Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-03-29
The 0bStruc.ed Track.

On a crisp night in October the
wind rustled the leaves in the woods
that surrounded Viola Vatheck' q
house.
| Above the fair girl who looked out
of small dormitory window shone
countless stars she might have seen
Boots and Orion had she looked up,
but that night the worlds Of heaven
had no attraction for her.
She was listening to strange
sound borne from the west by the
nocturnal breeze that chilled her
cheek. I might have said, with pro-
priety, a succession OF sounds, for it
seemed as if q number of persons
were cordi 1g wotd or moving heavy
timber not far away Save this noise
the night WAS quiet, and she heard
without interruption trom the window
OF her boudoir
II believe it is in 'Gwynne's Cut"
she said at last to herself. perhaps
some villain is obstructing the track
for devilish purposes. The Red Bird
will soon be due, and this is Eds
trip down"
Her face grew triAe palcr as she
spoke ard moment later she stood
before the ancient wallsweeper in
one Of the rooms.
The moonbeams stealing in at the
window fell on the face Of the dial and
told Viola that it was II o'clock.
Twelve" she rnurmesed. Wat!
10 o'clock, and he whistles to IL" at
half-past My heavens ! what il the
track is obstructed in the cut T.
With the last word on her lips, she
turned aud soon left the house.
, At the gate she paused a mo;Aent
and listened. The sounda were stiil
to be heard, and she believed that
! they emanated from a spot in the
cut near the cattle guard, Then
she started forward again and Cross
ed the meadows that lay between her
! home and her destination.
| The stars looked down upon a lit
tie object that glittered like silver in
Viola's hand. 1t was revolver, and
her fingers held it firmly. Once o,
twice she glanced at it as if to satisfy
herself that it was there. Then she
looked up again with an air Of deter.
mination.
| Che was the belle of the country
she inhabited. Her father was dead
and with her widowed mother and 6
little brother Of twelve, she dwelt il
the humble house won by the sweat
| Of her fathers brow.
| "A railway station called Beaumont
was the only settlement near, and il
was six miles from her home She
seldom went thither. For there was
no society there, and she enjoyed her
self better at home.
! The track of iron was the making
| of Beaumont, for the road was new
and towns were springing up al
along the line. Viola could see the
cars from her window, and often hae
she sat there until the flaming head
I light of the midnight express had ap
peared and disappeared. An opening
| in the woods enabled her to see the
headlight for a moment, and ther
the lighted windows of the cars.
! Did the engineer know that she wal
watching-that his engine gave two
shrill shrie1s as it reached the open
ing-two shrieks that seemed to say
"Viola Viola p Sho always smile;
when she heard the sounds, and will
a smile lingering on her face, or {
j flush, she would listen to the rum
bling of the train as it died away be
yond the uncommercial Beaumont.
The brace of shrieks, loud ane
shrill, told her who drove that engine
toward the great city on the Missis
sippi's banks. They recalled the day
ono year since, when the first engin,
she had ever seen stopped at Beau
mont, scarcely station then.
The engineer was young and hand
some; as he saw her examining tn,
great driving wheels, and looking with
wonderment upon the mighty beau
ties of his iron pet, he leaped to tn.
ground
| "A pretty piece Of machinery,
said he 10 her, "and she goes like 6
bird"
! She bluahsd when she caught lii
| a-o .o1 @bo ,o,oJ &c l. :. ll.:ll