Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-06-27
IN IHE NICK ON TINE.

before ler taOle on WHICH Luo Iete-
graph instrument clicked busily, 8
thoughtful expression on her face.
A face whose expression was its
charm, that never could be called pret-
ty, but that nevertheless, suggested a
possibility-only posslbility-of be-
ing handsome. For there is a vast
difference between pretty and hand
some, Pretty people seldom know
very much; but to be handsome per-
son must have brains, an inner as well
as an outer beauty.
Floodwood was a folornly desolate
spot, and one where any woman, ex.
cept Lily, would have been afraid to
come, much less to stay alone all night
with nothing but the wind sadly sigh
ing through the wires overhead and
the shrill shrieks of the wildcats away
up on the mountain side to keep her
company through her nightly vigils.
But to her there was something fasci-
mating in the very desolation of the
place. From early childhood she had
been accustomed to commune with
nature In her wilder scenes, and
played and wandered at will in the
mountain glens and canons. With
no foolish old woman or silly nurse
girl to frighten her childish senses
with stories of hideous ghosts and
monstrous goblins, she had grown to
womanhood naturally brave and fear
less. In truth she did not under
stand the meaning of the word fear.
Her Office was nothing more than, a
roughly built shanty, seven or eight
feet square, with small window in
each end and one In the door which
faced the railroad track. 1t had been
hurriedly put together with green
lumber while the road was in course
of construction, with the intention Of
only using it temporarily until a bet,
ter one could be builG' but, as usual
in such cases, it had done duty for its
original purpose ever since.
The rough, unpainted boards were
badly warped and shrunken by long
exposure to the elements, and in many
places large knots had fallen com.
pletely out.
No doubt in the winter time the
bleak mountain wind cheerlly whistled
through these many apartures, and
while one side of the unhappy opera
tor was being nicely Drowned like 6
piece of toast by the red hot stove
the other slie would be refrigerated
like q frozen rabbit.
1t was about o'clock in the morn
ing when Lily received an order
from tho train dispatcher, which reac
as follows:
To OPERATOR, FLooDwooD:-Hold No. 2
until No. % arrives. .s~ E. X. @.
On receipt of this order she imme
diately displayed the red signal light
which is furnished all telegraph sta
tions for this purpose. in a conspic
uous place, in plain sight of passing
trains, and also where it could b'
seen from the Office window.
The necessity for this order anc
position of the two trains, briefly
stated, are as follows:
No. % had arrived at Silver Creek
ten miles west of Floodwood, a few
minutes after No. 81 had passed Red
WOOD. which was thirteen miles east o
Floodwood. AS No. % was late ant
could 60 no further on the schedule
according to the rules of the road
they would be compelled to lay a
Silver Creek until No. Il arrived
there, unless they could get orders b,
telegraph to meet them at some othe
station. Floodwood oeing the onl,
intervening telegraph Office betweel
the two trains, the dispatcher gave tn
above order TO that station, and a
soon as it was properly acknowledge
by Lily he sent another order to Nc
% at Silver Greek, which read in thi
manner:
To CONDUCTOR AND ENGINEER No. 22:-
Meet No. q at Floodwood. Approach care
fully. e. X. @.
The intelligent reader will readil
understand that by means of thes
orders the two trains Would meet eacl
other at floodwood in perfect safety
Notwithstanding that one of then
knew nothing of the arrangement.
To explain: If No. 81 should ar
rive first, they would be stopped b
the red light, which showed that ther
were orders for them at this station
The conductor and engineer woul
immediately proceed to the TELEGRAPH
Office, where the operator would de
liver them a copy of the orde- to holt
them for No. 70. This would b
sufficient. and they would wait unit
No. % arrived. If No. % should al
rive first, theexecution Of the orde
would be yet more simple No. q
would take siding, and assoon as the
were clear Lily would be at liberty t
take down the red signal lantern, an,
allow No. 81 to pass without stopping
No. % having arrived, the object Q
the order was already fulfilled. ]
both trains should happen to arrive a
the same time, the red signal woul'
aIa., Ma Ol aa<i -. NJ. 90 lAad =.