Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-08-10
TWO MINUTES TOO LATE.

W. mlNO IOO LA
.tEA
With his good-by ringing in her ears,
Drucie Miller re-entered the littfe tele
graph Office and dropped into the chair
before the clicking instrument. Glanc-
ing at the clock above her head, she no.
tiCed that it was almost time for her to
close the office for the night, and seek
her humble home at the foot of one of
the darkened streets of the village. The
rumbling of the train which had just left
the station was growing fainter and
fainter and the girl listened to it as
though 1t was the voice of friend who
was leaving her for long time.
She did not expect any more messages
that night; the engine breathing heavily
from its great iron lungs on the track
near her window would not move until
the night express had passed up, and
the engineer, knowing this, had sought
hissweetheart, who lived in the village,
Tom Gray, the engineer of the train
just departing, was Drucie's lover, and
his intimate friends knew when the we'd
ding was to take place. He had not
known her long, but that did not matter,
since he was true fellow, who loved
her with all his heart, and with all hers
she loved Tom.
The rumble of the train at length died
away and Drucie was about to shut off
the current and leave the Office when a
message began to fall upon her ears.
She started, for the first word drove
the color from her cheeks, and standing
over the instrument she heard this mes
sage;
Number ten sUitch at Colby till num-
Der sac passes. SiT just stdrtin9!"
"Six just startingl My God! They
will meetp cried the beautiful operator,
starting from the table. "What can
do to save him--themW
And with her eyes staring at the clock
she stood in the center of the room,
thinking of the two trains approaching
each other through the mist that almost
hid the moon.
The real situation, enough to blanch
the girps checks, was appalling
The order for the train which had Just
left Fletcher to switch at Colby could
not be obeyed now. The telegraph even
could not stop it, for there was no night
office at Colby. 1t was an unusual mat
ter for No. to leave Fort Wayne
before the arrival of No. 10; but
minutes behind time on that particu-
lar night 9, anxious to leave on time,
to save its connections, telegraphed to
Fletcher the message which had so
startled Drucie Miller. From Fletcher
to point four miles below Colby the
company had completed double track,
which when finished to Fort Wayne
would obviate the trouble of switching
and prevent trouble.
When Drucie recovered her self-pos-
session she started from the Office with
the message in her hand. 1t had arrived
just two minutes too late, and Tom Gray,
unconscious of its existence, was driving
his engine ahead and thinking of the
girl he lately kissed adieu. He knew
that it was known in Fort Wayne that he
was unavoidably behind time, and
supposed that according to custom the
express, waiting there, would not move
out until he arrived.
But let us return to Drucie Miller.
She saw the freight engine standing on
the new track already mentioned and
caught glimpse of the young fireman
asleep on his box.
A determined resolution entered her
head, and the next moment she was in
the engine-room with her hand on the
boys shoulder.
'sThat you, Miss DrucieP" said the
boy, rousing himself with yawn. Laws
amercy!-"
"Get out and uncouple the freight"
she cried. ''Tom's moved out, and if he
doesn't switch at Colby everybody will
be killed. We must catch himl"
The boy with cry of horror left the
engine, and a minute later the freight
cars were standing idly on the track
while the engine and its tender were
moving out, gaining momentum at each
revolution of the wheel.
i" Whatll Dick say when he comes back
and finds his engine gomez" said the boy,
looking up into Drucie's face.
"What do we care what he saysP
What is Dicks life to the precious lives
ON the two trainss Jim, how fast can
your engine travel?"
About two miles a minutew the boy
answered, with smile. "She's the
swiftest bird on the road. But don't
think we can catch No 10; we might if
we had Dick with us. He knows how to
manage the Belle"
L"And SO do l. Wood up, jim! Fill
the furnace chock full. We must catch
Tom this side of the new tracks termi-
nus Or"
The girl paused and looked at the pale
boy
i''Or what, Miss Drucief"
"Or blow up"
That's what's the matterl" said Jim,
catching her spirit. "And we1l catch
him, too! Wood wood There! the
furnace is chock full, Golly-whiz! how
we are going"
Drucie smiled family at the boy and
noted the hand of the gauge. The en-
gfne had received new momentum, which
momentarily increased, and all at once
.Jim, who had been trying to pierce the
haze. said;
Two piles minute, I'll bet, Miss
Druciol lfhwas daylight the telegraph
poles would resemble afne-tooth comb. -
hut the girl did not reply. She stood
before the ieyer, wishing that she could
urge the engine 10 greater speed She
imagined that the two trains would meet
in gulch that embraced curve about
six miles below Colby II was terrible
plaee'fo q collision, and the loss of life
there would be great. The, haze or mist
would prevent the engineers from sig.
nalhg'eech other, and collision was in,
eViable. ~, s-see- - t-.
The train, which seemed 20 have
broken loose, rushed madly on, with Jim
looking attDrneie, whom he was inclined
10 helieEe1nAllss The cold mist, slowly
turInng 20 ~ dfizzle. was occasionally
blown against his face by the wind; Il
serVeo q cepl his heated temples, and