The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-05-03
CHOICE FICTION.
LOVE AND A LANTERN.
a Story of Woman's Intelligent Devotion.

a Story OF WomanS Intelligent Devotion.
Barstow's Siding is a small station on
he G. S. and Western railway, and loca-
ell out on the prairie at the edge ora bit
If scrubby woods. The little village Of
}arstow is about a mile from the station
md to reach it one has to take rough
Dad through the woods. The line at
his point is perfectly straight, and reach
ste the horizon in both directions. These
let's are essential to right understand
ny of the events that took place at the
tation one night about a year ago.
Old Sam Rritton. station-mastcr, sat by
,e stove in the middle of the switch-house
oking at the dull red Goals in the ugly
owe His daughter Mary, aged nineteen
ut by the little telegraph apparatus near
he window that looked out down the line.
BY the aid of Il lantern she was reading a
stray newspaper, the Iron TRADE Rerietr--
! strange paper for a girl to read, but it
belonged to dear friend, and some sing
ular pictures had interested her greatly.
She was doing more She read and listen
ed. Not thing stirred IN the dull bare
room save the restless sounder on her
table. The incessant clatter of the ma
chine fell Oh her ear, and yet she heard it
not. Elm City was talking to Centreville
forty miles through the night. 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 fall the paper he was reading. lie
could not read, for bitter disappoint-
ment kept his mind harassed, and troub-
led. How long was this default of pay
ment to the employees of the railway COM
pany to continue? The last month wages
had not been paid. and another month
had nearly passed. The line needed re-
pairing. There were two bad ties on this
section, and one of the signals was broken.
The trackmen had complained that very
day that new and better tools We're need
ed and that more ballast was wanting.
Suddenly, far away ON the edge of the
Sea-like horizon. arose 4 star. The young
girls eyes were on the paper, and yet she
saw its rising. She looked out the cur
tainless window aud watched the star
grow bright. 1t did not seem to rise, but
to grow big to 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. Without hesitation she pull
ed the bar forward. Far down the track
the switch moved in the dark and great
green eye turned red Up the line III the
opposite direction, another green star sud
denly turned to 4 warning red.
Samson Glider sat on his high seat with
one hand on throttle-valve, gazing steadi-
" ahead. A constellation of green and
yellow stars had sprung up on his hori-
ION. Jack Cinder his fireman OH the
other side of the engine, had given voice
to the monster rs it painted along its iron
way. All. one star had flashed red. The
engineer blushed and smiled in the dark
and pulled the Unbelievable. Then came
a push and jar as the heavy freight train
rumbling behind pushed against the en-
CINE. The motive power had ceased and
Ehe immense momentum OF the tram
drove the idle engine swiftly forward.
The whistle spoke to men behind and
they gladly pulled at the brakes, and the
train entered the siding. The headlight
threw lurid glare on the switch-house,
and by the light Samson saw girl stand
ing by the track. She was dressed for
rough weather, and wore red hood that
was not lovely. Samson thought it was
beautiful in the glow of the great lamp
and against the winter night. 1t may
have been the peculiar effect of the light.
1t may have been love, for love has finer
eyes than unloving mortas.
They came into the switch-house to-
gether, she smiling and happy, he pleased
and gratified, yet with shade Of care up
on his face. In his hand he held Il new
track-layer's bar. a bar such as may be
used to draw spikes from ties.
He spoke to sam Britton pleasantly
:ll,o,. t the weather, and then said: There's
a bar for the section-master. bought it
myself. The company seems to be too
poor to give its men proper 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 property
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 togeth-
err Presently Jack Cinder and one ortwo
OF the train men came and sat down by
the dull red stove. The conversation
among the men for the first few moments
had local favor, and needs no mention
Then it branclted to more important
theme-thc overdue wages. Even the
lovers discussed the matter, and after a
few words they stopped abruptly. Tears
brimmed the girls eyes, and she turned
away and gazed ont the window at the
glowing headlight.
Then one of the brakemen said: And
the president is racing round the country
IN drawing room car. He's coming up
tbs road tonight on special. and every
shing has TO give way to his train
wish he might get tumbled into the
.litcIl. said q deep voice that startled
them all.
Oh, Samson, how could you say that
Because I'm mad. Here We can't
He stopped and the girl blushed scarlet.
The president can make excursions
over the line and disarrange all the time
tables aud vet we are two months wait
ing for our pay, | think
lie stopped and locked toward the door;
q hidden creature, half man. half beast.
stood unGidden before them all. 4 tramp
foot-sore homeless and hungry. he lad
found the door 4platched. and had wall
dered in looking fot' si,elter. The station
master permitted the man 10 come in and
stand behind the stove to warm himself.
for 10 was nigh perishing with the cold
and then The conversation lapsed into
Whispers,
Suddenly there came the sound of a dis
tant whistle The station-master looked
at the switch bars to see that tiie iipe was
clear and Samson Glider rose and said
That's Williams train. III 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 ont.
The others fell into silence a. tho rumbling
train crept past the door. The young girl
stared at the great headlight in sorrowful
silence thinking. wishing and hoping.
Taking advantage of ti.o noise, the
trump shufflcd away toward the .i2or.
just as he reached il he looked hastily
md the ROOM and then slyly picked up
the track-layer's bar and disappeared.
His presence had been burden: i,e had
happily taken himself off, and they paid
no heed to his departure. a moment at
ter the door opened, and Samson Glider
entered. The special is III sight, boys.
We must be Off
The men reluctantly went ont to their
train. and the lovers met to part at the