The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-06-19
THE SIGNAL-BOX.

Z
shines on the glass, and very cold in
! winter, when the northeast wind hOwls
around it, and whistles aerial music
through the telegraph.
! 1t was am important lookout, for with
in mile of it, numerous lines intersect-
ed each other, over which, day and
night, trains were ever crossing and re-
crossing, with hairbreadth escapes of
collisions.
When John was courting me, he Of
ten made me tremhle by saying,
"Jane that place is trouble to me; one
day I know there will be crash; feel
it. A man can't be always in health.
Even signalman's brain will sometimes
become dazed and muddled; and then if
he makes mistake, a smash must come" /"
We were married, and John grew
brighter and more cheerful, and trust
ed he had forgotten that wretched pre-
sentiment of his about the collision.
After six months, however, it returned,
worse than ever. He used toread all the
accidents; and when any OF. the officials
were convicted for manslaugter or dis
charged for negligence, he would say:
"That may be my case tomorrow, Jane;
then what's TO become of you?"
I am aware mos n1enswould not have
thought like him, but he had the kind
est, most sensitive heart.
"John," l said at last, "why don't you
quit the situation, and get something
else?"
because a married man should never
give up one employ before he's sure of
another"
"Well, then, dear. don't say any more,
or You'll make me as nervous as your
self"
l had begun to think about the cross
lines and the mail express as much as
John himself, though wouldn't let him
see il. The signal-box began to haunt
me, and I used frequently to go up to
the turn of the road and look at it for
no purpose at all. That idea of a collis-
ion was a 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 ], es-
pecially as we now had a little daughter,
who, for awhile, banished Johns dread,
and we talked hopefully of the future.
Our prospects we're better, for my hus-
band Unexpectedly heard from an uncle
in Australia, who had made a comforta-
BILE fortune, and intended to return and
live with his relations.
"Who knows, Jane? He WAS ever
kind, and he may start me in something u
said John, one evening, when had ta-
ken his tea to the signal-box, and was
amusing Maudie with the colored lamps
"I certainly will try, if" he added, look
ing thoughtfully up and down the lines
nothing happens before"
"For goodness sake, John, don't talk
like that! All has gone safely for foul
years; surely it will continue to do so
with care"
"I don't know that" he responded
gloomily. "It's the confounded Wynn
ing express fear. Within space o.
two minutes it crosses the line of the
Henshar mail, and often it's FIVE before
it's time"
"What do you do then, John?"
asked, hushing Maudie.
"Why, turn that colored lamp; ther
the express, knowing the mail hasn'
passed, slackens speed until it has"
"And if you were not to show thai
Iight?"
at would come on, get into the same
line with the mail, and carriages would
go to lucifer matchesw
"Oh, John, please don'tl You make my
blood run coldr'
After that, there was another fascina
tion for me besides the gnal-box-the
colored lamps, by mistake or omission
in the use of which 1 knew not hov
many lives might be hurled into eterni
| ACSAAAC0 tAChA Win awe anu Wv
and over again asked John their use.
Weeks slipped by, and we got anothe
, letter from Uncle Thompson. The shil
which brought him from Australia ha,
: been delayed by severe gale in tn
Atlantic, but now he was safe in Eng
land, and intended shortly to come an'
see US.
"Safer' remarked John; ''no one now
a-days can reckon upon that, with lon
I. railway journey before him."
John slightly exaggerated, of course
but that autumn the collisions and &C
cidents Of all kinds had been somethin
fearful. Not day passed but fresh col
lision were recorded, and, with mol
: bid interest, John used to read then
> and make my soul quiver by the re
marks-"Such might just have been m
:; case, Jane. No doubt the fellow wa
, dead-beat. Only the mercy of Prov
!, dence saves me from manslaughter, or
- discharge through negligence"
One oppressively warm evening, h
had, while at tea, been reading about
: more than usually terrible acciden
I owing, it was stated, to the signalmal
who had been on the look out for sil
teen hours, making an error in the sil
nails.
= Putting the paper down, he exclain
- ed, "Jane, how often have 1 felt as
= describes, full of terror, knowing no
70 many lives might be depending on m
&c How pray Uncle Thompson may he
us, and may give the whole thing up
At Rising, he put on his hat; he went {
e. duty at six. 1 watched him anxiousl
IN Never had felt more nervous, for hi
Of observed him nodding unconsciously
IS himself over his tea. Indeed, he loo
RS ed SO depressed, was half inclined
er ask him to let me go with him. But
ne knew he wouldn't consent as it W
n. against the rules; while, independent
id which, the man who temporarily fill
ne his place was the greatest enemy Jol