The Opelousas courier., 1888-02-25
Hold Number Twelve"
BY LUKE SHARP.

Who told you2"
aCharley Branscomc, the conductor.
He said he was running the ira in at the
time
80 lie was. What did he say about
itY'
sHe said it was the most daring
thing he ever knew a fellow do. You
see, we were all in his room talking
about railroad escapes and that sort of
thing. and then he told how you saved
the train
stJess So" replied the telegrapher,
without seeming to be very we'll pleased
that his heroism had been the subject of
conversation. "Now, honor bright,
didn't he add anything by the way of
!. explanation to the story?'
mo. What explanation could there
be2 You did save the train didn't you2"
ooh, I ssyed the train all right
enough. Charley is a good sort on fel-
low, I tell you. Yes; he was conductor
on No. 10 at that time, still he might
have added something to the story of
heroism that would have been true
enough, yet 1t shows what a good
hearted fellow he is not to have told it"
s'Why, were you to blame any about
the dispatch? / understood him to say
that it was no fault on your part"
mo, it was the train dispatcher's
fault. He should have LET me know
sooner. Idon't Drag much about that
episode, but I'll tell you dhe whole
story"
The operator paused a moment, and
seemed to look back on that most ex-
citing period Of his life. The telegraph
machine chartered away on The table,
but the messages were for some other
place.
"You see,' he began, "No. IL was
due here at 1:45 q. m. She stopped
here for water, and for orders. She
was the fastest train on Che line at that
time, and Branscomc did the ticket
sealping on board. That night it was
raining cats and dogs, when Charley
came In with his lantern hung on his
arm, and stood at the desk till Pete
backed the engine from the water tank.
Then he said, nothing for me, eh2' and
I said there was nothing, and he says,
well so long, then, and out he went.
At that moment there was a call for me
at the instrument, and | answered it.
/ only waited to hear three words of
that message, but I telIyou those three
words just made my hair stand on end.
They were:
asHoId No. IL. = = q
!" gave q glance out the window
and saw the last Pullman sleeper slowly
passing. The remainder that instant
was taken up in springShg clear over
that counter and boiling put on the
platform. Luckily we had a long plat
form at that station and ! guess / made
tho quickest time up that set of planks
that was ever made along that road.
You see on a day train it would not be
so bad, for the conductor always swings
himself on the last coach. but on the
night trains, especially at that hour,
everybody in the sIeepars are sleepers
themselves, and so be gets on the last
regular car, which i about the middle
= the train. No. IL generally had three
sleepers. She had four On that night.
ssWelI, / swung on tho platform Of
e Inst sleeper just as 1t was passing
the end Of tho station. and | was never
10 thankful for anything il my life for
the train was beginning to GO pretty
fest, and IT was that or nothing.
III knew that even then there was not
L second to be n2ost, and / must confess
that I was pretty badly ratified. All
though / had only herd tile first three
words of tho dispatch ! knew that some
where oil the line, near Or close, there
was another train coming, that expected
10 pass No. II 1T our siding.
81 tried the door Of the sleeper and
was horriicd to find it locked. / kicked
and boat 1t the door, but the porter was
1t the otksar end Of the car, probably
polishing up someone's boots Or yely
likely asleep. Then / tried to break ths
1t s -