The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-11-27
FEARFUL NIGHT IN A SIGNAL L-BOX.

| du tiit WHO VI an ch-sig Oli bHt
! Uniform railway. His signal-box stands
high up, white and solitary, above charm
| ing country.
! 1t is very hot in summer, when the sun
shines ON the glass, and very cold in winter;
when the northeast wind howls around it,
and whistles aerial music through the tele-
graph.
1t was an important lookout, for within
mile of it, numerous lines intersected each
other, over which, day and night, trains
were ever crossing and recrossing, with
hairbreadth escapes of collisions.
When John was courting me, he often
made me tremble about it, by saying,
"Jane, that place is a trouble to me f; one
day l know there will be crash feel it.
a man can't be always in health. Even a
signalman's brain will sometimes become
dazed and mudded and then if he makes
a mistake, smash must come"
We were married, and John grew bright
er and more cheerful, and | trusted he had
forgotten that wretchcd presentiment of
his about the collision.
After six months, however, it returned,
worse than ever. He used to read all the
accidents and when any of the officials
were convicted for manslaughter or dis
charged for negligence, he would say ::
That may be my case tomorrow, Jane
then what's to become of you ?''
l am aware that most men would not
have thought like him, but he had the
kindest, most sensitive heart.
"John,' said at last, ''why don't you
quit the situation, and get something else?''
because a married man should never
give up one employment before he is sure
of another
''Well then, don't say any more, or you'll
make me as nervous as yourself
| had begun to think about the cross-lines
and the mail express much as John him
self, though l wouldn't let him know it.
The signal box began to haunt me, and L
used frequently to go up to the turn of the
ROAD and look at it for nothing at all That
idea Of a collision was monomania with
John-it was becoming SO with me.
A year went by safely, and, except for
that miserable thought, no two persons
could be happier than John and ], especial
ly as we now had little daughter, who
for awhile, banished Johns dread, and ws
talked hopefully of the future. Our pros
poets were better, for my husband unex-
pectedly heard from IN uncle in Australia,
who had made a comfortable fortune, and
intended to return and live with his rela-
tions.
"Who knows, Jane lie was ever kind,
and he may start me in something" said
John, one evening, when | had taken his
tea to the signal-box, and was amusing
Maudie with the colOred lamps. Il GER
ta,inIy will try, if---if,'' lie added, looking
thoughtfully up and dow the lines, ''noth-
ing happens boefre."
..For aood.oss sake, John don't talk like
that! All has gone safely for four years:
surely it will continue to do SO, with care"
81 don't know that he responded,
gloomily. sits the confoulded Wyoming
express | fear. Within space of few
minutes it crosses the line of the Hsnshar
mail, and often it's five minutes before its
time"
''What do ycu do then, JON P' l
asked, hushing Maudie.
sWhy, then / turn that colored lamp;
then the express, knowing the mail train
hasn't passed, slackens speed until it has
.sAnd if you were not to show that
light9''
at would come on, get into the same
line with the mail, and the carriages would
90 to lucifer matches"
'sOh, John, please doa't! You make my
blood run cold "
After that, there was another fascination
for me besides the signal box x-the colored
lamps, by mistake or omission in the use
of which l knew not how many lives might
be hur' ell into eternity. regarded them
with awe, and ever and over again asked
John their use.
Weeks slipped by, and we got another
letter from Uncle Thompson. The ship
which brought him from Australia had
been delayed by a severe gale in the ATTAIN |
tic, but now he was safe in England, and
intended shortly to come and see us.
..Safe ~ remarked John ''no one now
a-days can reckon upon that with a long
railway journey before him."
John slightly exaggerated, OF course, but
that autumn the collisions and accidents
of all kinds had been something fearful
Not day passed but fresh collisions were
recorded, and, with morbid interest," I
John used to read them and make my soul
ouiver by the remarks-''Such might just |
have been my case, Jane. No doubt the |
fellow was dead-beat. Only the mercy OF /
saves me from manslaughter, /
or discharge through negligence"
One oppressively warm evening, he had,
while at tea, been reading about more /
than usual terrible accident, owing, it was /
stated, to the signal-man, who had been on
tho Iookout for sixteen hours, making an |
error in the signals.
Putting the paper down, he exciaimeo'
"Jane, how often have l felt as he des-