The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-02

after the frst welcome was over. "Stifeds
Not bit of It'll There's something vitalizing
in the very pressure OF human life about you.
It's stimulant. Why, at home you know
how used to creep out of work and be off to
the woods half the time. i could not help it,
Lahrop. Nature had her grip on me- But
here when Thousand or more of us men set
off to our labor in the morning, feel quite
as though | were marching in an army. L
keep step with humanity, eh?''
What about the work when you reach the
office?'
"Oh! it's mere bagatelle," indiffersntly.
''Plenty of time for study. Eve founs
treatise of Van Schurz, by the way, III tno
Philadelphia library, that I've wan'eo ior
years."
'sWhat do you thnk?' said Saul ANXIOUS
ly, after we had gone out.
Gas | did at first. 1t was mistake"
seTbey would have starved if l had not
brought him here"
anv other work than his own. There is so
mich force wasted. Either the man or the
| work ends in ruin.
| every good in theory. But what about
the starving wife and children? Besides,'
continued Saul, when he found had nothing
to say, ''the chief of Ben's department tells
me that the work is, as he says, mere baga-
telle to him. Pily is no dreaming book
worm, after all, but man of sound ability
and large grasp of thought"
said no more, having certainly no right to
interfere. But the belief was an old one with
me, that every master-workman in the world
is lifted by God for an especial task, and quits
| it at his peril for any consideration of COM
| fort or even life. Looking back at Ben's
story through the horror that darkened it,
the beliefha deepened into superstition.
had no opportunity of noting how he rer-
IL I,x%.n IL
| when [ went one day out to a suburban sta
ton on the road to meet Melicent, who, with
the baby, had been down in Maryland for
week. She had telegraphed me to expect
her on the $40 p. m. express train from Bal
timore, and l went out an hour before. 1
found Ben pacing up and down the little plat
form, with no other duty in life apparently
but to drink in the beauty of the indistnct
landscape asleep in the mellow September
night.
Eyes, this is my post now," after wringing
my hand heartily. II was sent out ten days
ago-a kind of promotion, believe. There's
more responsibility involved. Come in and
with boyish delight. The neat little office
was frightened by vines and flowers in the
windows; some fine drawings were on the
walls and rare books on the desk. The violin
lay near his hand.
''Plenty of time for study. A man is
drawn to his real work by sort of gravta-
ton, Ell? One can't sell all of ones birth
right for the mess of pottage. But what
brings you here at night ?"
l told him Mel was coming, and could not
help being gratified by his pleasure. He was
grateful, affectionate fellow, and Melicents
little kindness to them had made him very
fond of her.
Il had no idea she was coming back so
soon. Pontefract's Woods has seemed dull
| al1l mill hor io1lx <&C
On the $40 express, Ell? That's one of the
heaviest trains usually. Break off some flow
ers, Lathrop, and have them ready for your
wife, while I. Here, Sam p 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 am stand
ing again on the dimly-lighted platform break
ing the fragrant syrnga punches from the
bush, and watching Ben with an amused
pleasure as he hustled to and fro.
''Have you carriageT' coming up to me
at the moment the telegraph-operator put a
dispatch in his hand.
"Station No. Is. Five minutes late
Well" with puzzled look, and then crump-
ling it up and thrusting it into his waistcoat
pocket. 'Did you say you hao not a carri-
age? There's cabman here that I know
most obgng fellow. I'll just run around
"But your dispatch % said uneasily.
''That's nothing! I'll look into it in
minute.''
He ran off like boy, was gone short
time, and returned, bringing slouching
Irishman cracking his whip.
"Here he is. Bring your carriage up, Pete.
The train is due now.".
| bat 10
heavily laden, went laundering by on its way
to Baltimore. l stood watching idly how the
line of figures in the windows made long
whisk of color against the night, when the
sound of a sudden. inarticulate effort for
breath made me tuin to Ben. He was look
ing after the cars, holding the open dispatch
| in his hand. Something in his face told me
the whole truth. Yet l 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 clearp'
Il ought to have stopped the New York ex-
! press 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.
1872
| u,
came out of his office and gave him the dis
patch, saying quietly: 81 neglected to stop
the New York train. You see what have
DONE" And then he followed me down the
road. 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. l remember duly under
standing, toe, that they we're sending to the
city for help, surgeons. Some of the officials
passed us in few moments, driving furi-
ously.
walked on down the road, and Ben fol-
lowed me. Some laborers from about the
station came up alongside of us.
eff it nd been daylight" said one in a SUBJ
dued tone, ''there might "a been chance;
but at night"
can both express, and goin' at full speed
After that they were silent, hurrying on
beside us. The night was dark. We came
at last to where the road made sudden
bend around hill, below which creek glim-
mered in the fog. On the other side of the |
bend were heard sound of horses tramping.
''Its the buggies of the men as rode down.
said ono of the Irishmen. ''The trains have
met beyant."
They went on. l stopped, do not know
for how long, holding my face against the
clay of the cut in the hill. I remember |
ShoPihS WAeH NY udiu, anu GHlukilS udu a |
woman's hair in it, or the child's I crept |
around the bend presently and down the
road. fs.s
There, on the track, lay a long train, the
engine snorting and pufing-drowsy but
composed women's faces peering out of every
window. From one of the first Meicent
looked curlousy, and Sandy beat on the glass
with his hands. Groups of men were stand
ing along the road, all talking at once.
Jake Redmund's on the engine this rum"
said brakeman to crowd near, "and 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 to-night's work. If the
company don't take account of this nights
work of Jake s it's an internal shame Both
them trains saved! God help us! here's one
man that appears to be deadp' STOPPING to
life body from off the muddy track. AS he
turned it up to the lamp-light, 1 saw Ben's
thin face and half-open mouth.
''Pilley has been dismissed from the service
of the company said:Saul, day or two af-