Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-12

When first l came to the WOrk-that's
| five years ago. thought it would be too
much for me; / did, infect. What with
the loneliness, and what with my ner-
vousness, [ thought l should be off my
head. And even when am off duty, |
could get no rest, for I used to wake
with start two or three times in night,
fancying heard the noise of coming
train, and that had forgotten to set the
points. I will assure you, I lost flesh, as
if were training for a race; yes, in
teet!"
"You have regalned it since," I OBJ
served, dryly.
He laughed.
'sThat is what Winnie says" win
ME was Mrs. Wynne IN Jutuo.) "And l
tell her it is to keep her in countenance.
Infect, am very hearty-very hearty, 1
thank Got! never had days illness =
not to sickness-in my life, though at
odd times have stitch--a queer sort
of pang that takes me Just here
pointing to his breast ''and goes through
me like a knife, Gaming out between the
shoulder blades. 1t is sharp while it
lasts, but it doesn't last above mo-
ment."
"IaYe you ever had advice about it2'
inquired, looking at him.
"From a doctor, sir:" he asked, open
ing his ewes mo, indeed; 1 would be
ashamed to go to one; he would laugh in
my face. Goodness knows. I do not look
a subject for doctor!" be added, laugh
ing. and Strengthening his tall figure, as
he moved from the fence to answer the
summons Of the slgnal-bell.
''The 1915 express" he explained, as
he went to set the points; sshe passes
Grains, like ships, are feminine --"she
passes the 1916 up fran Brynteg, close
by here"
"What would happen if you omitted
to set the points?' I d; manded, absently
as I watched the red lamps of the com
ing train.
He looked up at me.
''Do you recollect what happened this
time last year, between Corven and Pen
cIae?" he asked, gravely.
shuddered. I was not likely to for
get, having, as the special of daily
newspaper, visited the scene of that aw-
full collision Immediately after it occur
red.
'Thae is just what would happen here.
Instead Of turning off along the curve,
the express would keep head on along
this line. and run smash into the Brynteg
train about mile from here. Here
she comes y he exclaimed.
And there she came-sweeping down
upon us With roar and rush, like a
whirlwind and an earthquake combined
shaking the ground beneath our feet, and
half-blinding US with dust: then, smooth
ly rounding the curve, she skinned off
along the coast to Corven.
Not more than three minutes after
ward another whirlwind tore past, from
the opposite point OF the compass, taking
It's way inland.
"That's sharp work?'' I remarked.
eyes; they cut it rather too fine; they
often do. Sometimes when the express
Is minute or two late, it has barely
time to get on the curve before the Bryn-
teg train comes by. And now my work s
done for tonight; there are no more
trains till the 4:30, and then my mate
will be here. Are you walking back to
the village, sir?'
We walked back over the moor togeth-
er, and parted at the cottage gate.
AS wished him ''Good-night," I said
'sTake my advice, Wynne, and tell a
doctor about that queer pain OF yours
he won't laugh at it, you'll find"
But he only shook his head with a
CHEEKY, increoulous smile, and went on
his way home, whistling the sMen Of
Harlech.'
The autumn days slipped away insens-
;bly, nothing particular happening to
distinguishing one from the other; in
deed, it appeared that nothing ever did
happen at Nachno; it was q place where
"all things always seemed the same" so
that lost all count Of time, and it gave
me quite shock of surprise one day to
find that had loitered away whole
month, while that great work which was
to perch me On a pinnacle of fame was
yet unfinished. I sternly resolved to
turn over a new leaf with the new month,
and il pursuance of this determination
gave up idle gossip and aimless rambles,
and harnessed myself to my gray goose
quit" taking my exercise, quarter deck
fashion. IN the obloag strip Of ground
before the cottage, wi ich had been fenced
III from the moor by q low stone wall,
and dignifed by the name Of a garden.
| now saw but little OF my friend, the
pointsman, though I heard his CHEEKY
whistle as he passed at night, and once or
twice, When l rose with the dawn, aud
sat at my window to watch the sun rise,
[ hailed him as he went by to day-duty,
and he stopped for five minutes chat.
One morning heavy autumn morn
ing, the air full Of soft, steamy vapor,
which gave Turnerosque effect to the
sunrise-in the course of our confabula-
ton, he contided to me, with a radiant
face, that 'Winnie'' had at length con
sented to name the day, and "next
Monday three weeks" would make him
the happiest man in the principaliry.
1t appeared that the course Of their
true love had, at first, met with an obstacle
IN the shape of Winnie's fathe1-a well
to- do general dealer" in the village-who
had set his face against the match; but,
thanks to Winnie's clever coaxing. he had
soon "come round" and, moreover, had
come down" with something handsome
toward furnishing the little cottage on
the moor, where they were to begin their
married life. All this, and more, my
companion poured out with beaming
face, standing in the gard n under nv
window. l congratulated him heartily
and watched him with something like
envy, as he vent buoyantly on his way
across the dewy moorland, full of health
and hope and happiness, and was lost to
my sight in the golden mists of sunrise.
The misty morning turned out sultry
day. l sat at my desk till evening, writ
ing as If tor a wager; and work and
weather combined having given me a
racking headache, I took a cup of strong