The Washburn leader., 1891-07-25

no small degree of pleasure he
had received advice from the d.
vision operator that he would be
transferred to ayard office, and that
his successor would be sent on at
once to relieve him. That same day
the new man arrived. Smith met
him at the station. The newcomer
was quiet, we'll built young fellow,
rather handsome, Tony thought.
He took him up to the tower, intro
duced him to the day men and in a
general way explained the peculiari-
ties of the blocks controlled by them,
how the third track was used jointly
by east and west bound trains, how,
as the next tower east was number
of miles distant, the rule Of allowing
but one train in a block at q time
modified and so on, to all of which
the stranger listened attentively.
Tony then offered to take him up
to the farm where he had heed board
ing, saying that no doubt he could
arrange to stay there if he liked, and
as the the neighbors had a prejudice
against the night operators on &C
count of their untimely hours it
would be the best plan to go with
him. 1t was short distance down
the track and up the lane to the
house. As the pair drew near q
young woman who had been sitting
on the porch rose and with heig ghtened
color as she saw the stranger would
have retreated had not Tony called
her familiarly as Mollie and bade 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 confidants of every
one, judging oil from their own
free hearted, generous stand
point. Kaye listened to his talk
with 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 good
look at her: he was more than anx-
ious to take the place of Smith at
the farmers table.
That night Tony and Kaye went
together to the tower, and the day
men leaving at. z o'clock gave them
undisputed: possession for the next
twelve hours. There was little time
for conversation that:night. What
between the usual number of extra
freights in both directions causing
many train orders, and the necessa-
~ explanations OF the working of
the blocks, Tony was bept busy. He
noticed, however, that the new
man was a good operator, and
although he said that he had never
worked on train wires, quickly grasp
ed the details, and before morning
was working the semaphores and
notifying the tower ahead of passing
trains with the regularity Of q vete-
ran. Promptly at 7o'clock the next
morning they were relieved 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 carrying the pail
containing the lunch prepared by
her plump hands he felt highly graf
fled at his good luck. Once in
the tower, however, his elation
vanished, for his new surround
ings made him exceedingly
nervous, and being compelled
to "break" once or twice when he
failed to understand a rapidly trans
mitted word he had the pleasure Of
hearing a sarcastic message flash