Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-01-14
DEFEATING DEATH.
A STORY OF PRAIRIE LIFE.

STORY OF PRAIRIE LIFE.
"Good- bye, John; take good care of
yourself and come back as soon as YOU
cam"
Good d-bye, Nellie, dear. and don't
forget me while am away"
Their hands warmly pressed each other
as their lips would have done had not
others been near. Thus they separated
Nellie Browning watched the tall, strong
form of John King until it was lost in.
the high grass of the prairie, and with a
sigh returned to duty
Never before had the little isolated
way station seemed so dull, the click Of
the telegraph instrument so monotonous.
There Was literally nothing for her to- do
after the customary putting to rights"
No train would pass for hours, messages
seldom troubled her, she had exhausted
her little stock of reading. What could
she do to make the hours pass less wea-
ri1y2
She rested her head upon the key board
and gave herself to pleasant waking
dreams, to mentally following her lover
and murmuring aloud of the pictures
thought photographed upon her heart
: 1t will take John all day to inspect
the line to the little wooded island in
the middle Of the prairie, and he will
| have to sleep there alone in the log
cabin. | wonder if he will think of me
all the time, as / will Of him? How |
wish | could be with him.
! She blushed crimson as the Indian
pinks that splashcd the prairie as with
; blood at the unmaidenly thought and en-
deavored to fix her attention upon other
things. But do what she would her
thoughts wandered to her lover, the lack
of comfort he would experiehcc and the
happy day when she would have the
right to be ever by his side and lie with
her head pillowcd upon his broad breast
at night.
As if the hours had become lcaden-
footed they ccpt along. At noon she
listlessly ate the lunch she had brought
from her farm home; then wished night
would hurry along that she might be
with her lover at leat in dreams.
Darkness did come after long and
weary waiting; her hours Of duty had
ended and She was preparing to leave
when the station was called and she wa
told in clicking whispers that on ac-
count of an extra that was wildcatting
she would have to remain until mid
night
I With the reverse of pleasing ex-
press on upon her face and an almost de-
tant tossing back of her auburn curls,
she sat down again The workmen
about the station went home and left
her alone; the frogs croaked mournfulv
from neighboring slough, and the wires
made music as thea brisk n ght wind
played upon them. But the experience
fear and her father wonld come for her
when the night was done.
Eight, nine, ten passed and the silence
was becoming painful. Something must
be done. She failed to remember being
SO much oppressed by the lack of society
and wondered how Robinson Crusoe
could have existed before his man Fri
day Then she thought of female
friend who was operator at the mex,
| westward station, and, nearly dying fol
some one to talk to, summoned ''Ster
ling"
There was no reply. Try as she woulc
directly she could get none, but utilizing
. a circuit she was answered, and asked
, .What is the matter with the mair
!, l.ne:'
"Matter enough" was answered, and
her trained ear instantly told her th.
touch was not of n delicately fingere,
girl. but a heavy handed man. "Th,
Buffalo Heart Grove; that is beginning
: 10 burn and when the flames sweel
a round on your side you'll have to lool
!, sharp if they don't, catch YOU napping g
, my p'e city daisy
{ 1t another time she would have closes
! the key with an angry snap at the impu
7 dent familiarity Now there was room
J. in her brain for only one maddenln:
It thought.
e John King vas sleeping in the cabil
), in the grove, would be surrounded b
o fire, be stifed by smoke, be burned t
e death,
''prairie round Buffalo Heart. Grove
sea OF flame. line down. bridges over cg.