Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-05-30
Two Minutes too Late.

clock above her head, she noticed
that it was almost time for her to
close the Office for the night, aud
seek her humble hoLe at the Too,
of one of the darkened streets OF
the village. The rumbliRg ofathe
train which had just left the sta
tion was growing fainter and iain-
ter, and the girl listened TO it as
though it was the voice of friend
who was leaving her for a long
time.
She did not expect any more
messages that night the engine
breathing heavily from its great
ironIungs on the track near herwin
dow would not move until the night
express had passed up, and the
engineer, knowing this, had
sought his sweetheart, who lived
in the village.
Tom Gray, the engineer of the
train Just departing, was Drucie' :
lover, and his intimate friends
knew when the wedding was to
take place. He had not known her
long, but that did not matter
since he was a trae fellow, who
loved her with all his heart, ano
, with all hers she loved Tom.
The rumble of the train at
length di d away, ard Drucie was
about to shut off the current anC
leave the Office, when a message
began to fall upon her ears.
She started, for the first word
drove the color from her cheek
and standing over the instrument
, she heard this message:
"No. 10 switch at Colbytill No
! 6 passes. Six just startingr
, six just starting! My God
: They will maet!" cried the beauti
, full operator, starting from the ia
! ble ;; "what can / do to save hin
/. -them?'
J And with her eyes staring a
the clock she stood in the cente
h ! of the room, thinking of the two
trains approaching each othe
through the mist that almost biz
IS the moon.
The real situation, enough I
; bIanch young girls cheeks, wa'
4 = appalling.
At Tue order for the train which
: had just left Fletcher to switcl
in at Colby, could not be obeye,
now. The telegraph could nc
> even stop it, for there was n
v night Office at Colby. 1t was a
4 unusual matter for No. 6 to leav
= Fort Wayne before the arrival O
No. 10; but as the latter trai
- = was some twelve minutes benin
l. time on that particular nigh
b. No. 6, anxious to leave on tim'
se S. to saveits connections telegraphe
I'd to Fletcher the message whic
= had SO startled Drueie Mile
4, ;n From F.techer TO a point fol
miles below Colby, the compan
T completed a double track, whicl
when fnished to Fort Wayne
2. would obviatethe trouble Of switcI
IS ing prevent and accidents.
When Drucie recovered h
self-possession, she started fro
the Office with the message in b.
hand. 1t had arrived just tv
ie. ies minutes too late, and Tom Gra
Mt Mt unconscious OF its existence, W
driving his engine ahead al
1oo %e thinking of the girl he had late
CHI kissed adieu. He knew thatit W
md known in Fort Wayne that
lIa 1Ia was unavoidably behind tin
and thoughtful at according TO c'
and tom the express, waiting the
,,s EEK would not move out until he
7 at rived
hes Bat let us return to Dru,
Miller. She saw the freight
mn. gine standing on theinew ira
che che already mentioned and caught
glimpse of the young firem
lies i s asleep on his box. -o0
A determined resolution ent
u u ed her head, and the next Il
ices ment she was in the engine ro
y !. =
s: with her hand on the boys sho
eats s der.
do do "Tbat you, Miss Drucie?'' s.
q 90 the boy, rousing himself will
yawn. "Llws a mercy ="
;. SECT out and uncouple
freight she cried. .''Fo
moved out, and if he does
switch at Colby everybody '
nd, be killed. We must catch hiu
Is Tue boy, with a cry Of horl
Loft the enaine. and minute