Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-04-25

"There'S bar for the gection-maSter.
II bought il myself. The company
seems to be too poor to give its men
proper tools"
TO aynothing of our wages, added
the old man, roughly.
30, father, why do you harp on that?
The company has great deal Of prop
ertv. II will surely pay lis our dues.
The engineer placed the bar against
the wall by the door, and then turned 10
Mary. ST, led him away TO her little
desk by the window, and there they sat
down together. Presently Jack Cluder
and one or two of the train men came
and sat down by the dull red stove. The
conversation among the men for the
I first few moments had local flavor,
and needs no mention. Then it branch
cd to more important theme-the ov-
erdue wages. Even the lovers discus
Sed the matter, and after few words
! they stopped abruptly. Tears brimmed
the girls eyes, and she turned away ana
gazed out the window at the glowing
headlight.
| Then one Of the orakmen said: And
the president is racing round the coun-
4 try IN drawing-room car. He's conf
ing up the road tonight on a special,
and every thing has TO give way 10 his
\ train.
Il wish lie might get tumbled into the
ditch" said deep voice that startled
them all.
On, Samson, how could you say
that"
because I'm mad. Here we can't
He stopped, and the girl blushed scar
let The president can make excur-
sions over the line and disarrange all
the timetables, and yet we are two
months waiting for our pay. | think
He stopped and looked toward the
door: nideous creature, hall man, han
beast stood unbidden before them all.
A tramp, foot-sorc, homeless, and hun
CRY, he had found the door Unattached,
and had wandered in looking for shell
ter. The station master permitted the
man to come in and stand behind the
stove to warm himself, for he Was
nigh perishiug with the cold, and then
the conversation lapsed into whispers.
Suddenly there came the sound Of q
distant whistle. The station-master
looked at the switch bars te see that the
line was clear, and Samson Glider rose
and said: That's Williams train. I'll
go out and wave him friendly light as
he passes"
The sound of the approaching freight
train came nearer, and the engineer
took the lantern from the desk and
went out. The others fell into silence
as the rambling train crept past the
door. The young girl stared mt the great
headlight i'll sorrowful silence, thinking,
wishing, and hoping.
Taking advantage OF the noise, the
tramp shutlled away toward the door.
Just rs he reached il he looked hastily
round the room, and then slyly picked
up the track-layer's bar and disappear
ed. His presence had been burden;
he had happily taken himself off, and
they paid no heed to his departure. \
moment after the door opened and
Samson Glider entered. "The special
is in sight boys. We must be of.
The men reluctantly went out to their
train, and the lovers met to part at the
door. Her eyes were bright with i'll
suppressed tears.
~ otClllo ~ IpllS W hiih hilh 49, ~
little money!"
II know it, dear; yet, when the COM
pany do pay up, we shall have all the
more"
Nearer and nearer came the great
yellow star that had sprung up on the
horizon. From far came the long wall
ing sound of the express whistle. The
lovers heard it, and held each tighter
clasp. The tracks before the door be-
gan to "sing." The monster came on
in frightful fury. Sparks shot up i'll
| fountains from its stack. The ground
quivered, the windows shook, with its
tread.
All a despairing scream from the
whistle.
An earthquake.
Some one rushed past the girl She
clasped the door for support, not know
ing what had happened. She looked
out into the night, stunned and terrified.
There was nothing nothing, save q
vast cloud of dust. white and ghostly IN
the night. An Il CLEAN, i flare Of
light. Ii shone through the curtain of
dust as it drifted away before the wind,
There were hurrying footsteps, shouts,
cries for help, and groans. The dust
disappeared, and the end Of an over
turned car stood out in the bright light.
The flames shot up higher. The wreck
grew in horrid proportions. Ali it was
on fire.
1t is peculiar feature of American
life that new and unexpected circum.
stances are always met and controlled
by spirit of organization that creates
out oil the men and materials at hand
the mastery Of events. III haitian hour
after the first crash, as the tram LEFT the
metals, the frightened passengers We're
comfortably housed in the empty cars
of the freight-train. a carload of lum-
Der had been despoiled to make seats
for the whole and beds for the injured.
The freight-engine on the siding vas
used to drag the wreck away from the
up line, and its tank water and steam had
been used to put out the fire. In an hour
the freightengine, in charge Of the ex
press people, started away with its
dreary load, the well in the forward cars,
the injured, on beds Of hay robbed from
0 Al r II Il II