The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-12-12

You should have m1tteDs your fingers to hold;
Poor little feet with your frost bitten toes,
You should be clothed in the warmest of hose;
On the dark hearth would kindle light,
Till the sad faces were happy and bright.
one of the heaviest trains usually Break
ready for your wife, while L Here,
Samr' to colored boy lounging on the
grass, "run off to the village for some
ice-cream. Fly, you rascal She'll be
thirsty with the heat and DUST" turning
to me.
This was all years ago, but I often
waken still at nights with the cold sweat
of terror On my face, from dreaming that
lam standing again on the dimly-lighted
platform breaking the fragrant syringa
punches from the bush, and watching
Ben with an amused pleasure as he bus
tied to and fro
"Have you carriage ?" coming up to
me at the moment the telegraph operator
put a dispatch in his hand.
Station No. is. Five minut IS late
Well !" with a puzzled look, and then
crumpling it up and thrusting it INTO his
waistcoat pocket. There's a cabman
here that know-most obliging fellow.
I'll Just run around the corner
"But ysur dispatch ?'' said, uneasily.
"That's nothing I'll look into it in
minute" He ran off like boy, was
gone short time, and returned, bring
ing slouching Irishman cracking his
whip. "Here he is. Bring your car
rage up, Pete. The train is due now"
At that moment the New York express,
heavily laden, went laundering by on its
way to Baltimore. I stood watching idly
how the line of figures in the windows
made a long whisk of color against the
night, when the sound of sudden, mar
ticulate effort for breath made me turn
to Ben. He was looking after the cars,
holding the open dispatch in his hand.
Something in his face told me the whole
truth Yet was calm as men usually
are when death meets them face to face
on the highway.
"What have you done ?"
81 did not read all of the dispatch"
I took it. 1t was from the train on
which my wife was to come. "Station
No. IS! Five minutes late Keep track
clear !"
81 ought to have stopped the New Y ork
express at the station before this one.
They will meet ten miles down the road"
"You can telegraph now"
"There is no station between this and
No. Is"
He turned to the superintendent who
came out of his Office end gave him the
dispatch, saying quietly: 81 neglected
what I have done" And then he follow
ed me down the road. I remember how
heard behind us a sudden cutlery of
mems voices, and then an awful hush, as
the comprehension of what was yet to
come, that could not be helped, struck
them dumb. I remember duly under
standing, too, that they were sending to
the city for help, surgeons. Some of the
officers passed us in few moments driv-
ing furiously.
I walked on down the road, and Ben
followed me. Some laborers from about
the station came up alongside of us.
eff it I'D been daylight" said one, in a
subdued tone, "there might "a been a
chance; but at night"
After that they were silent, hurrying
on beside us. The night was dark. We
came at last to where the road made a
sudden bend around hill, below which
a creek glimmered in the fog. On the
other side of the bend we heard a sound
of horses tramping.
''It's the buggies Of the men as rode
down." said one of the Irishmen. "The
trains have met beyant."
They went on. I stopped, I do not
know for how long, holding my face
against the clay of the cut in the hill. I
thinking had woman's hair in 1t, or a
child's. I crept around the bend present
ly, and down the road.
There, on the side track, lay a long
train, the engine snort1ng and putting
drowsy but composed women's faces peer
ing out of every window. From one of
the first Melicent looked curiously, and
Sandy beat on the glass with his hands.
Groups of men were standing along the
road, all talking at once.
"Jake Redmnnd's on the engine this
rum" said brakeman to a crowd near,
sand that's all that saved us. Jake sees
the light Of t'other train turnin' the hill,
and switches back. He hadn't an inch to
spare, sir! Jake's got the best eye and
hand on this road, and he'll be promoted
for this nights work. If the company
don't take account of this nights work
of Jake's, its an internal shame. Both
them trains savedi God help usl here's
one man that appears to be dead!" stoop
ing to lift body from off the muddy
track. AS he turned it up to the lamp
light, saw Ben's thin face and half oper
mouth.
''Pilley has been dismissed from the ser
vice of the company" said Saul, a day OF
two after.
"Of course"
'Then the company were exceedingly
| uniustr' said Melicent. s'Ben never
would have neglected a dispatch again
whoever might, that is certain Wha
does the company except him to do
| staTve?"
81 have good news for you," the doc
tor said, his eyes shining. "Boehm, i
seems, would not leave Bonn to take tn,
| professorship, and it is given to Ben a
| last"
There is poetic justicer' Melicen
| said, with triumphant nod to me.
THAT Ben should be rewarded for sell
| ing his birth-right for the mess of pot
tage" Though was better pleased thai
| she was, after all