The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-18

and failed. Then, he had raced with
the cable for fun. now he was racing
for his life. At first he bent forward
land ran like a hound, with all hic
Knight, but, do his best, he could not
run fast enough; the cable was pulling
him down. He needed his hands. he
needed more breath. But he could hot
pause; he bounced from one leg and
made gigantic stride, he bounced
/ from the other leg, and on he went,
| speeding like an ostrich over the ndrd
pavement. How it hurt his feet, how
it Jared his spine; how the cable jerk
ed him along.
''Only two mile to the power house,
only two mile to the power house, OILY
| two mile
He couldn't think nor feel but these
words were whistling in his dizzy
! brain.
He couldn't tell where he was. He
did not try. His eyes stared straight
ahead and all his energies were first IN
one leg and then in the other. He must
not miss his footing. Lights flashed
| from the stores; lights, red, white, Dlue
! and green, were ribbons of color
streaming by. Shrill cries and yells
| and whistles were the same to him,
streams of sound trailing behind. Hr-
erything was sweeping behind him.
the two miles were sweeping behind
him, five minutes had swept behind
him, eight minutes. Two miles is hot
far at the rate that Bill was pacing ii.
But he was almost winded, his ankles
were giving out, his head was a buzz,
but on he bounded. The power house
must come soon.
The power house was right ahead.
But between Bill and the power house
lay the tracks of the B. & G.. railroad.
The kids had not thought of the rail-
road crossing, Bill had not thought OF
the railroad crossing, he did not think
of it now until the scream of an engine
warned him and the light of the bulls
eye was upon him. Then he wene down
on his face. But on went the cable
and on went the trailing boy. The
guardsman had lowered the gates, lie
was ringing his bell, but on went The
cable and on went the boy, and on
came the kissing engine.
Had Bill kept his nerve and kept On
his feet he might have saved himself.
but the eye of the engine had faxed
him. The cable got him across the
tracks, all but one dragging foot; that
was run over by the engine.
The power house is there, just beyond
the B. & c. tracks. The cable ends
there, and there ended Bills fearful
run. Men cut him loose and sent him
in patrol wagon to the hospital.
The affair was reported in the morn
ing papers:
1.-The boys name is William Rice. lie
lives at 81 Backaway court. His mother
is a widow who tries to support her
numerous family by taking in washing.
William is errand boy at the Mckinney
Park grocery, corner of Fourtieth and
Green streets. He is the only depend
ence of his Woodworking mother.
1.-The perpetrators of the cowardly
deed are still unknown. The boy is
game and refuses to peach In fact.
bn ie daIi To
the affair. He mutters over and over,
L done it to a little yaller dorg, done
it to a little yaller dorg.' We surlnIse
that an interesting tale is attached to
that same little yaller dorg.
Mr.. Brown read this account at the |
breakfast table, Robbie Owens father |
read it between sips of coffee. Most Of |
the neighborhood boys heard it at their |
breakfast tables. Before school they |
met at the Swans shed, their facei |
burning, their hearts humping their |
little bosoms.
I'm going to the hospital TO see |
him." said Harold Brown, winkins |
very fast I'm going to see him, and
Pm going to own up"
$50 am II cried Robbie Owen, ell |
bowling his way to Harold's side. SO /
am l." chorused the other Brownies
and the rest of the neighborhood boys,
more or less Stoutly.
.You needn't to-" said Harold. 'lt's
all our fault on account of Jack. Me
and Waldo and Davy are going to own
up. Father says it was the meanest
thing he ever heard of, and he's going
with US"
The Brownies went to the hospital
with their father Robbie Owen went
to the hospital with his father. The
fathers made up a hand
some purse for Billy's mother, and Mr..
Brown doubled the sum. Mrs. Brown
and the neighborhood mothers visited
Billy and did everything in the world
to make him comfortable. But nothing
that any one could do could restore the
foot. and nothing could ever
make Billy forget that he done il TO
a little yaller dorg."