The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-13

LOVE AND A LANTERN,

Gated out on the prairie at the edge of
bit OF scrubby woods. The little Yillags
of Barstow is about amile from the sta
ton, and to reach it one has to take 6
rough road through the woods. The line
ut this point is perfectly straight, anc
reaches to the horizon in both directions
These facts are essential to right
understanding of the events that tool
pIee at the station one night about 8
year ago. ~
Old Sam. Britton, station-master, sat
by the stove in the middle of the switch
house idly looking at the dull red Goals
in the ugly stove. His daughter Mary,
about nineteen, sat by the little telegraph
apparatus near the window that looked
out down the line. By the aid
of lantern she was reading stray
newspaper, the Iron Trade Review, q
strange paper for girl to read. but it be-
longed to dear friend, and some singu.
lar pictures had intere> ted her greatly
She did more. She read and listened.
Not thing stirred in the dull, bare little
room save the restless sounder on her
table. The incessant clatter of the ma.
chine fell on her ear, and yet she heard it
not. Elm City was talking TO Center
vile, forty miles off, and every word was
spelled on her sounder. Yet she heard it
not, for her mind was alert to catch
another sound. Her father had let fail
tue paper he was reading. He could not
read, for bitter disappointment kepthis
mind harassed and troubled. How long
was this default of payment to the en-
ployes of the railway company to con-
linue, The last months wages had not
been paid, and another month had nearly
passed. The line needed repairing. One
OF the signals was broken, and there were
Two bad ties on this section. The track
men had complained that very day that
new and better tools were needed and
that more ballast was wanting.
Suddenly, far away on the edge of the
>ea-llke horizon, arose star. The young
girls eyes were on the paper, and yet she
saw it rising. She looked out the cur
tainless window and watched the star
row bright. 1t did not seem to rise,
but to grow big with brightness. 1t is
not for love to sit and gaze. 1t must
act. She rose, and in silence went to one
of the great iron switch bars and stood
with both hands clasped about the
handle, and, gazing down the line, where
he star had become fame.
Then came a far-away sound through
The night, She pulled the bar forward;
tar down the track the switch moved in
the dark, and great green eye became
red. Up the line, in the opposite direc-
lion, another green star suddenly became
red.
Samson Glider sat on his high seat with
one hand on the throttle valve, gazing
steadily ahead. A constellation of green
.lnd yellow stars had sprung up in his
horizon. Jack Cinder, his Fl eman, on
the other side of the engine, had given
voice to the monster as it painted along
ITS way. All! one star had flashed red. |
The engineer blusled and smiled in the
dark, and pulled the throttle valve. |
Then came push and jar as the heavy
freight trim rumbling behind pushed
against the engine. The motive power
mad ceased, and the immense momentum
Of the train drove the idle engine swiftly
forward. The whistle spoke to the men
behind, and they gladly pulled the
brakes, and the train entered the siding.
The headlight threw a lurid glare on the
,witch-bouse, and by the light Samson
saw young girl standing by he track.
She was dressed for rough weather, and
wore red hood that was not lovely. To
Samson it was lovely in the glow OF the !
great lamp against the sky. 1t may have
been the peculiar effect of the light; it !
may have been love, for love has finer
eyes than unloving mortals
They came into the switch-house to-
gether she smiling and happy, he pleased
and gratifed, yet with shade OF care
upon his face. In his hand he held a |
new traek-layer's bar, such as may be
used To draw spikes from ties. He spoke |
to Sam Britton pleasantly about the
weather and then said:
"There's bar for the scction-master.
bought it myself. The company seems
70 be too poor to give its men fit tools
"To say nothing of our wages" added |
he old man, roughly. a. |
"Oh, father, why do You harp on that?
The company has agreat deal Of property. |
It will surely pay us our dues" -t
The engineer placed the bar against
he wall by the door, and then turned to
Mary. She led him away to her little
lesk by the window, and there they sat
lown together. Presently Jack Cinder
md one or two OF the train-men came
md sat down by the stove. The conver-
;ation among the men for the first few
had local favor, and needs no
mention. Then it branched to more
important theme-the overdue wages.
Even the lovers discussed the matter, and
utter few words they stopped abruptly.
Tears were in the girls eyes and she
turned away and gazed out of the win
low at the great, glowing headlight
Then one of the brakeman said:
"And the President is racing round
the country in drawing-room car. He's
coming up the road tonight on special
gar, and everything has to give way to
his train"
81 wish he might get tumbled into
The ditch, said deep voice, that startled