Morris tribune., 1880-08-05
"WATCH THE BOX |"

tIl0 SIOIIA hbA eAAN AAUW AAneSes~A SA
showing any signs Of breaking, the rain
came down in torrents from the lnky sky,
and the thunder rolled ominously over
head. A bad storm to drive an engine
through, as anybody would have known,
and the wonder Is that No. 80 was not
three heurs late instead of one. Luke
Granger, the trustiest, nerviest engineer
on the road, rounded the curve just be-
low Red Ravine station at twenty. six
minutes past seven. I breathed q SIGH
of relief when saw the headlight cut a
hole in the darkness. The station bridge
might have given away in storm like
that, and was beginning to get nervous
over this thought.
Somehow everything made me nervous
that night. It was just that kind of
weather when things look all out of gear,
anyway.
Then, suppose, the knowledge of that
money package being due and failing to
come ON the II 80, as 1t should have done,
had its effects on me. l didn't relish the
idea of keeping $13, 900 in cash until the
next day. Eldridge & Ricketson had
been down themselves to meet the morn
ing train, and if the package had come
could have turned it over to them at
once; and that would have been the end
OF the matter. But II didn't come. That's
way things have In this world, when
you most want 'em.
There wasn't soul at the station that
night except myself. and there were on.
ly two passengers who got off the train
I speak of 'em that way not meaning to
be disrespecttul, or make hight of sol
emn things; only it's habit, I suppose
for most people would say there was on,
ly one passenger that got of at Red Ra-
vine, seeing that the second of en- was
carried out of the express car in wood,
en- box. Usually when body was COM
Ing on got word before hand, but this
one took me quite by surprise, and not a.
not little to the nervousness already felt
''Who Is it9'' l asked, as the body was
carried into the station.
The passenger who had got off the
train, and who was stranger to me
answered my inquiry.
The bo5y is that OF my sister-in-law,'
said he. "She was the neice of Thomas
Eldridge-doubtless you know him. Hel
death was very sudden. She is to be
buried in Mr.. Eldridge's lot here"
"Then suppose the body is left in
my charge until to-morrow?" said I.
"Yes," answered the stranger. "Dt
you suppose that can get to Mr.. Ell.
didge myself to-nightS''
"Well," replied, ats q good foul
miles, and in such storm as this"
"I'll wait until Tomorrow" said the
stranger. There is some sort of hote
here, isn't there2"
"Yes, a good one. Yon'H have to foo
it, though; but it's only matter of q
quarter of mile. and you can't miss
your way, for the road up the hill leads
to the house,
Here I made my way out of the plat.
form again and made my way on the ex.
press car where the money package, which
although 1had secretly hoped wouldn't
come, was delivered to me by the mes.
Senger. As he gave it to me he said:
"YOun want to keep sharp eye on
that, Billy. There's enough in 1t to
make one of your Red Raviners put a bul.
let through your head, and never give you
the chance to object"
I'll look out for the Red Raviners and
the package toO," said I, confidently
enough. But if the truth had been told,
I didn't like the suggestion the messen.
ger had made.
The train moved of quickly, and
swung my lantern, as was my habit, by
way Of bidding goodnight to Luke Gran
ger. Then I went into the station house
with the little package clutched tightly
under my rubber coat, expecting to find
the man there who had come ON with the
body. But he had gone, being anxious
no doubt, to get to the hotel as quick as
possible. No 80 was the last train that
stopped at Red RaHine until ten minutes
past SIX the next morningRSO my work
was done for the nighF and had only to
lock the doors, see that things were all
right about the place, and sit down to
my newspaper in the little room which
served as my sleeping quarters.
Twenty years had passed since first
found myself installed at Red Ravlne a
telegraph operator in the railway station.
Being content with humdrum sort OF life
and faithful to my duties, had come by
degrees to attend to all the work which
the place required. That is, ! was ticket
agent, baggage-master, and keeper of
station, besides acting for the exbress
company and continuing my charge of
the telegraph key. These combined labors
made it pretty close work for me, but
they all yielded a very comfortable
income; and as I wish no unsatisfed
ambitions, counted myself well fixed.
As have initiated I slept in the station,
partly to keep guard on the company's 3
properly and partly from choice; being
a bachelor and without kin, I had no
attraction elsewhere. My duties had
grown part of second nature, and had
lived in the little town so long that the
younger generation had come to speak OF
me as "Old Billy" That was, / SUPPOSE,
because my hair was getting gray and
my JOINTS stiff.
The Red Ravine station was a wooden
building, about 40 feet long and 90 wide.
It was divided into two compartments.
the larger one being for freight and bag.
gage and the smaller one for passengers.
My own little room was only piece par
toned of from the freight quarter, and
only ten feet square, and connected by a
door with box of an Office in the pass
engers' room, which served both for
selling tickets and holding the telegraph
key. In this latter apartment, also, was
placed the old iron safe, in which kept
my valuable express packages when amy
happened 20 come to Red Ravine. The
village, 7 ought to explain, had grown up
entirely under the influence of the great
iron works Of Eldridge & Rickctson.
There we've rich beds of ore few miles
to the north, and these, as well as the
foundryso which employed 400 or 500
hands, were controlled by the firm have
mentioned. There had been some trou-
bic at the works recently strike or
something growing ont Of delay In pay.
ing the men their wages. This is how 1t
that the &f8, roo money pack
age came into my keeping tor q night.
Well, when ] had made all snug about
the stefiOn, and got Of my wet clothing,
sat down comfortably with pipe and
nswspaper to enjoy my customary read