The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-08-27
Tho switcn-Tender's story.

It ran thus: "It's nigh onto eleven
years, Sir, since came on this road.
For the first three years I was brakes.
man, and If / had stuck to it I might
have become conductor in this time
who knows. My character was good and
I've always been steady man, but you
see it wasn't to be. My old woman al.
ways objected to me running on the train,
1t kept me so 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 30 hard to give Il
up that consented, and the company
put me in this place whereI' been ever
since. It's not hard; I've only got to
tend one switch and do odd jobs about
the depot The pay is just the same as
what l got before, only there's no chance
Tor promotion; but then I'm always at
home, which makes it up. I live only q
little way across the bridge. in the out
skirts OF the town, yonder, on the other
side OF the rivera small white house
with an elm tree in the yard-you can
see 1t from the other end of the switch.
$50 you think the river is very beauti-
ful at this season of the year? Well.
sir, dare say it is. I thought 80 once
myself; but don't take any pleasure in
looking at it now, nor have done 80
for many day. It's green banks and its
clear water, with the sunshine sparkling
on it, only makes it seem the ueler to
me, as if it laughed over the misery it
had caused to human beings; but nv
opinions havn't got anything to do with
what you come to ask me about, so Ill
try and get to the point at once.
1t Will be three years come Monday,
the 18th OF next month, which is Nav,
that. after eatin' my breakfast and
smokin' my pipe, which latter operation
generally gifts through with about 7
o'clock, I started across the bridge.
takln' with me my little boy Willie, who
was at this time just riskin' O. five years.
He was awfully tickIed at the idea OF
bein' allowed to 60 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,
slr, ever seen finer mornin'-the sun
we'll nigh up, but not too warm, with q
white cloud here and there in the blue
sky, the trees and grass green aud fresh
and glistenin' with the dew; and under
meath us the river, flown bright and
clear, just as you see it now, sir NV
heart felt light. and havn' nothin' on
my mind had Just finished payin' for
my house the week before-I began to
think, on comparin' my troubles with
my blesslns that, after NIL. it would be
hard to find better place than this 50 NJ
mnch-abused world we live in.
"The timetable was a little different
then from what it is now. The freight
train came down at 7:30 A. NJ, switched
of, and waited for the express to 90 by.
which followed in fifteen minutes later.
reached the switch about ten minutes
ahead OF time-I always do-and sittin
down on the tie, I filed fresh pine and
smoked away, while little Willie gathered
pebbles, md throwing 'em in the water,
laughed and shouted at the splashes he
made. ,
Finally, GROWN bolder. he ventured
to the rivers edge, and pluckin' one of
the lilies that grew there in abundance.
he came in great glee and laid it at nv
feet. L put the flower carefully in nv
pocket. 80 as not to bruise it, intending
to show it to his mother. He lisped out
that pretty blue ones grew further down.
and begged to 60 and get one of
them; but as it was almost time for the
train, refused my permission. and
taking him some ton Or ilftesn wards
from the track, sat him down at the
foot OF tree-the maple yonder-aud
bade him remain there till called.
'The time for the train camo and
~@ Hv-