The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1877-08-23

the old heathan had not yet forss-
ken it for the city, The telegraph
Operator came into the house where
kirke was at work-for he was sl.
ways at work-and read il to him
Kirke made note Of it in his pock'
etbook
| Pay train on the line. Will meet
Iyou just west Of Leeds at 1915. Run
on to the siding at behring's Cut,
and wait. WnArrLY.
| kirke's watch hung on Q nail b.
side the old clock. 1t was Q fancy
of bis always to hang it there wbe .
be was of the train, 80 that he could
mako no mistake in the time.
He glanced at the clock aud from
it 10 his watch, Both indicated the
same hour--7:15.
"Seven fifteen" said Kirke msdi.
tatively, land We leave at 7:6O, and
the pay train meets us at Deerine q
Cut at l0:45. Scant time TO make
the run in this thick weather, but IL
must be managed"
And he turned away to give some
brief orders to the firetn an.
Jack Halliday was there-ho had
been strolling in and out Of tho room
for the past half hour, smoking q ci-
gar and swearing at the bad weather.
His train did not leave until near
midnight, 70 be had plenty Of time
TO swear.
We all went TO The door and took
look at the weather and unsni.
mously voted it duced bad, and then
We walked up and down the plat.
form and smoked our after-supper
cigars, and by the tune we were
through it was time for the train
hands to bo getting into their pla-
ces. Both the clock in the engine
room and Kirke's watch indicated
TAO.
Kirke was putting his watch in his
pocket as he said
"Gartb, are you going with me on
the Flysway
mo, thank ye," said, Il got
enough Of that sort OF thing 10 my
every day life. am going TO do .
little swell business tonight, and
take passage in the palace car.
Want to rest my back. Good night
to you, and hold in we'll around
Rocky Bottom curve. The road
beds shaky."
"Ayc, aye, sir" responded Kirke,
aud swung himself TO bis position on
the Flyaway.
The bell rang-I scrambled to my
compartments in the Pullman, and
felt horribly out of place among the
silks and broadcloths, and smell of
musk. Bat | was in for first class
and made the best OF it 30 effectuM-
ly that five minutes after Gibson,
who fancies he owns oil creation be-
cause he has got a silver coffin plate
on his breast, with Conductor" on
it, had shouted, "All aboard !! !
was sound asleep.
What occurred in other quarters
to affect the fate of Kirke's train. l
learned afterward.
Old Whately, the Superintendent
Of the road, AZ I guess have al
ready said, had country residence
at Leeds, on mountain spur, which
commands view of the surrounding
country for moro than a score Of
miles. The line of the railway could
he distinctly seen in each direction
fifteen miles, and Whately was wont
to say, his lookout was worth moro
to tho safety Of trains than sll the
telegraph wires on the line.
Whately was o rich old buffer,
kind enough in his way, but sharp
as ferret in looking after the train
hands, and determined that every
man should do his duty.
he had but one child, q dsaghter |;
and Floss Whstely was the belle Of
the country. She was brave, beau
tiful and spirited, and moro than
once, when her father had been
swny, had she assumed the respon-
sibility Of directing the trains. and
she had always acquitted herself
with credit.
Old Whstely was very pro nd Of
her, as he had right TO be, and
kept all tho young fellows at q dis.
tance, until it was said that he in>
tended keeping his daughter single
till the Gar OF all the Russians came
on to marry her.
This night In November, Whately
and Floss we're out on the piazza OF
their country home. peering through
the gloom and for the Golosha train,
which was nearly due.
"lts very strange II doesn't como
In sight" said Whatsly, laying down
his night glass in disgust. 1T is
hard on ten now | They ought TO
show their light round spruce pond
by this time'
"You telegraphod thom, father 7
You let them know tho pay train
was on the road 7" asked Floss.
"To be sure. And good heavens !
there is the headlight OF tho pay
train now Seel ton milos away,
and running like the deuos, as it al"
ways does"
lie pointed with trembling finger
down the valley gorge, where, far
away, mere spectre in the gloom,
could bo seen light. scarcely NOV
ing II seemed. but those anxious
watchers knew it was approaching at
lightning speed.
Father and daughter looked at