The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-11-21
LOVE AND A LANTERN.

LOVE AND A LANTERN.
Barstow's Siding is small station on
the q. 5. and Western railway, and loca-
ted out on the prairie at the edge of
bit of scrubby woods. The little village
of BarstOw is about a mile from the station
and to reach it one has to take rough
road through the woods. The line at this
point is perfectly straight, and reaches
to the horizon in both directions. These
facts are essential to right understand
ing of the event that took place at the
station one night about 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 10, sat by the little telegraph APP
paratus near the window that looked out
down the line. By the aid of lantern
she was reading stray newspaper, the
Iron Trade Review, a strange paper for
girl to read, but it belonged to a dear
friend, and some singular pictures inter-
ested 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 in
cessant CHATTER of the machine fell upon
her ear, and yet she heard it not. Elm
City was talking to Centcrville 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 let fall the paper he
was reading. He could not read, for a
bitter disappointment kept his mind
harrassed and troubled. How long was
| this default of payment to the employees
to continue? The last months wages
had not been paid and another month
had nrarly passed. The line needed re-
pairing. One of the signals was broken,
and there were two bad ties on this sec
| ton. The trackmen 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
sealike horizon, arose star. The young
girls eyes were on the paper, and yet
she saw it rising. She looked out the
curtainless window and watched the
star grow 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 the star had become flame.
Then came far-away sound through
the night. She pulled the bar forward;
far down the track the switch moved in
the dark, and great green eye became
red. Up the line in the opposite direc-
ton, another green star suddenly be
came red.
Samson Glider sat on his high seat
with one hand on the throttle-valve, gaZ-
ing steadily ahead. A constellation of
green and yellow stars had sprung up in
his horizon. Jack Cinder, his fireman,
hn nfhar Si6n of fhn anuina had
given voice to the monster as it painted
along its way. All! one star had flashed
red. The engineer blushed and smiled
| IN the dark, and pulled the throttle-valve.
Then came push and IA jar as the heavy
freight train rumbling behind pushed
against the engine. The motive power
had 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 sliding.
The headlight threw lurid glare on
the swiIch-h house, and by the light Sam
son saw a young girl standing by the
track. She was dressed for rough
weather, and wore a 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 eff
| feet 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 gratified, yet with a shade
| of care upon his face. In his hand he
held a new track-layer's bar, such as
may be used to draw spikes from the
ties. He spoke to Sam Rritton pleasant
| ly about the weather, and then said:
There's bar for the section master
l bought it myself. The company seems
too poor to give its men fit tools"
TO say nothing of our wages" added
the old man, roughly.
"Oh, father, why do you harp on that /:
The company has great deal of prop
erty. 1t will surely pay US our dues"
| The engineer placed the bar against
the wall by the door, and then turned to
| Mary She led him away to her little
desk by the window, and there they sat
down together Presently Jack Cinder
and one or two of the train-men came
end sat down by the stove The CONVEX
satiOn among the men for the first few
moments had local flavor, and needs
no mention. Then II branched to a
more important theme-the overdue wa
ges Even the lovers discussed the mat
ter, and after few words they stopped
abruptly Tears were in the girls eyes,
anu SilC d6al EaL1A OAl eAAS
| window at the great glowing headlight.
Then one the brakemen said:
"And the president is racing round
the country in drawing room car. He's
coming up tile road tonight ON a special
car, and everything has to give way to
his train
81 wish he might get tumbIed into the
ditch,'' said deep voice, that startled
them ALL
'Oh, Samson. how can you say that -
said Mary's tremulous tones.
Because I'm mad Here We can't
He stopped, and the girl blushed scarlet
1.-THE president can make excursions
over the line, and disarrange the time
tables and yet we are two months wait
ing for our pay. / think"
He stopped and looked toward the
door; a hideous creature stood before
them; tramp, footsore, hungry and
homeless, had found the door Unmatched.
aud wandered in, looking for shelter,
The station master let the man come in
ana stand by the stove to warm himself,
] for he was very cold. and the talk was
contIpued in whispers.
Suddenly th9re came the sound of a
distant whistle The station-master look
ed at the switch bars To see that all was
right, and Samson Glider rose and said
That's Williams train I'll go out
and wave him a friendly light
The sound of the approaching freight
traik came nearer, and the engineer took
the lantern from the desk and went out
The others fell into silence as the rumb-
ling train crept past the door. The
young girl stared at the headlight in sor.
rowfnI silence, hoping. thinking, wish.
ing.
Taking advantage of the noise, the
tramp slanffied away toward the door
Just as he reached il he looked hastily
around around the room. and then sIyly
took up the track-layer's bar and van.
ished. His presence had been burden
and they paid no heed to his departure
A moment after the door opened, and
Samson Glider entered