The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-09-29
THE STATION MASTER.

/ -
was with feeling of disgust that L
was obliged to alight at the little
station OF D.. where I had to wait
five dreaTy hours. before the arrival
of the regular train which would take
me to the city.
Grumbling about the inconvenience
of .stop-overs," | got off, Hardly
had l overcome my drowsiness when
| the train started. and | was alone on
the platform. 1t was quite dark.
| Around me | could see the dim forms
of bold and craggy mountains. rising
| straight up in the misty darkness
a single light shone from the window
| of the little station, barely illumin
ating the gloom without. As | stood
for moment or two, looking about
me, / heard the ever decreasing rum
bic Of the departing Il ain, and finally
the sound ceased, as it went rolling
away among the ravinea and hills
| / turned and went inside Not Il
soul was there, except the station
master He came out of his little
| Office and greeted me cordially. Go
| ing to the stove in the middle Of the
waipng room, he poked the fire,
| slammed the door, and turning to me
said
Dark, amt it?''
"Yes, quite So" | replied.
"Going far?"
"Qute a ways to Boston,
"Well, WE'LL You've got quite
stay here five hours I'm 'fraid
| you'll find it somewhat tiresome
waitin'. It's mighty inconvenient, but
We'll make the best OF it. Come into
my room here and have a bite Of
somethin' to eat-I'm just havin' sup
per.
This conversation made us friends
for the time being. and | entered with
him into the little apartment which
was set aside for his duties as station
master
My new ac4 laintance, and | can
assure you that under the circum-
stances he was most agreeable one,
was a man of about 80 years of age,
good size, rather slim, and with
long, narrow face. His movements
were impulsiye. and he was rather Of
nervous disposition. 1t struck me
at first that this was not the man for
a station master. a position which
oten demands a person Of steady
nerves, and quick yet deliberate ac-
ton. But as the evening wore on,
and our talk became more familiar,
my opinion OF him changed. Although
his actions were decidedly impulsive.
Nrnt al Il .,l.
acteristic of one who could meet
crisis in proper condition.
As we partook of tho luncheon
which no had spread before me, L
learned much Of his duties and life in
the midst of thatsfonely valley He
told me many of his experiences as a
railway official, and for two hours or
more he closely held my attention to
his stories.
As the evening wore on, [ occupied
myself III examining the railway
maps, and in finishing a novel which
| purchased that afternoon on the
train. At about IL o'clock | heard
the dull and laborious puff of a freight
engine approaching in the distance
Louder and louder the noise became,
until suddenly, with glare from the
headlight, the great locomotive thun-
dered by the little window, aud in a
moment the heavy train rolled away
in the direction from which / had
come a few hours before.
Silence again fell upon us. We con
tinued our talk, interspersed now and
then with moments Of quietness.
broken only by the frequent clicking
of the telegraph instrument on the
table under the window. At last /
finished my novel, and once more sat
Idly tossing about my watch charm
The station master was sitting oppo-
site me with his feet on the edge Of
the telegraph table, while he careless
ly ran over the columns of news
paper. [ was on the point OF making
some remark, when suddenly there
came sharp clicking of the instru-
ment. My companion sprang to the
table and answered the call Instant
| ly | saw that something unusual had
| happened As the little brass key
clicked off the message, | saw the
station masters face grow white, then
livid. He rose quickly from the chair
placed his hands over his eyes, and
almost shouted, My God, My God.
What have / doner'
| sprang to his side, asking him
what was the trouble He rudely
pushed me away with look which l
shall never forget, fairly yelled, Don't
speak to me!-don't speak to mew
Then he sank into a chair with bis
hands convulsively graspidg the arms.
But 1t was only for moment Quick
ly gathering himself. he drew up to
the table, and then followed some Of
the most exciting moments that | ever
experienced.
Wandering what it all meant, yet
realizing that something must have
occurred in which he was an import
ant actor, | closely fixed my eyes upon
him. No sound save the spasmodic
ticking of the machine and the heavy
breathing OF Its operator was audible
He sat bolt upright in his chair, his
left hand on the arm, his right busy
with the key. His eyes We're rivited
on the table before him For min
ute he was busy with his message.
and then silence. And what silence,
Not a muscle moved, not a sound
could be heard. Even the agents
breathing had stopped. He watched
his machine with the gaze of lynx.
| | stood behind him. my heart throb
bing with anxiety and fear. At last,
after silence which seemed ages. the
| machine BEGAN To click 7 watched
him while the message came forth
from the wires. 1t was evidently. a
satisfactory reply, for he did not ap-
pear more agitated. The machine
soon stopped. He rose from his chair