e time before the child could compose herself. The voices of
the people in the car, the clatter of a passing train, the letting
down of the berths, or the opening of a door, all tended to keep her
awake, but after a little time she began to say over a rhyme she had
learned at school, keeping time to the motion of the car as she
repeated:

"To cuddle up the baby ferns, and smooth the lily's sheet,
And tuck a warm, white blanket down around the roses' feet;"

and before she knew it she was fast asleep.

How long she had slept she had not the slightest idea, when she was
awakened, very suddenly, by a jerk of the car which nearly threw her
from the berth. She sat up rubbing her eyes, wondering where she was,
and for a moment it seemed as if she must be dreaming that she was
packed away on a high shelf in such a queer place; but presently she
was quite wide-awake, and found that there was a great commotion going
on; men with lanterns hurried through the car; women began to scream,
babies to cry.

"It's all right!" some one shouted. "Don't be alarmed!"

This was enough to frighten Edna, and she began to scramble on her
clothes as quickly as possible, first peering down into the berth
below, but seeing no papa there. "O, where is my papa? Where is my
papa?" she whispered under her breath, as the little trembling fingers
tried to fasten the buttons hurriedly.

Presently some one parted the curtains and looked in; it was the negro
porter.

"'Scuse me, Miss," he said, "but de folks is all leavin' de cyar. You
better let me 'sist you off."

"I want my papa!" cried Edna, looking around distressedly. "O, please
tell me what is the matter."

"De engine an' de baggage cyar was derailed," explained the man, "an'
de smokin' cyar cotched fire."

"O! O! my papa is burned up!" cried Edna, helplessly.

"No, miss, I reckon he ain't, but yuh see dey is sorter 'stracted out
dere; de women a-faintin' an' de men a-hollerin', but nobody ain't
hurt so tur'ble. Yuh better come get off." And picking her up in his
arms the porter bore her from the car.

"Now I'll set you down on dis ole stump, an' yuh'll be safe," said he.
And Edna found herself, at midnight, by the side of the railroad in
what seemed to be a bit of woodland. She could hear the rushing of
water and see the blazing car ahead. The rest of the train had been
backed along the track, and some of the women and men, seeing the rear
cars were not hurt, were climbing back