Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-08-03
: URRY up a bit of sup
per, mother" cried Rob
ert Douglas. "We've got
- ,o, 80 n uyrooly onH


ert Douglas. "We've got
news of a wreck, and
I've got to 60 down with clicker."
but, Robert, I was going to have
hot mullins, and they're not light vet.
You're two hours early"
g "Give me piece Of bread, then, and
some cold meat. Pm sorry for the
mullins, but can't wait" T.
I'm sorry, too" said Mrs. Douglas,
rising, and laying aside her knitting.
II had planned ham and eggs besides"
"Too bad; but the boys will be ready
In half an hour, and I must be on
hand. Ugh!
And he shrugged his shoulders, rs II
In anticipation of the cold, hard task
before him, as he followed his mother
from the cozy sitting room into the
pantry. 'r'
s"Give me whatever there is ready"
he said, land Ill put crust In my
pocket. We may be out pretty much
all night" rs, ~.-. ....
"What was the accident?" she
asked, moving back, and forth as she
placed the things upon the table.
"A broken axle anu big freight
gone to smash. It's in q bad place,
too, down in the Thread Valley, where
the road is very crooked"
"I'm afraid it's going to snow"
II know it is. It's showing already.
But you know it grows warmer when
it begins to snow"
"Not with a northeast wind like
this"
Don't you worry, mother. I'll wrap
up well, and I'm tough as bear,"
he said, laughing gaily.
Pc His ruddy face, clear eyes and wiry
figure bore out his assertion. But 1t
was quite as much his CHEEKY courage
that gave him strength as it was hard
ness of muscle or stoutness of frame.
"I'll make you a good cup of tea,
Robert" said Mrs. Douglas, as he sat
down to what seemed to her cheer
less meal, a cup of tea being to her
the very essence of comfort.
"Oh, never mind; this is all right, -
he answered, heartily, as he helped
himself with the eager and undiscrim-
mating appetite of youth.
But in few minutes a steaming and
fragrant cup was beside his plate.
Don't be anxious IL I'm not back
till morning." he said. ''I'n ask Tom
Carpenter to stop on his way home to
-.s1,o 1,o,, tho 1otoct pove GOO1. Inv
mother" as he rose from his chair to
go. "Cook yourself good supper and
have Anna Odds come and stay with
you, SO you won't be lonesome"
Mrs. Douglas watched his free,
young step as he went down the walk
to the railway station, which was very
near, and in full sight.
mo mother has better boy" she
said to herself. as she wiped the tears
that were sure to fill her eyes when
ever Robert left her for more than
his usual daily absence.
The house where Robert and his
mother lived was very humble, yet
coy, clean and attractive. His small
wages as an assistant telegraph oper-
ator was all they had to live upon,
but his mothers prudence and his
steady industry Made that sufficient
for their unpretentious wants.
When Robert got to the station he
found the wrecking train about to
start. He was to open and operate an
additional telegraph Office at or near
the scene of the disaster, for the pur-
pose of working trains past the OBJ
struction.
The accident had happened seven
teen miles or more away, at point
where the road followed the tortuous
winding Of the River Thread. The
bluffs along the line there were very
steep and there were several bridges
across the noisy and turbulent little
stream. There could hardly have been
a worse place for an accident, as the
approaches either way were around
sharp curves.
When the rescue train, with it's pom
derous appliances for hoisting and pry-
ing and lifting, had reached the spot,
1t was Roberts duty to climb a tele-
graph pole, make the necessary at
tachments with wires and clamps, and
to establish his Office at ita foot.
He improvised q rude shelter with
some rails and a blanket, made a
chair for himself and with q few
stones heaped together, set up his in
strument and was ready for duty.
It was Saturday night, and but few
trains except the regular aight express
were running.
The road had a double track along
that division, and the disabled freight
was on the right hand, or the one taken
by the down trains, while the relief
cars were on the up track. When
one of the up trains was due, this
one would switch off and let it pass.
Robert kept up communication with
the nearest stations at either hs>nd,
and the work of opening the road went
on very satisfactorily.
It promised to be less difficult than
had been at first unprecedented, and it
began to look as if by midnight both
lines would be clear.
A snowstorm had set in with blind
ing fury. The men who We're actively