The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-09-13
Put Yourself in Her Place.

The long summer day had crept
slowly away, and it was nearly five
o'clock. The hours at the railway
station were marked as by some gi'
gantic clock that told the laggard
minutes by screaming whistle and
changing bell. The 4:30 accommoda-
ton had gone east, the western ex-
press due here 4:55, had thundercd
through the village, gone on overthe
great viaduct, and disappeared round
the vast curve beyond.
So one counted the hours by the
trains-Lydia by namc-a girl of the
best New England type; quiet, and
yet with an immense capacity for do
ing and daring, should love and the
occasion demand. 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 towards the railroad -
As she approached.tho station she
saw her bpther,-tile station, master,
opening the little freight house 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 quickencd her step.
On reaching the passenger station
where the village street crossed the
railway, she looked up and down the
line and then crossed over and turn.
ed to the left and walked beside the
track toward the freight house.
To understand all that took place
on this occasion, and to fully appre,
ciate her consummate skill in con.
trolling the events so quickly to
crowd upon her, we must study the
construction of the road 1T this point.
The Main Line for more than u mile
to the right, or toward the east, was
perfectly straight and comparatively
level. To the left or west, it crossed
a deep valley by lofty stone viaduct
and beyond the valley it curved to
ward the north and mounted the hill
by long grade. Just east Of the
passenger station a branch road en-.
tered the Maine Line, and there was,
as supposed, u cross-ovcr switch. Be.
yond the passenger station, on the
west, was a short siding ending in a
small freight house, and directly op,
posito was another siding with a
freight shed and coal yard.
Lydia walked on past the freight
house, and, crossing the side track,
found a large Hat rock beside the
way, and there under the shade of an
ancient apple tree, she sat down to
wait till her lover should come,
He comes! she heard the three long
whistles sounding fur down the line
and a bright blush mounted her face.
The 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 towards the switch at the
hcad of the siding.
Suddenly the main track before her
began to sing in sharp metallic mur.
murs. Tho train had entered that
section of the road and he was near
Then there came the sound of escap,
ing steam, The engine was moving
slowly down, and the steam no long
or employed, was bursting with a
loud roar from tho safety valve as il
impatient of delay.
With II jar that shook the ground
the immense freight engine rolled
past her, and the engineer, leaning
out of his window, nodded to her us
he slid past. Then the cars in long
procession came into sight and moved
past with slowly decreasing spcCd.--
Four brakGmcn busy at tho brakes
A 1