The Washington times., 1913-12-02

~ ARA was cripple. Her nome
was in a frame house at the
little siding where her father
was the station master. and as
her mother was dead. the place was
lonely for a girl. Yet. as she was her
fathers only companion, she managed
to keep pretty busy with her housekeep-
ing and her studies
The station was about sixty miles
from a big city. and it had been ner
dream for years TO See the town with
its crowded streets and shops fuI OF
TOYS. But her father could never leave
his post and there was no one else TO
take her. So she grew up in the place
seeing nothing but miles of steel track
stretching across the prairie toward the
town which was her land OF oeautl1ui
dreams.
trip to the city was planned, but that
fell through Her aunt had promised
to take her around the stores and 20
see a famous surgeon. but the aunt
died, and Cara had no way 10 MAKE
the journey So she made cake anu
trimmed the smoky windows with
greens, hoping to bring bit oi
Christmas cheer at least to her father:
But on Christmas Eve her ,father Isii
sick The wind sung through the teie-
graph wires and howled over the pralrie,
hut in the tiny room the girl kept a
bright fire and attended 10 the instru.
ments on the table. .'Zing. zinS, zing'
! That is our call. Cara said the
! father feebIy. See what 1t wants.
| Cara bent over the table, for she could
take a telegram just as perfectly as
ner father.
ing the ticking aloud. ''and the opera
| tor there says that freight has Jump
| I'd the track there and wrecked ntteeii
cars. You must flag the express before
| il gets to Warren Station, for the wire
! is down beyond there.
| The sick man groaned.- He tried TO
struggle to his feet, but fell back on
the cot helpless. Radcliffe was sta
ton about twenty miles away 10 the
J west. while Warren was the next one
on the east No express ever stopped
at E.lmwood, the station where Cara
lived, so If 1t left Warren it would run
right or toward Radcliffe and strike
t..e wreck. The Radcliffe operator could
not wire to Warren. for the wires had
Deen blown down just outside OF Elm
wood. and there was no way Of getting
news to the eastward at all:
The Limited Express will come by
Warren in half an hour" gaSped the
father. What can | do-the train vii
be wrecked-I am too Ill TO walk
Cara looked out at the storm and as
she rSazed gust blew down the tele'
graph pole outside the dOOr TN Il sue
track stood n haGdcar.
Don't worry, father" exclaimed Cara
jerking up a red lantern. II can Se;
onto that handcar and run Uown t.
Warren in twenty ninutes-it is only
seven miles"
without waiting for a reply. Cara
grabbed a heavy coat and fur cap
which she Put on as She hurried across
the track. In two minutes she hac
managed in spite of, her, lameneSs tC
| run the car out to the main line. rht
, strong wind was at her back. so wher
she released the brake and gave a turf
on the wheel. the car shot ahead ltk'
q flash. The girl opened the coat am
spread II out wide with her arms, max
ing a big sail. which the blast caush
: and sent the car on faster than ever
, Singing il humT1ed along the rails, eacT
1 moment racing faster with the wln6
5 that blew it like feather
Rut it was very cold Tor the child
| StcaGying the red lantern on her l2I
Cara sat On the platform holding he
! bI cath as she swept over the prairie.
e Snow began to fan and il blew into ne
$ eyes till they smarted with pain. He
/ cramped position made every bone ache
but she thought of the great express
! hUrryirS on with its load II human
| freight, of the awful terC-s Of a wreCl
t and this made her keep back her tear
! br+Vely.
Presently the light of Warren loom
ed up in the distance and rapidly grew