The Edge and Cassie Jones English

Although, one lady was scared of embarrassment, she knew that she had to say something. She had her own boy at home. “You boys will be hurt. You’ll be killed”, she said. The boys acted like they were going to obey her but instead made a mockery of her. If they would have respected her words and listened, things might have been different. A successful gentleman who witnessed the boys laughing and forbidding to obey decided he would put a stop to it.
The story states, “He walked in a citizenly way to the end of the car, where he pulled the emergency cord”. Some may blame this man because pulling the cord halted the train which sent passengers tumbling. Samuel was then pitched forward and crushed between the two cars. The passengers sat silent. Some may have been thinking they could have prevented this tragedy if only they interfered and not worried about embarrassment. The gentleman ultimately feels guilty because if he had not pulled the cord, maybe Samuel would still be alive.
The mother’s who sent their four sons off on a train without supervision may feel responsible also. Who’s to blame? The four boys, regardless of their ethnic background, are responsible. They are old enough to know the difference between right and wrong. What seems like a fun pastime at the moment can bring many years of sadness to families. No one can be replaced. No matter how many children Samuels mom gave birth to; no other boy could be like Samuel. This story gives a life lesson. Respect authority because their words may save your life.