Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-02-28

just west of Leeds at 1919. Shunt on 10
the siding at behring's Cut, and wait.
WHATELY.
kirke's watch hung on nail beside
the clock. 1t was fancy of his al
ways to hang it there when he WAS
off the train, so that he could make
no mistake in the time.
He glanced at the clock, and from
it to his watch. Both indicated the
same huur-7:15.
"7:15," said kirke, meditatively,
"and we leave at 80, and the pay
train meets us at behring's Cut at
! 10:l5. Scant time to make the run in
this thick weather, but it must be
managed
And he turned away to give some
| brief orders to the fireman.
| Jack Halliday was there-he had
been strolling in and out of the room
for the past half hour, smoking a cigar,
and swearing at the bad weather. His
train did not leave until near mid
night, 50 he had plenty of time to
! swear.
We all went to the door and took q
| look at the weather, and unanimously
voted it deuced bad, and then we
walked up and down the platform, and
smoked our after-supper cigars, and
by the time we were through it was
time for the train hands to be getting
into their places. Both the clock in
the engine-roo and kirke's watch
indicated 7 40.
Kirke was putting his watch in his
pocket as he said:
Garth, are you going with me on
the Flyaway?"
"No, thank ye," said l, 81 get
enough of that sort of thing in my
| everyday life. | am going to do a
little swell business tonight, and take
passage in the palace car. Want to
rest my back Goodnight to We, and
hold her in well round Rocky Bottom
curve. The road-bed's little shaky."
aye, aye, sir"' responded Kirke,
and swung himself to his position on
the Flyaway.
The bell rang-I scrambled to my
compartment in the Pullman and felt
| horribly out of place among the silks
and broadcloths and smells of musk.
But ! was in for first-clasS," and
made the best of it SO etfectually that
FIVE minutes after Gibson, who fan
cies he owns all creation because he
has got silver coilin-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, as | guess | have already
said, had country residence in Leeds,
| on amountain spur, which commanded
view of the surrounding country for
more than score Of miles. The lin
| of the railway could be distinctly seen
! in each direction fifteen miles, and
| Whately was wont to say his lookout
| was worth more to the safety of trains
than all the telegraph wires on the
| line.
Whately was rich old buffer kind
enough III his way, but sharp as ferret
! in looking after the road hands, and
determined that every man should do
his duty.
He had but one child, a daughter ;
and Floss Whately was the belle of the
country. She was brave, beautiful
and spirited, and more than once, when
her father had been away, had she as
sumed the responsibility OF directing
the trains, and she had always acquit-
! ted herself with credit.
Old Whately was very proud of her,
! L., ;x,I e., lao I., l., al
the young fellows at a distance, until
it was said that he intended keeping
| his daughter single till the Gar OF all
the Russias came on to marry her.
This night in November, old Whate-
| ly and Floss were out on the piazza of
their country home, peering through
/ the gloom and fog for the Golosha
! train, which was nearly due.
Its very strange it doesn't come
in sightn' said Whately, laying down
his night-glass in disgust. 1t is hard
on to ten now! They ought to show
their light round Spruce Pond by this
! timep'
You teiegraphed them, father ?
You let them know the pay-train was
on the road - asked Floss.
ITO be sure. And, good heavens
there is the headlight of the pay-train
now! See not ten miles away, and
running like the deuce, as it always
doesr'
He pointed with trembling finger
down to the valley gorge, where, far
away, mere speck in the gloom.
could be seen light, scarcely moving,
it seemed, but those anxious watchers
knew it was approaching at lightning
speed.
Father and daughter looked at each
1 other.
The truth was evident. For some