The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-05-29

The president can make excursions over
the line, End disarrange all the time
tables, and yet we are two months wait
ing for our pay. / think"
He stopped and looked toward the
door hidden creature, half man, hall
beast, stood unbidden before them all.
A tramp, feot-sore, homeless and hun.
cry; he had found the door Unattached
snd had wandered in looking for shelter
The section. master permitted the man
to come in and stand behind the stove
to warm himself, for he was nigh perish
ing with the cold, and then the CONVEX.
sation lspsed into whispers.
Suddenly there came the sound of 8
distant whistle. The station master
looked at the switch bars to see that the
line was clear, snd Samson Glider rose
and said That's Williams train. III
go out and wave him friendly light q;
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 RUM
bling train crept past the door. The
young girl stared at the great head light
in sorrowful silence; thinking, wishing
and hoping.
Taking advantage of the noise, the
tramp shuaed away toward the door.
Just as he reached it he looked hastily
round the room, and then slyly picked
up the trsckslayer's bar and disappeared.
His presence had been burden he had
happily taken himself of, and they paid
no heed to his departure. A moment
after the door opened, and Samson Glider
entered. "The special is in sight, boys.
We must be off,"
The men reluctantly went out to their
train, and the lovers met to part at the
door. Her eyes were bright with Ill
suppressed tears.
4" 1t seems SO long to wait-and all for
a little money"
" l know it, dear yet, when the com.
pany do pay up, we shall have all the
more"
Nearer and nearer came the great vel.
low star that had sprung up on the hori-
zon. From far came the long wailing
sound of the express whistle. The
lovers heard it, and held each tighter
clasp. The tracks before the door began
to Sing The monster came on in
frightful fury. Sparks shot in fountains
from its stack. the ground quivered,
the wind shock with its tread.
All! 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. All a CLEAN, a fare of light.
1t 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 overturned car stood
out in the bright light. The flames shot
up higher. The wreck grew in horrid
All it was on fire.
1t is a peculiar feature of American
life that new and unexpected circum-
stances are always met and controlled by
a spirit of organization that creates out
of men and materials at hand the mastery
of events. In half an hour after the
first crash, as the train left the metals,
the frightened passengers were comfor-
tably housed in the empty cars of the
freight train. A carload of lumber had
been despoiled to make seats for the whole
and beds for the injured. The freight
engine on the siding was 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
freight engine, in charge of the express
people, started away with its dreary
load, the well in the forward cars, the
injured on beds of hay robbed from the
freight, in the next cars, the dead behind.
Darkness and silence fell on the lonely
way station, and save where the black
wreck lifted its mangled bones against
the sky, there was nothing to mark the
disaster except the pale faces of the men
who gathered round the stove in the
,witch-house. For long time nothing
was said. There are times when speak
ing seems impairment. Events become
too big for words. Then one of the men
spoke and said:
"They did say it were the president
who were killed in the forward sleeper"
Mary Britton glanced at Samson iil-
der. He was silent and self-absorbed,
and his face gave no indication that he
needed this remark. At that moment
the door opened and Jack Cinder came
in, bringing in his hand a new track
layers bar. He brought it to the light
and held it before them all.
"Do you see that, boys? l found it
under the smashed sleeper. It's new
bar, and" Tne men looked at the bar
for a moment in apparent indifference,
and said nothing. The keener feminine
mind sprang to intuitive conclusions.
Her thoughts leaped from a terror to
defence.
at was the tramp. He stole the bar
and wrecked the train"
"Mebbe he did, and mebbe ne didn't.
This do know; Samson Glider was
wishing the president into the ditch.
This is his bar, and he was out on the
line just before it happened.
X X
The coroner's jury called to consider
the death of Thomas Starmore and
others, killed at Barstow's Siding on the
night of the 25th of February, met at
the switch>house and heard the evidence
of the persons who were known to have
been present at the time of the disaster
Even the tramp had been captured. He
was seen prowling in the woods near the
line, and had been caught by the section
master and his men. Every one at once
said, "The tramp did it." But the
tramp had in his hand another bar just
like the bar found under the train. He
admitted having stolen the bar. He
had seen the disaster from the woods,