The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-19

again stopping to look up and down
the track.
Pa in the first place had not reck-
oned with the fast speed of trains. and
being behind the hedge fence fails to
see the fast approaching train, and it
so happens that it is Johns train. The
rickety old buggy is making a lot of
noise, Pa can hardly be blamed-he
heard no whistle, for indeed none was
sounded
John through virtue of habit, for
got the importance of giving a good
clear roadcrossing whistle alarm ap-
preaching all crossings. True enough
John whistled for some crossings. but
not all of them, and this did not hap
pen to be a very important crossing.
John sees the buggy approaching, but
not In time to stop, and as he looks he
recognizes old Mag and knows it must
be Pa and Ma; knows that the newt
able must happen.
Hoisted High in Air.
Pa and Ma, old Mag and the bug
gy get on the crossing about the same
time Johns engine gets there, and
poor old Mag, the old mare who used
to carry him around when he was a
boy, is scattered from one end of the
engine to the other. The buggy with
Pa and Ma is lifted high in the air
and set over by the right of way fence.
But worst of it all is John must help
to pick up his dear old Pa and Ma,
Killed by his own engine, when doubt
less his name was their lips; killed
through Johns carelessness; no, let us
say thoughtlessness.
Imagine if you can that poor fell
lows feelings when he gets to pa and
ma. Pa never knew what struck him.
/ but ma still has a spark of life left
and as John lifted her head upon his
knee she raises one of her poor old
Withered hands. strokes her boy on the
cheek and says, My boy. my boy. we
was a lookin for you tomorrow and
! with that remark she passes on.
! John in laying her down notices
/ something held tight in the grasp of
/ her other hand and in taking it from
her hand notices that it is a piece of
a sack. a paper sack in which there
were candy and nuts and other good
/ things for Johns boy.
Never Again.
"All this happens in a brief space of
time, in less time indeed than 1 can
| tell 1t to you, but it seems an eternity
/ to John. John then and there makes
a solemn VOW that never again will he
fail to whistle for a railroad crossing;
! never again will he fail to give the
/ other fellow a fair chance, but the
resolution comes too late to save his
poor old pa and ma.
/ And now men, we reach the end of
/ our Kaleidoscope picture, and 1 leave
1t to your own Imagination what fol-
lows. Mr.. Conductor, Mr.. Brakeman
Mr. Fireman, if you have an engineer
who is negligent about whistling for
road crossings, go to him and en-
deavor to persuade him to whistle long
and loud for every crossing. Remind
/ MIN of it time and again if he is in
! clined to forget, keep after him until
he forms a habit. Mr.. Engineer, if you
yourself are neglectful of that impor-
tant duty, do not again neglect it. for
the next person that is hit on a rail-
road crossing might be your pa or ma.
! it might be your wife or little boy or
| little girl, but what matters whether
or not it is yours, it is someone's pa
and ma, or wife or husband, or little
/ boy or little girl, and 1 am sure YOU
are just as anxious to avoid bringing
sorrow to your neighbor as you are to
yourself. When you approach a road
/ crossing give the other fellow a fair
chance by letting him know in every
way you can that you are coming