Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-04-11
.,rrp AT TIE SWITCH.
~ GEORGE noEY,

he first thing j remember was Carlo tnsr'ns
away, .,eeye of my coat fast in his teeth
With ne So y mitch as to say
rli!ihs gov - awake, attend TO the switch,
ColHV' now depend upon YOU; H.
I'VE. he souls i'll the coming tram ana the
nihA W Won ARE sending them 10,
grave. y. yaorher whose bnbe is at rest, think
= The father ana avn oo. .h;,,, -.
o. nv ~ he lover and loved one, TOO; thlnk OF
h'n Nm ". doomed every one
kofaI ~ it were ny so"t ~ ~ ~
fathoil,e ne one who should guard them from
turdetet IN now lies asleep ut the switch"
orc M am~azed-scarce knew where STOOD
slt"n w, Ind oferlnastered me SO;
IA ineor the win dismalty moving uni tae
dttp aa,. tho forest leaves rustling US the
cou ~1os by the tempest were famed,
H. In. WAS that noise III the ois1anee! Ahao
u mid 'nIla not understand.
l tyI - a.. trst indistinctly, lk tho rolling
a. some muttled drum
ode my very ears mum.
Era 49, j. that light that surrounds me, and
w. tco1ns to Sc. fire to my bralnE 49,
cen hi.,1e's that yelling so shrill? All! I
NI t,alv row-it's the tram.
so, stand facing some danger, and seem to
TAX root to the place
s+ood-with this demon before us, Its
o.te ed breath scorching my face.
i%i.S1iirlt made day of the darkness, and
. '1a,oI like the eyes of some witch;
vain WAS almost upon me before l renelc-
lerel the swltch.
rNrn3c To it, seIzlilg1t Wildly, tneuIaiu oasneu
fu.t down the track
witch resisted my efforts; some devil
~ seemed holding it back. .
I, ~, rg,ne the tiery-eyed monster, md shot
Inv nv face like Il flash.
eyg5oned to the earth the next moment, ana
tncw nothing after the crash.
low long lay there unconscious twas i,npos-
side for mo to tell.
ky stupor was almost a heaveu-my waking Ill
most n hell;
|hr hen heard the piteous moaning and the
s~irisking Of husbands and wives,
|,J ! -hought OF the day we all shrink from,
when must account for their lives.
ko.hprG rllsled by me. Ike mnnlacs, their eyes
claring madly and wild;
h. rers, losing their courage, gave way to their
lriet like II child;
searching for parents, 1 noticed as by
ne they sped, .
were calling for one perhaps dead.
h. mind was made up in a moment; the river
/ should hide Inc away,
Elen under the still burning rafters I suddenly
noticed there lay
little white hand; she who owned it was
doubtless an object of love
d one whom her loss would drive frantic, Tho
she guarded him now from above.
||,eMlcrly lifted the rafters and quietly lay
them one side.
low little she thought of her journey when she
LEFT for this dark. fatal ride!
|l!t;el the last log from off her, and while
searching for some spark of life,
Egnel her little face up in the starlight and
recognized Maggie, my wife!
j. I.ordi thy acourge is q hard one, ut n blow
thou has shattere my pride;
II life Will be one endless nightmare, with Mag
eie away from my side.
often Ia sat down and pictured the scenes
h nay long. hnppy life,
kw I'd strive all my lifetime TO build up q
Aome for my wife;
Fw people would envy us always, il our cozy
: and neat little nest;
kw 1 should do all of the labor, and Maggie
shoild all the day rest;
woLe Of Gods blessings might cheer us, how
selae day | p'rhaps should be sick
ft ii. Of my hopes have been shattered while
! laid there asleep ut the switch.
mgoiea ! stood on my trial, the jury and judge
/ could see.
pdeyefy eye in the court room was steadily
fixed upon me.
d fingers were pointed in scorn, till felt my
face b~lushing blood red,
d tie next thing ] heard the words, Hanged
i! the neck until dead"
ben | felt myself pulled once again, and my
hall callsht tight hold OF q dress,
kd lAemd. Whats the matter, dear jim;
You've had a bud nightmare, l guess!7
e1thero stood Maggie, my wife, with never a
scar from the ditch.
en- taking u nap in my bed, and had not
teen asleep ut the SWITCH"