The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-03-17

'That sounds as II somebody was
bammering ON the track, " he said as he
listened. But lac was late and 80 hurried
on toward home
As he neared the gate his mother
came running down the walk. her apron
over her head. Jimmy, she cried hys-
terically, "where is your father?"
IL don't know" answered the boy.
staring in dismay at his mother, who
was pale and trembling.
"Oh, my child" she screamed,
there's something wrong. Your father
went over an hour ago down into the
woods TO find the stray lambs. and he
never stays SO late, and 10 or 10 min
utes ago crowd of yelling, cursing men
swept by here like q cyclone and down
into the woods, and fathers there, and
maybe they've killed him."
Hold on, mother" cried Jimmy.
Don't take on so. I'll run down to the
edge of the woods and see what's up.
Fathers all right. What would they
hurt him for, I'd like to known"
Though he spoke SO stoutIy, the boy
was frightened, but be ran as fast as be
could toward the woods. He remember
ed the noise he had heard at the track
and suddenly it rushed over him what
it meant. They're sympathizers of the
strikers. he whispered as he tore across
the field, land they're tearing up the
track, I'll bet. F"
When he reached the woods, he stole
along as cautiously as possible toward
the din and uproar, which every mo-
ment grew louder. Suddenly he saw
them.
There were 80 at least, barehea6ed,
ragged, prying up the track with crow
bars-a frightful sight to lonely little
boy creeping among the trees. The stray
lambs, huddled together under a tree,
were bleating in a frightened. helpless
way. Jimmy felt sure his father must
be near them, so, creeping on hands and
knees now, the boy crawled slowly along
and suddenly saw bis father tied to a
tree, watching the rioters completing
their work of destruction. AS Jimmy
saw his father Mr.. Saunders, turning
his head, saw his son.
Jimmy was not 10 feet away from
his father, while the mob was at least
40 feet away from both.
Jimmy" murmured his father,
"run, my boy, run! The New York
special with soldiersl Run up the road
and signal it Never mind me, but save
the train. +"
With half sob the boy crept back
through the tall grass to the edge of the
forest and then darted across the field
toward the farmhouse like an arrow.
His mother met him. Don't stop me,
mother" he gasped. Fathers alive,
but the strikers have got him. You run
TO Mr.. Soniers' for help. I'm going to
signal the special" Signal the special
Suddenly he stopped. What with? How
could he, little boy, stop train before
it reached the cut yonder? All, the red
lantern, the despised, common thing he
had sneered at that very day.
Two minutes later this towheaded,
freckled faced young hero was flying up
the track, his red lantern lighted, his
bare feet spurning the earth, painting,
stumbling, sobbing. falling, up again
and on, on.
A low rumble broke on his ear. The
rails began singing under his feet. cts
coming" be shrieked, and putting all
his remaining strength into this last
effort he dashed ON few rods farther.
There came great white light glow
ing at him like an angry eye, nearer
and nearer, larger, brighter. Would
they ever see him as he stood there,
desperately gripping his red lantern ana
swinging it with both his tired little
arms?
AT last The engine gave a scream.
~ see you, JIMMY" it seemed to cry to
the poor child. Then shiver ran
through the long train. 1t groaned and
stopped. the engine painting and signing,
at the feet of James Saunders, hero.
Do You suppose, if Jimmy lives to be
100 years old, he will ever forget that
moment-the shouts, the questions, the
excitement, the soldiers crowding around
him, the glistening bayonets, the praise,
the thanks, all the pride of the instant
as he knew that he, little prairie lad,
had saved the special laden with Uncle
Sam s troops?-Advance.