Year: 1879

through the mountains, a hundred


miles away to the north; and Of
clear days the snowy mountain
could be seen glimmering on tn
grassy horizon. The line leading t,
the Black River met the South
western here, and thus it was thu
place was called Black River juno
tion. The station master and his
wife and three children lived in the
small depot quite happily, but there
was not another family within tel
miles, in any direction.


At times the children deemed il
rather lonely. There was nothing
in particular to be done, except tt
watch the trains that stopped al
the junction several times a day
Once in a while, freight car would
be left on the side track, and thu
children soon found that an empty
freight Car made capital play
house. They could keep house il
the corners and make visits, or si
by the open door and make believe
they were having ride.
One morning they were Weakened
by curious humming sound Out
of doors and they all scrambled ur
and looked out of the window. How
the wind did blow! 1t whistled and
| roared around the house, played on
the telegraph wires upon the rooi
as upon a huge harp! As the wires
were fastened to the roof, the house
became great music box, with the
children inside. After breakfast,
the morning trains arrived, but the
wind was SO high that the passen-
gers were glad to hasten from one
train to another as soon as possi-
BILE. Then the trains went away,
and the great wind harp Oh the roof
sang louder than ever.


The station master said it blew a
gale, and that the children must
stay in the house, lest they be blown
away into the prairie and lost. The
station masters wife said it was a
pity, the children must st ,ay in the
house all day.


There was an empty freight car
on the side track perhaps they
might play in that. The station
master believed it good idea, and
he took Kitty by the hand and Tom
my in hi arms, while Mary took
hold of his coat, and they all went
to the empty Car. Whew! How
it did blow They certainly
thought they would be lifted up by
the wind and blown nearly into the
sky. The empty car Was warm and
snug, and, once inside, they were
quite out of the way of the wind.


Mary thought the rear end of the
Car would be a good place to keep
house, but Tommy preferred the
other end, SO they agreed to keep
house at both ends of the empty
car. This was a nice plan, for it
gave them a chance to visit each
other, and the open part by the
door made a grand promenade to
walk Oh.


Louder and louder roared the
gale. Safe and snug in the Car,
they went on with their play, and
thought nothing of the weather out.
side.


Suddenly the car seemed to shake,
and they stopped in their house.
keeping and ran to the door to see
what had happened.


"Why, it's moving! Somebody's
pushing it," said Mary.


"They are taking US away on the
freight train; come, we must get
out"


~ didn't hear the whistle" said
Tommy. IL guess something is
pushing the car.


The girls leaned out of the car to
see what had happened. Why,
where was the platform What
was the trouble with the station 7
1t was moving away-no, it was
the car; it had left the siding and
had rolled out upon the main line
and was moving faster and faster
along tue road.


"Oh, We must get out They are
taking us away"


'NO, no." said Kitty. "We must
stay here till the brakeman comes
round. | didn't hear them when
they took us on the train"


"There isn't any train," said Tom.
my, looking up and down the road.


"Oh, it's the wind! It's blowing
the car away. We must put on
the brake and stop it."


This was good plan, but how
were they to carry it QUIT The brake
wheel was on top of the car and
they were inside. Faster and fast.
er rolled the car. 1t began to rat
tie and roar as if dragged along by
swift engine. In moment, Tom.
my began to cry. Mary tried to
look brave, and Kitty stared ahead