The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-21
Little Girls Presence of Mind
Saves Baby Sister.
DIR. Van Horns Daughter
Snatches Infant From Death.
SEXES HER SKIRTS.
Kept Her From Falling Out OF
Automobile.
Machine COllides With Street
Car on Central Avenue.

Presence of mind in little Miriam
Van Horn. the year old daughter Of
DR.. and Mrs. c. B. Van Horn of 1915
Mulvane street, saved her baby sister,
Helene, from a serious of not fatal
injury. The Van Horn auto collided
with a street. car at the corner of Cen
trail avenue and Morse sereets at about
II o'clock this morning. The jar OF
the collision threw the baby over the
side of the auto. She would have fall
en- to the ground between the machine
and the street car had not her sister,
who was sitting on the seat beside her.
seized the infants skirts and held her
up. Otherwise the little one would
have likely sustained a crushed skull
by the fall to the pavement, or would
have been dragged by the still NOV
ing wheels of the auto.
The machine was driven by DR.. Van
Horn. His two daughters were sit
ting in the front seat with him, Mrs
Van Horn was in the rear seat. She
was thrown against the side of the
auto and slightly bruised. Neither
DR.. Van Horn nor his daughters were
injured. The little girl did not APP
pear to be frightened.
The front wheels of the machine
were damaged, the fender was bent,
! the axle bent. and the street car
fender was damaged. The car. No,
! 1873, was the same one which collideG
| with an auto at the place a few weeks
l..
| that he rang the gong at the Jackson
street crossing and as soon as he saw
/ the danger of a collision. reversed the
brake but couldn't ring the gong
same time. Several collisions between
autos and street cars at this corner
have occurred within the last year.
This morning the Van Horn auto
was going north on Central avenue.
DR.. van Horn thinks he was not ex-'
| ceeding twelve or fifteen miles. When
he saw the street car, which was east
bound he put on the emergency and
reverse brakes. However, the car
fender hit the machine and turned it.
around the southeast corner. As the
wheels skidded Dr. Van Horn saw his
infant daughter disappear over the
side of the car. He leaned over,
! dreading to see what might follow
I However, to his establishment and re-
| lief, his year old girl was calmly
/ pulling her baby sister back by the
/ skirts.
In the absence from their home last
night of Rev. and Mrs. w. c. Meeker.
who were making pastoral calls in the
! country with Mr.. John D. Pratt in the
! latter's AUTOMOBILE the preacher 5
/ house was entered. 1t was just about
! who lives just east Of their nome saw
a strange man sciFcling the house sew
eral times, and peering lAto the WIN
dows. Watching him still further ne
1 porch window, which was raised into
/ which he inserted the half of his body
/ as if taking a good look of the IT,
| terror. Presently a small boy came up
as if by Encouragement, and with toe
mans assistance entered the hous-.
This seemed a strange performance ara
one that called for a neighborly act d
intervention. Mrs. Mitchell was Just IN
the act of sounding an alarm, When q
! eroup OF women dressed in white game
1rpon the scene, the doors of the house
were all unlocked and thrown open, ana
men came from every direction ire
dining room table was loaded with
cakes, and the back porch with TOUR
freezers of ice cream. An automobile
drove up to the front door, from which
the nastor and his wife descended ard
forthwith received congratulations upon
The sixth anniversary of their marriage.
Two people were never moro COM
nletelv taken by surprise in their lives
The Dastor walked about dazed and MS
wife went to see if her fox-terrler mac
escaped from the house. Then it dawn
ed upon them that so people OF their
CONGREGATION were there for goec
time. The evening was spent in most
ENJOYABLE fashion in conversation, with
music and the abundant refreshments
of peach and pineapple sherbut aug
vanilla ice cream with the ladies' cakes
The strange man who had been seen n
the early evening was Mr.. Chas. sun.
and his little pal was Master fran
! Adams. The pastor and his wife voted
/ it a successful surprise, and the cor
gregation departed wishing them many
happy returns of the Gay