to tell you something
that happened here last Friday night.
and remember that the clock was strik-
ing ~. "
Then he told me how his wife had
screamed and Weakened him and how
she had wept bitterly and insisted that
Johnny had been killed. He had been
struck by somebody or something. she
insisted, and she could see a great, deep,
ugly scar on his face
don't know why / did not, but re-
member distinctly that j did not tell
them-not even the engineer, who was
accustomed to seeing such things-that
the scar was there ON Jacks face just as
his mother had seen it that Friday
night. We did not open the coffin at the
church nor at the grave.
remained with the family at the
farmhouse that night, and with them
Oh the following day went to the little
church in town, where the good priest
talked a great deal longer than was nee
essary, thought, for no had it not in
his power to do John Mcconnell any
good by talking. In pleasant place, on
q gentle slope that tipped to the west,
his grave was made, and while we were
weeping there another grave, in another
place, was being filled, hiding from the
eyes of the world the body of the brave