Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-09-26
IN A SIGNAL BOX.


Tony Smith had said his last good-by
to the little knot Of acquaintance he
had made in the country during the two
years he had been night operator in the
tower It was with no small degree
of pleasure he had received advice from
the division operator that he would be
transferred to a yard Office, and that his
successor would DO sent ON at once to re-
lieve him. That same day the new man
arrived. Smith met him at the station.
The newcomer was a quiet. well built
young fellow, rather handsome, Tony
thought. He took him up to the tower,
introduced him to the day men and in n
general way explained the peculiarities
Of the blocks controlled by them, how
the third track was used jointly by east
bound and west bound trains, how, as
the next tower east was a number Of
miles distant. the rule Of allowing but
one train in a block at a time was modi-
fed and 80 on, to all of which the
stranger listened attentively.
Tony then offered to take him up to
the farm where he had been boarding,
saying that no doubt he could arrange
to stay there if he liked, and as the neigh
bors had a prejudice against the night
operators on account of their untimely
hours it would be the best plan to go
with him. It wa but u short distance
down the track and up the lane to the
house. AS the pair drew near a young
woman who had been sitting on the
porch rose, and with heightened color
as she saw the stranger would have re-
treated had not Tony called her famil-
iarly as Mollie and babe her await their
coming. He introduced his companion,
Will Kaye, as his successor, and after a
few words had been spoken the maiden
went in search of her father, while the
two operators seated themselves on the
edge of the porch.
Smith was one of that class Of men
who make coniidants of every one,
Judging all from their own free hearted,
generous standpoint. Kaye listened to
his talk with a quiet smile, which grew
more pronounced and kindly as his
companion proceeded. The twain were
the best of friends ere the farmer
came up from the potato patch, hoe in
hand. to welcome his new guest. Mollie
accompanied him. and now. when Kaye
got a good look at her, he was more than
anxious to take the place of Smith at
the farmers table.
That night Tony and Kaye went to-
gether to the tower, and the day men
leaving at 7 o'clock gave them undis-
puted possession for the next twelve
hours. There was little time for con-
v~ersation that night. What between
the usual number of extra freights in
both directions causing many train
orders, and the necessary explanations
of the working of the blocks, Tony was
kept busy. He noticed, however, that
the new man was a good operator, and
although he said thath he had never work
ed on train wires. quickly grasped the
details, and before morning vas work
ing the semaphores and notifying the
tower ahead of passing trains with the
regularity of a veteran. Promptly at Z
o'clock the next morning they We're re-
heved by the day men, there being two
operators on duty in daylight, the work
being heavier. Tired and sleepy the
night men were soon in bed at the farm.
During the afternoon Smith left for
the east in high spirits. When supper
time came the gap made by his absence
brought Mollie next to Kaye. Her fresh
beauty and light spirits pleased the
stranger, and as he started TO work carry
ing the pail containing the lunch pre-
pared by her plump hands he felt highly
gratifed at his good luck. Once in the
tower, however, this citation vanished,
for his new surroundings made him ex-
ceedingly nervous, and being compelled
TO ''break" once or twice when he failed
10 understand a rapidly transmitted
word he had the pleasure Of hearing a
sarcastic message flash over the wires
about "the plug that took Tony's place
at Long Hollow"
Time rolled away, and Kaye became
accustomed to the position in which he
had been placed. At first he found il
lonely TO an intense degree in the tower
as the night crept on, and once or twice
he was very uneasy when tramps had
begged him through tho open window to
permit them 10 come up and have a
smoke. The rules ~forbidding admittancC
to the tower were stringent, but apart
from this Kaye would not have allowed
the nomaB to enter. Many and many q
night as he sat In his glass cased apart
ment he had let his eyes wander TO the
farm house which sheltered Mollie, and
his mind following his sight was filed
with thoughts boding no peace to him.
self.
Long after the midnight hour had
passed he used 10 tilt his chair back and
smoke. his brain filled with teemine