The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-06-27

Meet No. 81 at Floodwood. Approach carefully.
E. K c."
The intelligent reader will readily
understand that by means of these or
ders the two trains would meet each
other at Floodwood in perfect safety,
Notwithstanding that one of them knew
nothing of the arrangement.
To explain: II No. 21 should arrive
first, they would be stopped by the red
light, which showed that there were
orders for them at the station. The
conductor and engineer would immedi-
ately proceed to the telegraph Office,
where the operator would deliver them
a copy of the order to hold them for
| No. %. This would be sufficient, and
they would wait until No. % arrived.
If No. % should arrive first, the exeeu-
| tion OF the order would be yet more
simple. No. % would take siding. and
as soon as they were clear Lily would
be at liberty to take down the red sig
nal lantern, and allow No. 81 to pass
without stopping. No. % having ar
rived, the object of the order was al
ready fulfilled. If both trains should
happen to arrive at the same time, the
red signal light would stop No. 81, and
as No. % had instructions to approach
carefully" they would do SO, expect
ing to find No. p occupying the main
track.
Lily perfectly understood the import
ance of the order she had just re-
ceived, and during the long hour,
which wore slowly away, she kept care
full watch of the signal light, which,
however, continued to burn as brightly
as ever. At last she heard a rumbling
noise away in the west, which grad
ualIy became louder and louder and
more distinct. By this time she knew
that No. p was coming, and would
Eprobably get in on the siding before
No. q should arrive.
The rumbling became louder and
louder each moment; the earth began
to tremble, and the peculiar vibration
in the air which gives warning of a
rapidly approaching train hummed
J loudly in her ear.
She began to feel anxious as they
were evidently coming at high rate
of speed and not approaching as care
fully as their order had instructed
, them, she also had not yet heard the
{ whistle which is always sounded by
trains when approaching station, and
| this omission increased her fears that
? something was wrong.
r But she was given no time for fur.
the- reflection, as the train now sud
: denly dashed around a curve not g
. hundred yards distant, running at full
/ speed.
: Lily flew out and stood between the
/ rails swinging her hand lamp wildly
n across the track and shouting at the
4 top of her clear young voice. But M
r attention was paid to her signal, th'
s train coming madly Oh, with such +;
d rattle and clash that it drowned tht
Q sound of her voice.
It The roaring, rushing train was nov
d upon her and she barely had time t.
spring from the track and escape witt
a her life. With rattling crash and a.
It awful rush of air the kissing, throh
n bing monster sped swiftly past her
b while the clank, clank, clank of tn
n car-wheels passing over a loose splic
L near by was so rapid that it resemble
II the rapid hammering on the anvil in
y blacksmith shop.
T For amoment Lily was unnerved an
a bewildered, but suddenly arousing her
Il self to action, she rushed into the Of
fee and seizing piece Of frebrick tha
. did duty for stove-leg, she turned an
J hurled it through the window of the ca
u boose which was just passing. An in
q slant later the red lights on the rea
end of the train had disappeare
Q around curve in the cut, and th
q rattle of the runaway train quickl
lessened in the distance,
= Lily's heart throbbed painfully an
. she was seized with sudden fit {
V shivering which most persons of del
Il cate organizations are subject to whe
under great excitement. As soon q
I she had somewhat recovered, she wer
L into the Office and calling the train dii
/ patcher, who answered at once, sh
said:
. mo. % passed at full speed and NJ
i 81 not yet arrived"
t, s'My God" telegraphed back the di
l. patcher as swiftly as his frightene
Is fingers could form the letters, 9Th
5, crew must be asleep. They will strik
N in that cut and pile up fifty feet higl
Heavens, this is horrible!''
l. Lily then went on to explain that sI
/, had attempted to awaken them b
throwing brick through the caboos
* window, and on hearing this the di
W patcher opened his key without waitin
l. for her to finish and said excitedly:
Of run to the east end of the sidin,
ID and if you see them backing up thro
Q, the switch and let them in on the 81,
" ing. No. 81 is not due here for f1
Or minutes, and there is a chance for the
IS yet
to- 81 have no switch key" said Lily.
A. 6sRroal- tho Loeb with a hau,rooY.