The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-19
TIE BARRICADE.
Tho Trouble II Caused tho Opera
tor at LouvilIo.

Tho Trouble II Caused tho Opera
tor at Louviilo.
The station agent AT Louyillc sat
with his feet on the window sill, hands
plunged into his pockets and scowl
upon hts face. Ills eyebrows werc
straight, and the seowl brought them
down into long limo across his fore.
head; this. with his heavy nlustnchc.
| made him look quite fierce.
Ever md anon he would glance al m
inoffensivc little yellow paper lying on
his desk Each tirno he did SO tho
scowl grew flerccr Finally he lot his
chair down with d bang, snatched ut
The telegram, and, for the hftioth time.
read:
| .saAMuKL W. TuTrIEt
| Tho I. II manager has appointed Miss
| Laura Waicott ~ assistant telegrapher ii your
station VIII be there on Wednesday.
ID w. Secretary :,
Then he crumpicd II up and tossed II
into the waste basket
II won't stand It, he growlcd.
They have no right 10 treat me so.
Why did asls for "A assistant at all2
| Idioti''
With this consoling remark he paced
| alp and down the large, bare room. A
man La the lonely position 81 station
agent Is apt 70 contract the habit Of
talking to himself
"a womanlr lie snid. pansing IN the
midst 81 the room and running hia
fingers through Ills hair with inartistic
results. ''IIcre all the time, and no
respite for mel IA have 10 keep on
On On" four legs. no smoking, couldn't
even whistle, suppose. ] have nm
idea that women always have head
achcsl'
lie paused and contemplated the sit
uation again IL was too much
"l'il resign firstr, he cried and ini-
mediately licked on q message to that
effect.
In an hour back came the answer:
iNonscnsei Can't let you of. What
has struck your
Samuel futile said something, but
he said II very low He sat bolt up
right for quite q while, and then q
wicked smile crept into his face.
Il believe Ill bcrcady for Miss Vol
colt when she arrives. I'll not be dis
turbed BY her presence, either
This rather enigmatical remark was
explained the next morning. when, In
obedience To orders from Mr.. futile,
| two carpenters put in appearance at
the LouviIle station, and before noon
| had constructed across the middle of
| the large room, whore he had held
sway so long, high board fence Of
aggressivcly yellow pine.
| After their departure Mr.. futile
walked among the shayings with sat
| isfied air. lie moved all his belongings
To one side OF the novel division line,
apd for the next two days worked
away, again happy man.
On Thursday morning Laura VOL
colt stepped of the express and came
towards him with good will shining
from her brown eyes. She was a hap
py little thing, who, in her brief strug-
| gle for existence, had learned to make
the best OF conditions; SO IL was with
most CHEEKY smile that she unsus-
pectlngly extended her hand to her
sworn enemy.
To tell the truth, Samuel Tuttle was
rather taken aback, and felt slightly
ash AIMED; he had somehow expected
she would know Of his antagonistic
| feeling, and met him in suitably dis
tant manncrA There was no backing
out, however; so he led her around TO
the door opening into her half Of the
room, and said
This is ydsr Office; you will ind
everything in place. Then, with q
stiff bow, he retrcated TO his own do-
minion. without daring TO glance at
/ her.
She stood still as he retreated, with
puzzled expression in her eyes; then
she heard him on the other sides maxi
| ing good deal Of racket getting set
tied. Finally, faint blue curl Of
smoke rose over the fence.
At this, Miss Wolcott sat down with
a look Of dawning Intelligence. mixed
with hurt expression, upon her pink
and white face, rs she saw the fence
was new one. The smile grew Es she
grasped the situation, until there was
. network Of dimples around her
mouth; she nodded her head sagely in
the direction Of the fence, and set 70
work quietly.
Mr.. futile. for his part. wondered
what she was doing to keep SO still; the
novelty Of the situation perplexed him
SO that he could not enjoy his solitude,
Along ia tho afternoon his curiosity
made ii imperative that he should
consult her about message, SO he
sanntered around to her door She
| greeted him with the same CHEEKY
smile, appearing utterly oblivious TO
any strangeness in the situation, and
innocently gazed straight up into HIS
eyes When there was no longer the
slightest prctext for his staying. he
went back. Somehow his side looked
forlorn and dlsordsrly, and be awk-
wardly tried % put II 70 rights.