The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-02-14

very haven OF rest to one who came
home weary. She paused OH the long
iron bridge and looked down oh the
network of tracks below, crossing and
interlncing in seemingly inextricable
tanglc.
The gray twilight of the short au-
tumn afternoon was already deepening
toward night, and tho headlights Of the
engines passing md repassing as they
changed from one track to another,
shone ont brilliantly. Men were r,m.
ming here and there. waving their sig
nal lanterns and shouting hoarse orders
that to one uninitiated only mingled
confnsedly with the heavy breathing Of
the locomotives and the clangor Of
bells. Farther. back, looming in rug
ked outlines against the faint rose Of
the western sky. were the great shops,
grim md silent. The brown eres watch
Ing from the lridge presently discov-
cred the figure they sought winding its
way in and out among the trains. He
did not look mp, and the girl smiled at
the thought Of watching him, herself
unobseryed. Then her face grew grave
and sweet, with passing fancy that 50,
from their height above the din and
turmoil, the unseen angels looked down
upon our mortal life.
"Only, suppose, all the tangles and
beWilderments grow clear to them, rs l
am sure they do not to me, she added,
with little sigh. "And their watching
is of some use, while mine cannot help
poor jim"
He had some need Of help as the even
ing wore on, though he but dimly re-
allied it. Getting everything in readi-
ness for starting was harder work than
usual. There was dull. pain in his
eyes and throbbing in his temples.
"This trips rather rough on you,
Jim?" remarked o fireman, half ques-
tioningly, half commiseratingly.
"Rather!' Jim laughed family. "Im
stiff and used MP, but Ill get over it
when we're fairly of, I expect"
When the station, with its dim and
dancing lights, was left behind, how
ever, and the long line stretched away
straight before him, his occupation be-
came but a mere routine, SO treacher-
ouslv familiar that it would scarcely
hold his ewes or thoughts. Mechani-
cally he attended to his engine, with
his mind straying far away from it to
Dell, and then running oddly into q
confused memory of the speaker at the
depot. until the swift movement Of the
polished rods before him seemed the
motion Of gesticulating arms and the
sound in his ears resolved itself into a
measured repetition of meaningless
words, Crooked and straight; right
side up"
Hello. Caught myself mapping, l
do believe! Jim Barclay, what are you
about? See here, Bill"-to his fireman
Just keep an eye on me, will you?'
The young engineer shook himself,
looked about him and stood stiiliy erect.
He whistled tune vigorously to assure
himself that he was wide awake. What
drowsy, rocking motion the train had
Even the jar and rattle seemed to lull
and stupcfy, though he stood erect at
his pest. He was glad this sort of work
was nearly over, for he did not see low
the desired promotion could be much
longer delayed, and then such calls as
this would be fewer. He was looking
anxiouslv forward to the day when he
could carry the longed-for t;dings to
Dell. Dear little girl, how her face
would brighten! What Il cozy, happy
home she would make! and she said the
curtains wouldn't cost anything, aud the
hammock on the porch to rest in.
Lights? Queer where the lights came
from, unless-why, yes, almost to sta
ton. of course. Dell must have put a
bright light in the window
Alas. Bill had climbed back over the
tender to look after suspected hot-box
Oh the after truck.
Shrek after shrek Of warming from
steam whistle aided the ilashing sig
nal lights, and at last forced THEN
meaning upon the benumbed brain.
With o low cry Of horror the engine
was reversed. but too late to avoid the
crash that followed as the two freight
trains were piled upon each other in
common wreck.
What possessed you to run in that
fashion, man? Were You drunk OF
crazv?' demanded more than one
rough voice, as Jim stood hy the track
But he only gazed, with blanched face
ut the scene before him, and answered
them nothing.
"Fortunately-almost miraculousiy
il scemed--no one was seriously III
iured," as the morning papers said. in
chronicling the occurrence Under the
same glaring headlines they also com
mended the promptness of the compan,
in dismissing "the engineer whose
criminal carelessness caused the dis
aster. and who, as nearly as can bs
| learned, was comfortably sleeping q,
his pest, and SO neglectful OF all sig
| nals."
These We're the titlings that reache,
Dell, instead of the glad word for whicl
she had waited.
What they say is true, after I
fashion," said Jim. simply and sadly
Il was to blame for it-and yet wasn't
fer was not fit to make the run, and
told them So"
| There was no one to chronicle hi.
years Of faithful service, or the "crim
inal carelessness," If not cruelty, which
had placed him in such position: bu
these things were well understood
! among I'e HldilN NtTkeTS III tillt Taul
road town, aud they acknowledged I,
each other, with ready but helpless
sympathy, that it was rough on poo
jim"
| Rough it surely grew as the long day
came and went, aud the hope of rein
statement grew DINNER. "All thos,
missing men, who couldn't be foun,
when needed single nights rest
seem to have turned up once more, ane
they can spare me indefinitely he TX
planned to Dell, with u pretense o
joeularity that scarcely covered tn,
bitterness. The brave little woman
tried to comfort and encourage him
though the dancing light had gone on
Of her brown eyes, and new grave line
We're deepening about the young lips
The little house they had planne,
seemed SO like the shadowy ghost Of
dead hope that neither cared to talk 0
it any more, and, indeed, DELL ingentl
ity found full occupation now in con,
batting the various wild schemes whicl
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