The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-14
Dickens's Christmas Story.
MUGBY,JUNCTION.
THE SIGNAL-MAN.

| lhE SiONal-A1hN.
'Halloa Below therew ia,
! When he heard voice thus calling
to him, he was standing at the door OF
his box, with flag in his hand, furled
round its short pole. One would have
thought, considering the nature of the
ground, that he could not have doubted
from what quarter the voice came; hnt,
instead of looking up to where l stood
on the steep cutting nearly over his
head, he turned himself about and look
ed down the Line. There was some
thing remarkable in his manner of do
ing so, though / could not have said
for my life, what. But, know it was
remarkable enough to attractmy notice,
even though his figure was foreshort.
ened and shadOwed, down in the deep
trench, and mine was high above him,
and so stepped in the glow of an angry
sunset that | had shaded my eyes with
my hand before saw him at all.
"Halloa! Below"
From looking down the Line, he
turned himself about again, and, raising
his eyes, saw my figure high above
him.
"Is there any path by which / car
come down and speak to you ",~r. 81.
He looked up at me without replying,
and looked down at him without press.
ing him too soon with repetition OF
my idle question. Just then, there
came vague vibration in the earth and
air, quickly changing into a violent
pulsatiOn, and an Oncoming rush that
caused me to start back, as though il
had force to draw me down. When such
vapOr as rose to my height from this
rapid train, had passed me and was
skimming away over the Landscapes,
looked down again, and saw him refurl'
ing the flag he had shown while the
train went by.
Irepeated my inquiry. After q pause,
'tduring which he seemed to regard me
with fixed attention, he motioned with
his rolled-up flag towards point on my
Lowell, some two or three hundred yards
distant. / called down to him, "All
right {" and made for that point. There,
by dint of looking closely sabOut sme, l
found rough zigzag descending path
notched out: which followed.
The cutting was extremely deep, and
unusually precipitate. 1t was made
through a clammy stone that be.
came oozier and wetter rs l went
down. For these reasons, found the
way long enough to give INC time
to recall q singular air of reluctance
or compulsion with which he had
pointed out the path.
u When came down low enough upon
the zigzag descent, to see him again,
saw that he was standing between the
rails on the way by which the train had
lately passed, in an attitude as II he
were waiting for me to appear. DE had
his left hand at his chin, and that left
elbow rested on his right hand crossed
over his breast. His attitude was one
of such expectation and watchtulncss,
that stopped moment, wondering at
it. fE
I resumed my downward way, and,
stepping ont upOn the level of the rail
road and drawing nearer to him, saw
that he was q dark sallOw man, with q
dark beard and rather heavy eyebrows.
His post was in as solitary and dismal
place as ever / saw. On either side, a
dripping-wet wall of Jagged stone, ex'
cluding all view but strip of sky; the
perspective one way, only a crooked
prolonsation of this great dungeon the
Shorter perspective in the other direc.
tion, terminating into Il gloomy red
light, and the gloomier entrance to q
black tunnel. in whose massive. archi-
lecture there was barborous, depress"
ing, and forbidding air. So little sun
light ever found its way to this spot,
and it had an earthly deadly smell and
81 much cold wind rushed through it,
that il struck chill to me, as if had left
the natural world.
Before he stirred, was near enough
to him to have touched him. Not even
then removing his eyes from mine, he
steppcd back one step, and lifted his
I hand. ) -
This was a Lonesome post to occupy
II said), and il had Tiveted my attention
when looked down from up yonder'
A visitor was q rarity, l should suppose;
not all unwelcome rarity, hoped! In
me, he merely saw man who had been
shut up within narrow limits all his
life, and who, being at last set
free. had a newly-awakened in
terest in these great works. TO
such purpose spoke to him; but
am not sure of the term | used, for, he
sides that am not happy i'll opening
any conversation, there was something
| in the man that daunted mc. 80
He directed a most curious look to-
wards the red light near The tunnel $
mouth, and looked all about it, as II
something was missed from 1t, and theh
! looked at me.
That light was part of his charge 7
! Was it mott
He answered in low voice: Don't
you know it is" =.
The monstrous thought came into
nv mind as perused the fixed eyes and
the saturnine face, that this was splr-
it, not man. l have speculated since
whether there may have been infection
in his mind.
In my turn, stepped back. But in
making the action, / detected in his
ewes some latent fear of me. This put
the monstrous thought to flight.
..You lupk at me-" said i, forcing q
smile, las if you had dread of me-"
II was doubtful" he returned,
..whether had seen you before"
.sWherer
He pointed to the red light he had
looked at. 81,
'"There p said. .-srs ~s...s
Intently watching me, he replied (but
without soundl, Yes.
"My good fellow, what should l do
theref However, be that as it imay, l
never was there, you may swear"
81 think may" he rejoined. "Yes,
IL am sure 1 may u His manner
cleared, like my own. He replied
to my remarks with readiness, and in
! we'll. chosen words. Had he much to do
theref Yes; that was to say, he had
enough responsibility to bear; but ex-
actness and watchfulness were what
was required of him, and of actual
work-manual labor-he had next to
none. To change that signal, to trim
those lights, and to turn this iron han
die now and then, was all he had to do
under that head. Regarding those
many long and lonely hours Of which
/ seemed to make so much, he could
Of ht 4 "a