The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-05-29
Selfrf Stury.
Put Yourself in Her Place.

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Put Yourself in Her Place.
The long summer day had crept SLOW
" away, and it was nearly five o'clock.
The hours at the railroad station were
marked as by some gigantic clock that
told the laggard minutes by screaming
whistle and changing bell. The A 80 ac-
commodation had gone east, the western
express, due there at 4:45, had thunder
ed through the village, gone on over the
great viaduct, and disappeared round
the vast curve beyond. ..-- ..-,..s'. lst
So one counted the hours BY the
trains, Lydia by name, girl Of the best
New England type, quiet, and yet with
an immense capacity for doing and dar
ing, should love and. the occasion de-
mand. The. local freight would come
next, and then--then she would see him
again. She laid aside her work, put
some split zephyr vanity upon her head,
and went. out toward the railroad. As
she approached the station she saw her
brother. the station,master, opening the
little freight hsuse- on the farther side
of the track BY this she knew that the
local freight would stop this time. Her
heart beat the faster and she quickened
her step. On reaching the passenger
station where the village street crossed
over and turned to the left and walked
beside the track toward the freight
honse. sh ittH3 t1no5@
ITO understand all that took place on
this occasion, and to fully appreciate
her consummate skill in controlling the
events so quickly to crowd upon her,
we must study the construction of the
road at this point. The main liae for
more than mile to the right, ortoward
the east, was perfectly straight and com
paratively level To the left, or the
west, it crossed deep valley by a lofty
stone yiadnct. and beyond the valley If
curved toward the north and mounted
the hill by long grade Just east of
the passenger station branch. road en-,
tered the main line, and there was q
short siding In a small freight house,
and directly opposite was another siding
with freight shed and coal yard. At
this point there was also another cross
over switch. ~
Lydia walked on past the freight
house, and, crossing the side track,
found large fiat rock beside the sway,
and there, under the shade of an ancient
apple tree, she sat down to wait ill her
lover came ~
He comes, she heard. the three long
whistles sounding far down the line, and
bright blush mounted to her face Tie
train would stop, That was the signal
for the station master. Her brother
came out of the freight house, spoke
pleasantly to her, and then walked on
toward the switch at the head of the si-
ding. isd 1870 .i IL
Suddenly the mainline track before
her began to sing in sharp metallic mur-
murs The train had entered that Sec
ton of the road, and he was near. Then
there came the sound of escaping steam
The engine wasslowing down, and the
steam no longer employed was bursting
with loud roar from the safety-yalve
as if impatient of delay, =, .,..
With jar that shook the ground the
immense freight engine rolled past her,
and the engineer, leaning out of his
window, nodded to her as he slid past.
Then the cars in long procession came
into sight and moved past with slowly
decreasing speed -Four brakemen, busy
at the brakes, went past; still he came
no.: Atlast the rear car appeared, and
a young man swung himself down from
the iron, ladder on the car and sprane to
the ground at her feet. - =
A sooty man, clad in blue canvass,
now black with smoke and dust. Only
a brakeman Z No, q trifie better-the
conductor Of q freight train. A year
ago he had been glad to take i the place
of brakeman, and already he had been
promoted. Love did it, He had met
and loved Lydia in the dayso his fool
ish idleness, and she, had insisted that
he do some manly work, or sue could
not-yes, she eonldsand. did love him,
butlh must show himself worthy Of her
love- Already he had advanced, and
she was well pleased with his progress,
and they had become engaged er
1t becomes US not to linger while they
talk quietly together beside the track
The train moved. slower and, slower, till
it finally stopped with the last car just
beyond the switch. The iron, horse was
moved on, the station master signaled
with his arms a curious fashion, and each
Of the four brakemen repeated the mo.
ton in turn. White putfs of steam rose
high in the air from the farther end of
the train. A curious rattlinga sound
spread through the train, and the last
car backed down turned aside and en-
tered the siding. The station master
left the switch and came hastily toward
the lovers. '-'i''
p ''Good day, Alfred. Light freight to-
day, only one car-by the way, the brake
chain is broken, and you had better drop
the car at the repair shops. The freight
can be thrown out without leaving the
car" e a'i5 ,'.ej p 3?iE'9iiz1od ha1
2 So saying the station master went on
into the freight house, followed by the
rafting and bling cars They grad
ually lost their speed and then came to
a stop with the end Of the train lost in
the dark cavern of the freight house.
There was a shout from the building,
and then one of the brakemen began to
move his arms as asignal to GO on
Again the white puffs Of steam shot up
in the distance, and with a jar and quiv-
er the train started again. . 3}G
Car after car rolled past them. There
were hurried whispers, warm hand
shake and perhaps kiss, and then the
man swung forward, grasped the ladder
on the last car, climbed quickly to the
top and sat down. She stood gazing
after him as he was drawn away from
her and smiled farewell to him with her
handkerchief. t5o li'''f.
"Here, Lydia, you must help me-"
1t was her brother who stood beside
her with bunch of keys in his hand.
The passenger train follows this at
once, and then turned again to gaze af-
ter her lover, seated on the last car of
tho ratreatinu train IT. hal nassed ont