The Somerset reporter., 1896-02-06

"That sounds as if somebody was
hammering on the track, ;" he said as he
listened. But he was late and SO 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 doSn into the
woods to find the stray lambs, and he
never stays so late. and 10 or 10 min
utes ago crowd of yelisHg, cursing men
swept by here like Cyclone and down
into the woods, and fathers there, and
maybe they've killed him.
Hold ON, mother cried Jimmy
Don 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 know"
Though he spoke SO stoutly, the boy
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, L II bet. y
When he reached the woods, he stole
along as cautiously as possible toward
the din land uproar, which every mo-
ment grew louder Suddenly he saw
them.
There were 30 at least, bareheaGed
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 i'll 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 his father tied to ii
tree, watching the rioters completing
their work of destruction. AS Jimmy
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 soldiers Run up the road
and signal it Never mind me, but save
the train.
With Il half sob the boy crept back
through the tail grass to the edge of the
forest and then darted across the field
toward the farmhouse like AN arrow
Hlsmol her mel him. Don stop me-
mother, lie gasped Fathers alive,
but the strikers have got him. You run
to MI. Somer, for help. I'm going to
signal the special" Signal the special
Suddenly he stopped. What with? How
could he, II litle boy, stop train before
it reached the cut yonder? All, the red
lantern, the despiaed, common thing he
had sneercd 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 Spuming the earth, painting
stumbling sobblng, falling. up again
and on, ON.
A low rumble broke GA his ear. The
rails began singing under his feet 1T
coming Ae >hfl ked, and putting all
his remaining, Strength INTO this last
effort he dashed on T rods farther.
There calne great white light glow
ing at him BIKE an angry eye, nearer
and nearer, larger, brsh3et. Would
they ever see him rs he stood there,
desperately gripping his red lantern and
swinging it With both his lired little
arms
AT last The engine gave scream.
81 see yau, Jimmy! 1T soenr.Ito cay to
the poor child. Then . silver ran
through the long train Il 2rrmcel and
stopped, the engine painting and i.,tlGs.
at the feet of James SaundeI-. Lace.
Do you suppose, if Jimmy iyc' - ht
100 years old, he viii ever fa2,, Ito