Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-03-22
&c switeh.tenderls 60.

It was lonely and wild enough tn,
/ spot in which my future life-fOr some
/ years, at least-Was to be spent &
rough cabin Of logs and laths, with 8
lehimney Of stone aud plaster IN the
midst of almost uncleared woods, and
shut in by the huge, precipitOus erests
Of rocky hills. keighboTs there were
none, save at Hiram WycliHe 5 red
farmhouse In the valley some few
miles below aud 1t was only In the
blue transparence Of the dearest days
that I could see the dim Wreaths Of
smoke curling up from his chimneys.
Yet the solitude was not unpleasant
to me. / had needed employment,
and here 1t was ready to my hand.
had been struggling to ward off the
iron grasp ofaetual poverty here was
a competence decent, although barely
sufficient. Nor was I discontenfed.
I had not, however, been the only
aspirapt for the situation Of switch
tender at the Barnhill Station. John
Walker had also applied for 1t, and
] had heard a floating rumOr, half
needed at the time and totally disbe-
lieved afterWard. that pretty Barbara
Wycliffe had herself gone to the city
aud used her influence with the at
taehes of the railroad company IN
Walkers behalf / admired Barbara
WyclifFe myself-there was something
in the tropio glow Of her dark Span
ish beauty, and the sparkle OF her
blaek4lashed, brown eyes, that was
strangely attractive to me. Somehow
I did not fancy the idea of her becom-
ing the wife of a sullen, retlceRt fellow
like John Walker ! and whenever the
vision of possible home of my own
rose before me, Barbara Wyellhe 9
glowing face lighted up its underlined
walls.
The sun was creeping slowly up the
leafess woods and sombre stretches OF
blaek-green pines that covered the
eastern hill one sparkling March after
noon, as I came leisurely IN after half
an hours brisk work at wood-cutung
down in the hollow The instant 1 en-
tered I became conscious by that pc
=ouliar magnetic influence which all
have experienced, of the presence OF
some one else in the little apart
ment. Nor was I mistaken. John
Walker was lo1pgibg ia the rocking
chair by the one window, reading a
week-old newspaper
"Halloo, Walker how came goa
aThrough the baok-door, I've just
strolled up from Wycliffe's: And how
are you getting along, old fellow Z
tOh, frst-rate. What are you do
Nothing Just at present. 1 am look
ing for a place on the E. road as
bra kemap until something better turns
up. Upon my word you've got things
pretty snug here, Reuben. Does the
Company give you the place
ssYe es"
Comfortable, though not gorgeous, "
he. said, looking carelessly around.
Nice warm walls, chimney big enough
to oroast an ox-two, if you want EN-
furniture neat-clOck on the shelf
what's that for, eh p
I smiled as l confessed the clock S
Not having yet attained the dignity
of a watch, I depend Con clock to IN
form me of the time.
"Oh. that's it Pretty hard work
Switches changed often
ssOnly twice a day, when the down
"Ijghtning meets the Accommoda-
tion on the branch road, and the Way
Mail on the branch leaves the main
track.
'Late.
T could not but think him impertIn-
eut. and looked rather suddenly at
him but he was not at all disturbed
nv nv. gaze. What a louugIng, lnso-
lent sort Of way he had as he put the
questions indiferently to meas i
even the petty details af my daily life
were preferable to no amusement at
an. But I resolutely checked my rs
ing choler by remembering that, IN a
certain. sense, he was, for the time be-
ing nv guest-though an unwelcOme
ope-and answered, pleasantly :
We'll, yes, lateaand early at nine
| in the morning for the branch road,
and seven in the evening for the Light
Il should think you led a pretty
easy life of II, Eyre, said Walker
wrinkling his ugly eyebrows dlscon'
tentedly.
You are right 1t is not hard, only
one has to be promptly on the spot.
Yes" he said, absently yes, t.
i be sure. See much Of old Wyclltte'
folks here, eh 2"
Occasionally.
We chatted on five or ten minutes
longer, and I was Enthusiastically rellev
ed At length to see him rise to depart
1 An the time he had been talking hi
/ cold, gray eyes had wondered abou
the apartment, not uneasily, it is true
but seemingly endeavoring to avolC
meeting mine and he never once look
ed At me with the frank, fearless gazI
that is most appropriate between maj
and man.
"Well old fellow, I'm off. Don
make love to pretty Barbara if go Of
the E. road y
i 7 smiled forced smile butI coul'
have cheerfully knocked the eoacs
I Jester down, and l watched his retreat
ing footsteps with a feeling of heart
qualification. I had never liked o
trusted that man and the very lde
of his pTesuming to take Barbar
Wycliffe's name In his mouth was IN
describabiy revolving to me.
The next day was enc Of those bril-
/ liant bits Of sunshine and brightness
) that OoeBsionally diversity the earl
! weeks of our Northern spring, GUdn
co1rters of soft-eyed April and bios
, soming May. The air was blue as 4
quid sapphire the folded leaf bud
: seemed visibly to stir aud swell, an
here and there, in sunny, sheltere
hooks, the velvet grass glowed gTeenl
beneath dead, rustling leaves. l ha
I been down in the woods piling up an
trimming the logs / had yesterday out
and on returning up the narrow gle
path 1 saw the light futter Of q searie