Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-08-30

her.
Poor girl. Il was tie second great
holiday Of her life, She had told me: II,
first being her welding day,
!" Inc train stopped ten minutes Il
was neither an express or an accom-.
mediation train, hnt one which stopp.
cd 1t the prime stations on the
route.
"l had al old. patched suit OH, I'll rs
supposed for the service OF coal hcav-
ing; but Bakely when | came up, eyed
it and my hands Sardonically He was
i'll no better temper, evidently with an
amateur fireman than he had been III
the morning.
"'All aboard he said gruhly. You
take your place there, Mr.. Santlev.
lou'll put in coal just rs call for it, if
you please, and not trust IL your own
Judgment
His tone annoyed me.
"'lt can not require much Judgment
to keep up y fire under Il boiling pot,
and not make ii too hot. Any woman
can do that in her own kitchen.
lie made no reply, hut took his
place i'll the little square box. where
the greater pNIi Of his life was pass
cd.
"lnoticed that his face was flushed;
and his irritation ut my foolish whlm
was surely more than the occasion re-
quired. Watched him with keen Curl
osity, wondering if it was possible that
he could have been drinking, as he had
accused poor Jones OF DONG
" 1t strikes me rs odd, Interrupted
Ferrers, "that you should have not only
made an intimate companion OF this
fellow, Santley, but have taken SO
keen an interest i'll his tempers and
drinking bouts. You would not be like
~ to honor any Of us with such atten.
ton
No. have something else TO do. |
was absolutely idle then. Blakeley ard
his family, for the time, made up ny
world. As for the friendship, this vas
All exceptional man, both rs to inteTi-
ty and massive hard sense.
! was honored Ivy the fricndshi, Of
this grimy engineer. But The question
of his sohriety that day was sGious
one.
"A man i'll charge ofa train iii hun
dreds OF passengers, fell ou4l TO be
sober, particularly when wa nut up
i'll the engine with him.
/" Just us we started, slip d paper
was handed to hlm, which he rad and
DO yourun this train l. telegraph
! asked, beginning to shoel vigorously.
Ges. No more coal
Isn't that unusual?'
Yes; there are two special trains
on the road this afternoon
Z" Is it difficult to run atrain by tcle-
graph? | said presently, simply to make
conversation.
Staring in silence at he narrow slit
in the gloomy furnace, orout ut the vii
lago street, through whih we slowly
passed, was monotonous.
"'No, not difficult; simply have to
obey the instructions which receive
at each station.
"'But if you should happen to think
the instructions not right
"'Happen To tn ink! I've no busi-
ness to think ut all When the trains
run by telegraph the engineers are so
many machines in the hands Of one
controller, who directs thm all from II
central point He has the whole road
under his eye. If they don't obey to
the least title their orders il is destruc-
ton to the whole.
"eYou seem 10 think silent obedience
the first and last merit in railway
man
Yes, dryly.
81 took the hint and was dumb.
We were out Of town now. Blake
ley quickened the speed Of the engine.
] did not speak to him again. There
was little for ire to do, and was oceu-
pied in looking out at the dying land
scape.
"'fhe fields were covered with deep
fail of snow, and glanced Whitley by,
with strange, unreal simmer. The
air was keen and cutting Still the ride
was tame. was disappointed. The
excitement would, BY no means, equal
dash on a spirited horse began to
think ! had little to pay for my grimy
hands and face, when we slowed at the
next station.
One or two passengers got IL the
train. There Vas the inevitable old
lady, with bundles, alighting, and the
usual squabble about her trunk. ! was
craning my neck 70 hear when Il boy
ran alongide with a telegram.
The next moment heard smoth-
cred exclamation from Blakely,
:" 90 back, he said TO the boy Tel
Sands TO have the message repeated.
There's mistake.
The boy dashed oiT, and BIakely sat
waiting, cody polishing bit Of the
shining brass before INN. Back came
the boy.
:" Had il repeated. Sands il raging
at You. Says there's no mistake and
tryt,fl l,5E ,,,t -, IL ttt3,, EngnfI