Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-03-20
3tliseellauu.
The Switch Tenders Story.

in which my future life-for some wears at
Ieast-was to be spent ; rough cabin of
logs and laths, with a chimney of stone
and plaster in the midst of almost unclear-
ed woods, and shut in by the huge, precip-
itous crests of rocky hills. Neighbors
there were none, save at Hiram Wycliffe 5
red farmhouse in the valley some few miles
below and it was only in the blue trans
parencc of the clearest 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
it was ready to my hand. 1 had been
struggling to ward of the iron grasp of
actual poverty here was a competence de-
cent, although barely sufficient Nor was
discontented
[ had not, however, been the only a.
pirant for the situation of switch-tende1
al the Brsnhilll Station. John Walker
bad also applied for it, and had heard a
floating rumor, half-heeded at the time and
totally disbelieved afterward, that pretty
Barbara Wyclife had herself gone to the
city and used her influence with the at
taches of the railroad company in Walk
er's behalf. | admired Barbara Wyclifft
myself-there was something in the tropiC
glow of her dark Spanish beauty, and the
sparkle of her black-lashed, brown eyes
that was strangely attractive to me- Some
how [ did not fancy the idea of her be-
coming the wife of sullen, reticent fell
low ike John Walker; and whenever the
vision of a posi- BILE home of my own rose
before me, Barbara Wycliffe's glowing face
lighted up its underlined walls.
The sun was creeping slowly up the leaf
less woods and sombre stretches of black
green pines that covered the eastern hill
enc sparkling March afternoon. as | came
ieisurely in after half an hours brisk work
ut wood-cutting down in the hollow The
snstant | entered [ became conscious. BY
that peculiar magnetic influence which all
have experienced, of the presence of some
one else in the little apartment Nor was
| mistaken. John Walker was lounging
on the rocking-chair by the one window
reading a week-od newspaper
$ Hallco, Walker how came YOU
here -
Through the back k-door. I've just
strolied up from Wyclife's. And how are
.voa getting along, old fellow ~
= Oh, first rate What are YOU do
ing?"
- Nothing just at present | am look
ing for place on the E-road as brake
man until something better turns up. Up
on my word you've got things pretty snue
here, Reuben. Does the Company civ,
you the place."
Yes
" Comfortable, though not gorgeous" h
said, looking carelessly around {" Mic
warm walls, chimney big enough to roas
an ox-two, if YOU want them-furnitur
neat-clock on the shelf-whats that for
eh 7''
| smiled as I confessed the clocks util
ny
Not having yet attained the dignity O
watch, | depend upon clock to inform
me of the time
Switches changed often ?''
Only twice day, when the dow
- Lightning meets the up Accommo
dation on the branch road, and the Wa
Mail on the branch leaves the main track
Late ~
] could not but think him impertinen
and looked rather suddenly at him bu
he was not at all disturbed by my gaze
What lounging, insolent sort of way h
had as he put the questions Indifferent
TO me-as if even the petty details of m
daily life were preferable to no amusemer
at all. But | resolutely checked my ri:
ing choler by remembering that, in Gel
tain sense he was, for the time being, M
guest-though an unwelcome one-an
answered, pleasantly
- Well, yes, late and early at nine
the morning for the branch road, and seve
in the evening for the g Lightning"
should think you led pretty cas-
life of it, Eyre" said Walker, wrinklin
his ugly eyebrows discontentedly.
You are right it is not hard, onl
one has to be promptly on the spot"
Yes" he said absently /" yes, to
sure. See much of old Wycliffe's folk
here. eh ?"
=" Occasionally"
We chatted on for five or ten minute
longer, and 1 was unmistakably relieve
at length to see him rise to depart. A
the time he had been talking his cold, grs
eyes had wandered about the apartmen
not uneasily, it is true, but seemingly e1
deavoring to avoid meeting mine and
never once looked at me with the fran
fearless gaze that is most appropriate b
tween man and man.