The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-08-10
Select Storp.
TWO MINUTES TOO LATE.
runrLlrSo STORY OF RAILROAD LIFE

A THRILLING STORY or RAILROAD LIFE.
With his goodbye ringing in her ear,
Drueie Miller re-entered the telegraph
office and dropped into the chair before
the clicking instrument CHANGING at the
clock above her head, she noticed 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 grow
ing fainter and fainter, and the girl listen
ed to it as though it 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 his sweetheart,
VINO lived In the village.
Tom Gray, the engineer of the train
just departing, was Drucie's lover, and his
intimate friends knew when the wedding
was to take place. lie had not known
her long, but that did not matter, since he
was a 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
message began to fall upon her ears.
She started, for the first word drove the
color from her cheeks, aud standing over
the instrument she heard this message:
Number ten switch at Colby till num-
ber six passes. Six just starting"
''Six just starting! My God they win
meet" cried the beautiful operator, start
ing from the table; ''what can do to save
him-them ?"
And with her eyes staring at the clock,
she stood in the centre of the room, think
ing Of the two trains approaching each
other, through the mist that almost hid
the moon.
The real situation, enough to blanche a
young girls cheeks. 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 matter
for number six to leave Fort Wayne, be-
fore the arrival of number ten; but as
the latter train was some twelve minutes
behind time on that particular night, six,
anxious to leave on time, to save its con-
neetions, telegraphed to Fletcher the mes
sage which had so startled Drucie Miller.
From Fletcher to point four miles below
Colby, the company had completed a dou-
bic track, which, when finished to Fort
Wayne, would obviate the trouble of
switching, and prevent accidents
When Druicie recovered her selfpos-
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 had lately kissed adieu. He knew that
it was known in Fort Wayne that he was
unavoidably behind time, and thought that
according to custom, the express waiting
there would not move 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.
''That you, Miss Drueie p said the boy,
rousing himself with yawn.
laws mereyr'
"Get out and uncouple the freight !"
she cried, Toms moved out, and if he
doesn't switch at Colby, everybody viii be
killed. We must catch him p
The boy with a cry of horror left the
engine, and minute later the freight cars
were standing idly on the track while the
engine aud its tender we're moving out.
gaining momentum at each revolution of
the wheel
"What'll Dick say when he comes back
and finds the engine gone ?" said the boy,
looking up into Drucies face.
"What do we care what he says =? What
is Dicks anger to the precious lives on the
two trains ? Jim, how fast can your en-
gine travel?"
about two miles minute p the boy
answered with smile ashes the swift
est bird on the road, but don't think we
can catch number ten; We might if we had
Dick with US. lie knows how to manage
the Belle
"And so do |. Wood up, jim! Fill
the furnace chock full. We must catch
Tom this side of the new track terminus,
Or