The Mother Who Was Left Behind

In traveling, chance words in transit sometimes open up whole volumes of tragedy. For example, take the following fragments noted some years ago by a passenger on a railway train in the West, on which a fatal accident occurred. A little blonde woman, very much overdressed, was languidly nibbling cake and sipping champagne at her lunch on the palace car when her husband entered. 'Daisy,' he said, 'your mother is getting on the train.' 'Oh, good gracious! Where?' she exclaimed, angrily. He pointed to a tall, ungainly woman in shabby clothes, going into a second-class car. 'Had I not better bring her into this car?' he said. 'There are some rough fellows in that one.' 'Does she know we are on the train?' 'No.' 'Then never mind. I can’t introduce mama to the Schaliers,' glancing at some of her companions. The train rushed on, and the woman who had married out of poverty into a flashier set, while she laughed and joked with her new friends, wore an uneasy face that showed her terror lest her mother should disgrace her. Presently her husband said, 'Your mother will want lunch, Daisy. Suppose I...' 'Oh, let her alone! She always takes a brown paper parcel with chunks of bread and bologna sausage. She likes that sort of thing.' An hour or two later a jarring crash resounded through the Pullman cars. Women shrieked and men rushed to the door as the train stopped. A brakeman met them. 'Keep your seats, gentlemen. Broken rail only.' 'Anybody hurt?' 'Four or five people. One old lady's a-dyin'. I heard her callin' for her daughter that's on the train: 'Maggy! Maggy!' just now. Take care, madam!' as a little woman rushed past him. The old woman lay on a clay bank. Some men were holding her tenderly enough. A physician who happened to be on the train kneeled beside her. Her daughter threw herself down and dragged her mother's head upon her breast. The woman's lips were opened and her eyes stared as if searching for someone. But she did not call for Maggy any more. 'Do something!' cried her daughter, wildly. 'Make her speak to me! Mother! Mother! It is Maggy! Maggy!' 'Madam,' said the doctor, 'you are too late!'