Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-09-08
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HOPE.
" W
Tho switch-Tender,s story.


It ran thus 1"Its nigh onto eleven years,
ir, since came on this road. For, the first
hree years was brakosman, and If I had
stuck to it might have become conductor
in this, time-rwho knows. My character, was
good anaI,ye always been steady man, but
you see il wasn'tto be. My old woman oil:
ways objected to mo running on the train it
kept measo much away from home, not to
speak Of the danger; and, at the end of the
third year, when our little boy was born, she
begged so hard to give it up that consented,
and the company put me 10 this place where
I've been over since. It's not hard I'va
ionly got TO tend one switch and do odd Jobs
about the depot. Tho pay is Just the Same
as what got before, only there's no chance
for promotion; but then I'm always at home,
which makes it up. I live only little way
/, across the bridge, in the outskirts of tho
town, yondcr, on tho other side Of the river.
. s.nal! white house with an elm tree in, the
ayard---you, can sec it from the other end of
she switch. iali. .a "' tl@ h'0i4
$50 you thiuk tho river is very beautiful
at this season Of the year? Well, sir, dare
say il is. I thought so once myself; but
don't take any pleasure 10 looking at IL now,
nor, have done SO many day. Its green
banks and its clear water, with the sunshine
sparkling on it, only makes it seem the cruel.
or to me, ns if it laughed over the misery It
had unused to human beings but my opin-
ions havn't got anything to do with what you
come to ask me about, 80 III try and get to
( the point at once.
"lt will be three years come Monday, the
18th Of next month. which is May, that, af.
ter eatin' my breakfast and smokin' my pipo,
: which latter operation generally gifts through
with about O'clock, l started across the
bridge, takiu' my little boy Willie, who vas vas
at tho time just riskin O. five years. H was
awfully tiokled at tho idea Of bcin' allowed to
go out with me, as his mother kept him
mostly around the house, havin' like nearly
all women, great fear Of the trains. I don't
think, sir l ever seen a finer mornin'-the~
sun well nigh up, but not too warm, with q
white cloud here and there in the blue sky,
the trees and grass green ind fresh and gls
TENN with the dew and underneath US the
river fown' bright and clear, just as you see
it now, sir. My heart felt light, and havin'
nothin' on my mind had just finished pay.
in for my house tho week bcfore--I began 10
thiuk, on comparin' my troubles with blessins'
that, after oil, it would bo hard to fnd'a bet.
ter place than this same much abused world
we live in.
"Thc timetable was a little different then
from what it is now. The freight train came
down at 1880 A. NJ, switched off, and waited
for tho express to by, which followed in fifteen
minutes later. reached the switch about
ten minutes ahead of timc-I Away do-and
sittin' down on the tic, l filled fresh pine
and smoked away, while little Willie gather
cd pebbles, and throwing 'em in the water
laughed and shouted a. the splashes he made.
"Finaly, CROWN bolder, he ventured TO
the rivers edge, and pluckiu' one of the Ii.
lies that grew there in abundance, he came
in great glce and laid it at my feet. put
the flower carefully in my pocket, so as not to
bruisc it, intending to show it to his mother.
l1c lspcd out that pretty blue ones grow fur
ther down, and begged to 20 aud get one of
them but as it was almost time for the train,
refused my permission, and taking him
some ton or fifteen yards from the track, sat
him down at the foot of tree e--the maple
wonderland bade him remain there till [
called.
t'The time for The train came and passed
and still no signs oft. grew nervous, and did
not notice my boy. Minute after minute pass
ed sway, and at last when | began to DO
certain that somo accident had occurred, it
hove in sight, just FIVE minutes before tho OK.
press was due, which knew could not be
more than two miles behind. saw a. once
the cause Of the delay the train was unusu
ally long and heavy, and tho engine, number
forty.two, which the fremen had ohristenod
tOld Ricketsy,' was the worst on the road
The switch was all roady, but che train moved
so slowly that tho lsst oar had hadiy left the
main track when heard the whistle Of The
express, and the next moment she rounded
the bend at full speed. I knew that didn't
have any too much time to get the switch in
position, and went at my work with will.
when suddenly heard cbild.a scream and
I. tuning around, saw little Willie struggling
10 the water. For an instant che sight Of nv
ohild's danger ovorpowered every other consid-
GRAFTON, and | sprang for the river, but before
/ got half the distance, the hoarse whistle of
the approaching train rang in my ears like
trumpet, and the thought Of duty, and tho
hundteds Of liyea that would be sacrificed if
deserted my post, went through nv brain
like fash Of lightning, while all the time
there was feeling about my heart can't
tell in so many world--I only know it was
worsc,than death4beseeehipg me to save my
hoy.
The whole thing couldn't have lasted more
than two. seconds, and how the one feeling got
{ the better Of the other, never knew. /
have no. recollection of turning back, but the
next thing remember was at the switch
wording away like mad I mover had such
3 otranokb folk tbat oo,,ld have ,,.n,.L :. !,