Year: 1879

There were three of them-Kitty, Ma
~. and little Tommy-the children OF
the Station-master at Black River juno
ton. and the Great Southwestern Rail
road. The station stood alone on the
open prairie, miles and miles from any
where in particular Black River flowed
through the mountains, hundred miles
away 20 the north; and on clear days,
the snowy mountains could be seen glim-
mering on the grassy horizon. The line
leading 20 the Black River met the South
Western here, and thus it was the place
was called Black River Junction.


The Station-master and his wife and
three children lived in the little depot
quite happily, but there was not another
family within ten miles, in any direction.


At times the children thought it rather
lonely. There was nothing IN particular
10 be done, except to watch the trains
that stopped at the junction several times
a dav. Once in while, frciSht-car
would be left on the side track, and the
children soon found that an empty freight
car makes capital playhouse. They
could keep house in the corners and make
visits. OF sit by the open door and make
believe they were having a ride.


One morning, they were wakened by a
curious humming sound out-of-dOors. and
they all scrambled up and looked out of
the window. How the wind did blow
Ii whistled and roared around the house,
and played on the telegraph wires upon
the roof as upon a huge harp. As the
wires were fastened 10 the root, the house
became a great music-box, with the chill
dren inside. After breakfast, the morn
inc trains arrived, but the wind was 50
high that the passengers were glad to
hurry from one train to another as quickly
as possible. Then the trains went away,
and the great wind-harp on the roof sang
louder than ever.


The station-maSter said 1t blew a gale,
and that the children must stay in the
house, lest they be blown away into the
prairie and be lost The station-master'S 5
wife said it was q pity the children must
STAY in the house all day. There was an
empty freight-car on the side track; per
haps they might play in that. The sta
tion-master thought this good idea, and
he took Kitty by the hand and Tommy
in his arms, while Mary took hold of his
coat. and they all went out to the empty
car. Whew, How it did blow They
certainly thought they would be lifted up
bv the wind and blown quite into the
skv. 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 would be a
good place 10 keep house, but Tommy
preferred the other end, 50 they agreed to
keep house at both ends Of the empty
car. This was nice plan, for it gave
them a chance to visit each other, and
the open part by the door made a grand
promenade 10 walk on.


Louder and louder roared the gale.
Safe and snug in the car, they went on
with their play and thought nothing OF
the weather outside.


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


'Why, its moving. Somebody's push
ing it" said Mary.


They are taking US away on the
freight train. Come, we must get out. -


Il didn't hear the whistle, said Tom
my. Il guess something is pushing the
car.


The girls leaned out of the window tc
see what had happened. Why, where
was the platform What was the mat
ter with the station: 1t was moving
away. No, it was the car. 1t had left the
siding, and had rolled out on the matt
line, and was moving faster along the
road.


"Oh, we must get out. They are tax.
ing us away"


mo, TO, said Kitty. 1--WE must sta!
here till the brakeman comes around.
didn't hear them when they took US OF
the train"