Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-19
THE SIGNALMAN'S STORY.
CHAPTER |


fall in love two or three times over. l am
sure it was the case with me. 1t was also
my fate to do what, l am told, is one of the
commonest things in the world-that is, to
fall violently in love with person entirely
out of my own circle not below it. like the
king and the beggar maid, but great deal
above me; with girl, too, who was as
proud and naughty and stony as Juno or a
sphinx.
In the time to which refer, nearly fifty
years ago now-I am II next birthday-the
railway system was in its infancy. but yet
was spreading fast, and l was one of the ear
hest servants. 1t was in no exalted posi-
ton that l served. My father was dead
my moth er rented a small cottage on the
land Of the nobleman in whose service her
husband had lived and died; and this no
bleman recommended me 10 a railway COM
pany which had just constructed a branch
through his estates. / was at first a porter.
but nlteTward signalman, and as a great
favor was assigned post on the branch
Just mentioned, close 20 my own house.
The signal was not far from the junction of
the branch with the main line; very
lonely spot for long way III either dlrec-
ton, although there was q thriving town
some five miles down the branch and
there was siding close by where the
trucks used in the scanty local traffic were
collected.
There were some cottages near my cross
ing-l ought to have said that there was a
level crossing not far from my box in one
OF these | lived; a sprinkling of farm
houses and several very good houses of a
higher class were within sight In one of
these latter, not by any means the grand
est. but handsome enough for all that, lived
Squire Cleabyrn; and it was with his only
daughter. Miss Beatrice, that | chose to fall
in love. For tina: matter, dare say a score
Of other young fellows as poor as myself
were us earnestly in love with her as l was,
but they probably had sufficient sense not
to show their folly. | did show mine
could not help it, and when | recall all |
felt and suffered at the time | feel | must
Tetract my admission that others were as
much in love with her as myself, but had
the sense to conceal it such thing would
have been impossible. They could not have
concealed it; they might have refrained
from talking about it. ! did not talk; but
had they seen the girl as often as | did, and
looked into her face as closely as | did,
they could not have hidden their infatua-
ton from her. In return, she would have
looked at them with the same naughty in
difference-which vet had 4 something of
contemptuous wonder init-as was treated
with.
Not that my story has anything of the
Lady Of Lyons" flavor about it; was no
Claude to an English Pauline; but this girl,
this Miss Beatrice was so amazingly beau
tiful that she was famed for full twenty
miles around. In addition she was one of
the best horsewomen in the county, and
this enabled me to see more of her than
should have otherwise done. She used to
ride out. sometimes with n servant only
sometimes with party, nearly every day !;
and nearly every day she came through the
gates at my crossing. | tried not to look
at her feeling and knowing that there
sparkled from my eager eyes more feeling
than should have allowed to escape me-
but in vain. | could not withhold my gaze
from that cold, dark face-she was not a
blonde beauty; golden hair was not the
rage III those dayS--or from her large deep,
unbelievable eyes that looked through me
and past me as though ] had not been
there, or was at best no more than part
of the barrier L swung open for her passage.
Yet these eyes, as | even then knew but
too well. read me to the core, while they
seemed 10 ignore me.
/ am almost ashamed to own it now,
and even at this distance of time it makes
my cheeks Jingle to recall it, but | have
wasted a whole afternoon, when had q
turn Off" in hope of seeing Miss Clea-
byrn.
Her fathers house stood on knoll, with
smooth open lawns sloping down from it
on all sides, so that from my signal-box |
could see when any one was walking in
the front of the mansion, and when party
assembled to ride out. Well, | have actu
ally fingered, on some feeble pretense, for
four or five hours about the Sgnal-boX, in
hope that she might walk on the lawn, or
that she might mount and ride through
our gates.
| we'll remember that it was on one OF
these afternoons that Miss Beatrice rode
through With a small party. All l recall
them easily enough There was one other
lady and three gentlemen. To open the
gate for them. for her, was the opportunity
Ihad been longing waiting for; so Offered
70 do this to assist my mate, who had re-
lieved ne, and who was glad enough to be
spared the labor; and | caught full glance
from the eyes OF Miss Beatrice. The look
was one in which she seemed to exchange
glances with me. knew it meant moth
ing. that it was all delusion, and vet il
would be enough to haunt me for DAYS.
knew that also. ] had never seen her look
SO beautiful before, and / felt my cheeks
and brow turn burning hot in the instant
met this glance.
They passed. | watched them to the las
i always did-and | saw her turn hel
head toward the gentleman who rode by
her side. The movement brought her pro
file so plainly in view that | could see she
was smiling. As | watched her, the gen
II nd -aA in Il
direction. He was smiling also; it wa:
some;hing beyond a smile with him, and
then Redeemed more with shame than hac
before done with excitement for | knew
he was laughing at me. So Miss Cle2byTr
must have been laughing also; and a
what7 / was the subject of their ridicule
and it served me right. Yes; knew that a
the moment, but 10 know it did not MAKE
the bitter pang less painful.
/ went back TO my comrade at the signal
box. He, too, had noticed the group, ant
said as l entered the hut; That was tn,
partv from Elm Knoll, wasn't it? All !
thought so; and OF course that was the eel
ebrated Miss Cleabyrn. You know WHIT
that was riding by her side, i SUPPOSE
NO" | said, answering as calmly rs
could; / was almost afraid to trust IN,
voice.
.tTbatsa Young fellow, Captain from
somewhere" continued my mate, who i
going to marry Miss Cleabyrn. He has go
LOT of money So has she. Sam Powell
who drives the night-mail, knows him, ant
told me all about IL
AS the speaker had no idea Of the absurc
state was in. he took no particular notic
of me. bat changed the subject, and Wen
on with some Indifferent topic.
was glad he did so. for although | hat
an utter contempt for myself and or m.
folly in allowing the conduct or the futur
of Miss Cleabyrn to excite me, yet coul'
not have conversed on snch a theme as he
marriage; while the knowledge that th
person to whom l had been ridiculed-
felt sure of that-was her avowed lover
seemed to increase the bitterness of tn
sting tenfold-
/ had ample opportunity of seeing tina
the report which | had heard was likely, q
any rate, to be founded in fact, as tn
stranger, the Captain from somewhere,
remained @ guest at Elm Knoll for fully
fortnight, during which time not da,
nassed without my seeing both him an
Miss Cleahyrn, and sometimes more thai
once each day. So came to know HIM D
SIGHT az we'll as did her. He was frank
handsome young fellow; that could SET
and was obliged to own; and in his speec
he was pleasant. This was shown by hi
stonnipg on two or three occasions, whel
riding alone, TO ask me somequestions as
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