The morning call., 1894-04-22

One of the noblest men in the world is
bob" Pritchard, and it seems the very
irony Of fate that his life should be dark
ened by the ever present shadow Of great
sorrow. He has everything on earth that
n man could hope fOr-wealth, position,
influence. home, family, health and friends
but over all there brOods a superseusl-
tive conscience that destroys his happiness.
Morbid ITS come on him once in a while
and he steals off alone to commune with
himself. His wife understands the cause
Of his sorrow, but be is trying to keep it
away from the knowledge of his boy, who
is old enough to begin TO do some thinking
on his own account He never goes home
IN his hours of melancholy. but hides in
some Out-of-the-way place till the mood
passes of. l often run across him in such
places as ''Old Toms" down near Trinity
Church. and Marchesi's in Fifteenth street,
where be is unlikely 10 meet any OF his
intimate friends. lie will sit there for
hours and hours, smoking and drinking,
obliyious of surroundings. On the table at
home is a superb dinner untouched. while
be sits alone with his conscience and dimes
upon a chop.
Cons science is the exponent of a man s
character. Ii ii makes towards OF Us all
il also makes rs brave. Il makes Is weak,
II makes Us strong. Il makes Us miserable
and happy, content ted and Disconnected
Il even makes Us in or well. s guilty con-
science IS the blacklist he'll on earth. For
a clear conscience DuTEatOry hath DO ter
TOTs. / have seen men guilty in their own
sight whC, IN the eyes OF the world, were
innocent. l have known Bob" Pritchard
for thirty years. He is and always was
incapable Of doing a wrong or dishonest
thing. But his conscience is scared and
TemOTse viii 60 with him 20 the grave. l
have tried to talk him out of it in vain.
When Bob" became a swiichman on the
greatest railroad in America be was sta
toned in a tower at q point about half way
between two of the largest cities, W here
another road crossed the four tracks Of the
main line. Not less than 800 trains passed
the spot in every twenty-four hours. The
chief swItchman was man OF the name OF
Danton-Al Danton-whO lived in little
cottage near by with lis mother and sister.
These were dependent upon him, and 10
tighten his burdens they took f6w board
ers. Bob" went to I've with them as soon
as he was settled in his new berth, and in
the course Of time q warm friendship
spran- up between him and DantoH. while
he began 10 regard the young woman with
more than ordinary interest. The DantOns
were an OLD Virginia family. once rich, now
poor, and the mother aud daughter were
proud and sensitive. They were descen-
dants or General arc hibald Dsnton, who
figured among the Revolutionary heroes.
Miss Margaret was regarded by young, old
and middle-aged a beauty.
Beside Bob" and Dgnton the-, was a
third man on duty IN the switch 10 Werand
the watches we're divided into * of four
hours each, the men alternating so that
four hours OF ~OTk was followed bv eight
Of rest and recreation. DentoH being the
more experience had the busy watches OF
The morning and afternoon when the Tegl-
ments of commuters were going to and
from the CITY. Bob" had the midday
watch and the midnight watch. 50 that he
and Danton were at home together from 9
10 y every evening, and the hours were
passed very pleasantly in the society Of
tbe mother and daughter.
One night a stranger called, a reporter
for one Of the New York papers, who said
that his mission was to write q special ar
ticla on the signaling system IL use on the
road, and in furtherance thereof he sought
permission To sit Tor an hour or two in the
tower during the busiest time Of the day
TINS Dant0n could not grant without q
letter from the general manager, as IL was
against the rules of the company. The re-
porter seQuiesced. but did not depart at
once. He seemed bent on an interview,
q /
responsibility CT railroad employees, seek
ing deity TO draw out his hearers.
''lll tell you Uha; Is a fact, Dir. DAN
ton" be SAID, bristling with enthusiasm:
''the most responsible place on a railroad
is the switch tower Did it ever occur io
you? ] doubt if it ever occurred TO the
public, and l shall make ii my outy to
point It out. Just think Of the awful re-
sponsibiily 90 YOU, for instance. ! won
der it doesn't break YOU men down in a
few months. The strain must be terrific.
! don't think the responsibility OF an en-
gineer is to be compared for a m 0ment
with that which rests upon you; but we
never hear of the people conceding any
thing TO the poor sNi:chnan. Don't you
think il rather strange?
Just think of the chances Of death
taken by travellers" he went on. ''On the
road they trust 10 the engineer. at sea
they trust TO the captain. They never
think how easy IL is swiichman TO throw
two trains together; never realize that by
the simple turning Of little wheel in the
boileT-ronm the largest ship may be blown
&c atoms! All, the sublime faIthfulneSs of
subOTdinates Is the one thing that makes
me believe in heaveni l have often said
that If l had my way. ] would rather see
two trains, each going fifty miles an hour,
crash together than witness any other sight
on earth. Ye gods! What grand spec
tacuar e1fectI How easy il would be 10
do it, too. And you ever allow yourselfto
think of such q thing.
Not often" Danton replied. 81 don't
think 1t wise TO let tile mind dwell too much
Oh such things"
he was becoming interested in the re-
marks Oh the reporter, and the rest Of the
>udienee-Mrs. DantoD, Miss Margaret
ana 'Bob"-were contentt0 hear anything
>he stranger had 10 say. 1t stlll lacked an
hour OF "Bob's" watch
ITO think of such things might be dan
gerOus TO weak-minded man, but to one
of strong senses there could be no dan
GER" continued the young man. "And
there / ind additional cause for wonder
Don't you suppose there are many
switchmen and signalmen on this road
who are mentally weak? 1t must be So
And when they read OF accidents ami
their imaginations are wrought no I
should think some of them would 20 crazy.
or be so temper arily insane as 20 expert
nent al the expense of the public aud the
company. Now up their at your tower
what a grand opportunity for a wild man.
The limited both ways passes there at
530-sxty miles an houri And there is
the split switch. Didn't it ever fash
through your mind what might happen If
FOu should by any chance pull the wrong
ever al the critical moment when the TWO