The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-11-03
srlttt Storp.
MY RIVALS REVENGE.
From Chamber, /, .Ionrnal.

At one time in my life ! had the snle
charge Of signal-box on one of our great
main lines in perhaps the most desol,te part
of the three king,loms-at least it was
desolate enough during the winter months
Then. except for the freight of human he
ings that the trains bore past AT certain in
tervals ! did not see Il creature from the
time that my mate left me until the hoar
when he came to relieve me Of my duty
The railway company. in whose employ
ment had been for several wears. had
found me useful To the.n and had been
pleased 10 acknowledge my services by
promising me position Of trust and i'm
portauee-sucll Il position as men ten years
my senior had waited for in vain. In Il
way. then. my future was secured. and |
was only filling the pest OF signal -nlan until
the vacancy should occur for me To drop
into.
Some little distance down the line where
my signal l-box was stationed ran the big
river that gave Its name 10 that part Of the
country. and over this river 1t bridgc--;he
construction Of which was somewhat ont Of
date-canied trains into the next shire
Much depended upon the bridge and enc
of my chief duties was 10 keep i; clear for
passenger trains
One November evening | was at my post
in the sigual-box. 70 had bright fire
burning. and rose from my scat beside it
and gazed. in turn thrugh the many
windows of my small domain The uutly-
ing country looked very drcary: without IA
storm was at hand. Even as the thought
passed through my mind. there was a muf-
fed. rtnnbling sound which came nearer
and nearer, until one mighty crash broke
overhead and. an instant after the whole
place was filled with blue lnrid light which
made the darkness that succeeded it the
more intense. Another rattling peal Of
thunder. the sound of which echoed far
and wide. and then the flood gates of
Heaven seemed toopen and the rain poured
down-rain and hail that the wind lashed
against the windows with a fury that seemed
irresistible In all my experience ! had
never witnessed anything like that storm.
At no great distance the river swollen and
turbulent. was rising above its banks. hur-
rying along aud hearing down all that came
in its way
was not afraid of storm. | told my
self again and again that | was not afraid
but somehow this storm had strangely af-
fected me. paced my little room from
end to end. brnoding over my past life dis
satisfied with myself and feeling-iir con
science makes towards of us all-that |
would have given the world had | been Il
better man. Then tried to recall some
good deed | had done in days gone by that
would encourage me: but instead. there
came before me with startling distinctne.s
the remembrance Of a man who had been
my fiyal-my antagonist-one Matthew
Holt by name !, man who had openly and
pelsistently avowed himself to be my enc
my. It was some years since we had
parted Poar Matthews could think
Of him liJyingly after that lapse of time.
although 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. Ii was ii',: uiten
that the thought of the enmity between Us
had troubled me- When il did cross my
mind | had been wont to lay the Ilame
entirely on him. but ON this night / saw
the past with different eyes Perhaps
there are other men who looking back to
the time when they were in the tweniies
feel half contemptuous frr ther former
selves Al any rate that was how fell
Al Frank Bryant said to myself,
You fancied yourself very fine gentle
man indeed and in many ways you were
little better than 4 coneeited coxcomb.
Then, with an effort | brought my mind
back from the l,ast into the present
The first fury Of the Storm was some
what spent | replenished the fire and
looked about me The signal-box in
which 50 many hours Of my life had been
spent during the last year. was lighted BY
several jets of gas, and fitted in their ap-
pointed places along the wall were the many
llccHdHiCdl tuiltiiNdliCcN. TIC ltiSc Va WHICH
must puzzle the uninitiated and upon
which 80 much depends for the saeity and
dispatch of our great railway traffic.
While | listened 10 the storm had not
been forgetful that a goods-ti.Iin was far
behind It's time. and as turned from my
fire. | had warming Of its approach 1t
could not cross the bridge ON such a night.
and perhaps endanger the evening express
which would soon be due, 50 turned the
points and sent it off into the siding
heard it rumble past with a feeling Of pity
for the engine-driver and guard who were
forced TO delay in such weather. is |
turned from the levers. having set the
metals back in theifsplaces in readiness f''r
the express, | raised my eyes aud ber.lme
aware that man 5 face @;as pressed against
the wet glass at the end ef tDe hox-the
pane over the dor. As Linokeds., that
strange face, those wild. angly eyes and
the red bar blown sbout.by the wind. my
heart seemed Ia stand still with i sudden
tsrfor. lelt. indeed as if looked upon
ghost. for the face before me was NJ other
than that &c the man uho had been haunt
ing my thoughts for the last leui--lny I'D
enemy. Matthew He'll
For an instant anly We loekesl into each
other eyes and then he disappeared.