Birmingham state herald., 1897-03-03
GOOD ALABAMA GRIT.
Thirteen-Y Year-OId Riley Rushtion Mov- ing Himself Parents and Seven Brothers By Easy Stages to
 Lynn, Mass.

New Brunswick CN. J) Correspondent of
 New York Telegram.
 There came to town yesterday a. curious little traveller in the person of thirteen year-old Riley Rushtion, who Is engaged in the lauda bFe enterprise of moving him self. his parents and, seven brothers and sisters from FEairford Ala. to Lynn, Mass, by easy stages and in the face of desperate odds.
 He brought the others with him, but they don't count unless 1t be in empha- sizing the remarkable performance of the pretty hazel-eyed cherub, who is about as big as an average child of ten years, and whose wisdom exceeds that of the rest of the family put together For Riley pilots and provides for the other Rushtions, and but for him they could never have made the journey.
 Their story is simple one. Sylvester Rushtion, a aborer, fell i'll in the Ala bama village where he had lived and gathered large family about him, and when he was able to leave his bed he could only do light work and there was none of that for him His mother lives In Lynn, Mass, and it occurred to the Rushtions that if they could reach that far off city the children who were more than twelve years old, Riley and two Of his sisters, might get employment in a factory and restore the family fortunes.
 But they nad no money, and though they talked 11uch about the journey it was postpGga3d, and poverty oppressed them more aud more. The rest of their story was told by the youngster who brought himself and his paaty of nine to New Brunswick yesterday afternoon He handed slip of paper to me when I asked how he managed to get along. It contained the following:
 I think these children should be helped to their destination. W. $. GRAY,
 Culpspper, w. Va
 ''I just show this here to people, and I answer right smart what they ask me- and they give me a little money" the boy said. He is bright-f7ced litt.e chap with wonderfully fair skin, light brown curly hair and eyes which charm silver from the pockets of most who see them.
 As he talked his parents ard the brothers and sisters stood about him, with eyes cast down and never uttered a word They seemed to depend entirely on him. and to realize that he could do their talking best.
 The conductor said the boy piloted his followers aboard the train at Plainsboro, near Princeton Junction, ard when the train reached New Brunswick he hurried them from the car and counted them to be sure that none was carried beyond his protection.
 We've been about week and half on the way the child continued. q reckon we'll get to Lynn some time next week. We're not a-goin to New York. I wisht we was, for hear it's wuth seein'. We just started fer Lynn, where grand ma is, and we're goin' to get there Ysee, I told 'em there was no use waitin' in Ala bama- We couldn't get any work there. I can work in a saw mill That's what I done-light work it was, but I'm pretty strong. too. I do most of the talk in 'cause-well. I don't know; I seem to sorter get along with strangers easier than the rest on us. There's ten of us all together, but two of the little ones don't always have to have tickets-that is, after I've seen the conductor and told him how we're situated. We got on this train at Plainboro and we had money enough to ride to this place. What is it? Oh, yes. New Brunswick. That's how I do it. When I get money enough to go along piece I buy the tickets for as far as I can and we go. I've collected GO reckon the Rushtons II eat some in this we're town fore they move along"
 Then the brains of the Rushtion family turned to the group about him and said cheerfully:
 Well. you 'uns let's go down this yere street and find an eatin' place"
 They fsll in behind him without a word. except that the father, consur 've looking man of 10. acting as whipper-in for the youthful pilot, cried to a boy of 5. who had camped on baggage trunk:
 Rise right up thar, John Hennery! Don't y'hear Riley talkin'?"
 The mother is an invalid. and both she and her husband appear spirited But no one who saw the party had doubt that Riley would land them in "grandma's" house in Lynn before an- other week has passed and that he'll have a little money for use in case he doesn't find saw mill job awaiting him.