The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-08-30
MY RIVALS REVENGE.
The Story Of a Terrible Night and
a Lucky Escape.


At one time in my life had the sole
charge of signal-box on one Of our
great main lines in perhaps the most
desolate part of the three kingdoms
at least, It was desolate enough during
the winter months Then, except for
the freight Of human beings that the
trains bore past at certain intervals,
did not see a creature from the time
that my mate left me until the hour
when he came to relieve me of my duty.
The railway company, in whose en-
ployment had been for several years,
had found me useful to them, and had
been pleased to acknowledge my serv-
ices by promising me position of
trust and importance-such position
as men ten years my senior had waited
for in vain. In way, then, my future
was secured, and was only filling the
post of signal-man until the vacancy
should occur for me to drop into
Some little distance down the line
where my signal-box was stationed
ran the big river that gave it's name to
that part of the country, and over this
river bridge--the construction of
which was somewhat out of date-car-
ried trains into the next shire. Much
depended upon the bridge, and one of
my chief duties was to keep it clear
for passenger trains.
One November evening I was at my
post in the signal-box. had bright
fire burning, and l rose from my seat
beside it and gazed, in turn, through
the many windows of my small do
main. The outlying country looked
very dreary; without a storm was at
hand. Even as the thought passed
through my mind, there was a muffied,
rumbling sound which came nearer
and nearer, until one mighty crash
broke overhead, and. an instant after,
the whole place was filed with blue
lurid light, which made the darkness
that succeeded it the more intense
Another rafting peal of thunder, the
sound of which echoed far and wide,
and then the food gates of Heaven
seemed to open and the rain poured
down-rain and hail that the wind
lashed against the windows with
fury that seemed irresistible. In all
my experience l had never witnessed
anything like that storm. At no great
distance the river, swollen and turbu-
lent, was rising above it's banks hur-
ryiug along and bearing down all that
came in its way.
! was not afraid of storm. | told
myself again and again that was not
afraid, but somehow this storm had
strangely affected me. / paced my
La, e.,
over my past life, dissa tistied with N.Y.
self, and feeling-for conscience makes
towards of us all-that would have
given the world had l been a better
man. Then l tried to recall some
good deed had done in days gone by
that would encourage me; but instead.
there came before me with startling
distinctness the remembrance of a man
who had been my rival-my antag-
onist-one Matthew Holt by name, a
man who had openly and persistently
avowed himself to be my enemy. 1t
was some years since we had parted.
Poor Matthew / could think Of him
pityingly after that lapse of time, al
though his last words had been full of
bitter passion, as he swore that one
day he would have his revenge. He
had gone abroad. / knew not what
had become of him; he might be dead.
1t was not often that the thought of
the enmity between us had troubled
me. When it did cross my mind had
been wont to lay the blame entirely
on him; but on this night 1 saw the
past with different eyes, Perhaps
there are other men who, looking back
to the time when they were in the
twenties, feel half contemptuous for
their former selves At any rate, that
was how l felt. "Ah! Frank Bryant"
said to myself, ''you fancied yourself
very fine gentleman indeed, and in
many ways you were little better than
q conceited coxcomb." Then, with an
effort brought my mind back from
the past into the present.
The first fury Of the storm was some
what spent, I replenished the fire
and looked about me. The signal-box,
in which so many hours of my life had
been spent during the last year, was
lighted by several jets of gas; and
fitted in their appointed places along
the wall were the many mechanical
the use of which must
puzzle the uninitiated. and upon
which SO much depends for the safety
and dispatch of our great railway
traffic.
While listened to the storm l had
not been forgetful that goods-train
was far behind its time, and as l
turned from my fire, had warning of
its approach. 1t could not cross the
bridge on such a night, and perhaps
endanger the evening express which
would soon be due, so / turned the
points and sent it off into the siding.
heard it rumble past with feeling of
pity for the engine-driver and guard
who were forced to delay in. such
weather As | turned from the levers,
having set the metals back in their
places in readiness for the express,
raised my eyes and became aware that
a mans face was pressed against the
wet glass at the end of the box-the
pane over the door. AS | looked at
that strange face, those wild, angry
ewes and tha rod hair bl,yp about ~,