The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-04-07
HERO OF HIGH BRIDGE.
How came that man here?"

any of the officers" replied the road
master OF one Of the extreme South
western lines, as he shook hands with
the keeper OF the High Bridge and
swung on to the rear platform Of the
officers special car. 49,. ...#s
All anybody knows about him, y"
continued the rOadmaster IDS, that
just us the company had about given
up getting q good, responsible man
to take the place of the former keeper,
who had been mysteriously shot this
man walked into the superintendents
office and applied for the place 1
was in the Office at the time; and I
never saw the superintendent SO COM
pletely taken back in my life. He
Just looked at the fellow in blank
astonlshment for a minute. and then
blurted out: Why, man alive! you
don't want that Job; High Bridge is
the lonesomest place on Gods earth
':All the BETTER" said the fellow, in
sort OF cold blooded way.
Very well. then. the place is
yours. said the superintendent, and
that's the beginning and the end of all
this company knows about Argus
Steele"
Let me explain. I had just been
appointed superintendent of bridges,
on this line and the general superin-
tendent and roadmaster were showing
me over the road" introducing me
to my future duties and subordinates.
The latter were uniformly ignorant
and faithful and discharged their
monotonous tasks with logged per-
tunctoriness which even the most en-
ergetic tracksmen acquire sooner or
later But the keeper Of High Bridge
was startling exception to the rule.
SO strong was the impression that he
made upon me that on entering the
car. l scarcely exchanged a dozen
words with my companions over the
next fifty miles of our journey. Prob
ably | would have given him only a
passing thought had l met him in
some select circle of Boston or
Baltimore, but to meet a man of his
fine presence doing watchman's duty
at a solitary station in the southern
end of semi civilization; that was the
wonder OF it On the shelf in his
little lookout !" at the south end of
the bridge were several old Greek
and Latin classics and curious work
on occult science. in rich bindings
which on Y man Of rare learning
and fine mind would have been able
to read. let alone enjoy. The man
had those clear, steady blue eyes that,
1 fancy, are the special property of
heroes and poets, or of those who
would become such if the right oppor-
tunities were presented. .-s .-
Another thing noticed in his room
which seemed even more out of place
In his perch on the edge of the preci-
plce between two rock ribbed noun
talns than did his classics. was the
most modern make of a wheel. I
laughed when l saw it leaning against
the wall, and told him that Big
norm or ''Mountain Goat was the
only breed of bicycle that could operate
in his territory. His only reply to nv
bantering was sort of half-hearted
smile, good-natured enough, but far
too sad to be an expression OF amuse
ment. .... E--
From that time on for three years
and over. saw Steele every month;
but the first impression he made on
me always remained. and the better I
came to know him the stronger was
my convection that the man had some
hidden mystery in his life that would
some time come to the surface again.
but never thought Of this without
also thinking. with good deaf of en-
thuslasm too that the man had the
right kind Of stuff in him; that, what
ever came. he would coma out all
right in the end.
vi course. we got to know each
other pretty we'll in way. Coca.
slonally he would make some state
ment OF facts. and, when pressed for
authority. would cite his experience in
different countries which showed a.
wide range Of travel Once. remem-
ber after l had made an unusually
close inspection OF the bridge, I made
the remark that it seemed as though
an earthquake couldn't disiodge that
bridge
Think sop was his laconic answer.
well OF course | dom t know" I
answered. AS | never witnessed one.
But you don't seem to share my faith;
perhaps you have felt one and know
more about ite"
Yes, | have been in one. y he re
Piled. at the same time turning his
face from me, and choking audibly.
OF course. changed the subject
. and never referred to it again in his
presence until the morning OF April
"A last, just after the seterest earth :
quake shock which has been expert
senced in the Southwest since 1868.
And well might | refer to it then,
even III steele's presence. for it shook
that bridge just as the early morning
express was due. SO that the addition
'of five hundred pounds to its weight
would have plunged it into the bottom
vi the ravine below
This is how it happened. and give
: in his words as he gave it to the
officers OF the road:
Gentlemen, as you will not be able
10 understand all the circumstances