The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-02-26
DELAYED DISPATCH.

~
winter days that make one feel so mel
ancholy and blue, the wind shrieking
about the building and the snow falling
thickly in great white fakes, which
seemed to be vying with each other for
a comfortable spot on which to fall
when reaching the friendly bosom of
earth. Old Sol had not favored us with
a smile all day, bat had sulkily hidden
his face behind the gray restless clouds.
1t was truly a dismal afternoon.
The Office BUILDING in which I was
domiciled vas one of those dreary old
country stations which seemed to be
dropped along the side of the railroad
track at intervals without an effort at
making them other than what they are,
both uncomfortable and u~nsightly.
The little town of B was q sleepy
little village OF about 900 inhabitants,
built down in a valley, surrounded by
bills, from which flowed an abundance
OF beautiful, clear, pure spring water,
supplying the humble, consented citi-
zens. Today the place presented a pic
turesque appearance. The snow had
been falling heavily during the night,
and the trees, fences, housetops, bushes
and streets were completely covered
with the beautiful"
The principal street of the village end
ed at the foot of the long winding hill
which served as a coasting place for the
merry young people. The only sign Of
life about the place this memorable aft
ernoon was the occasional jingle of
sleighbelis waited to my ears ON the
frosty air as some farmers boy took adj
vantage of the deep snow to exhibit his
new sleigh, and o merchant now and
then coming to the station for his small
shipments. One or two di~sconsolate
looking tramps passed my Office, trudg-
ing along through the snow, casting an
envious glance in my direction as / sat
in the bow window.
This cold wintry day, as / sat i'm the
little office listening intently to the tick
of the two instruments on the table in
front OF me, little did I dream that il
was to be the n eventful day of my
life. Looking from the windows, l could
seaeast and west of me the straight line
Of track stretching away like two silver
reptiles running side by side over a vast
white sheet. A short distance north of
the Office was the old wooden mill Of
Bartlett 81 Sons, from which issued the
sound of the merry wheels as they hum
med in busy unison, with the click of
the looms, keeping company with my
wandering thoughts.
At a distance of perhaps a quarter of
q mile OH each side of my office were
two curves, preventing my seeing q train
approach the station from either direc-
ton until the shrill whistle of the en-
CINE called for my signal or down brakes.
l had just learned telegraphy, or
thought l had, having studied it about
four months, and had become proficient
enough, as my sanguine teacher avow-
ed, to fill the place with perfect safety
while he made a pleasure trip to Louis
VILE, the center of gravity for him. |
remember / had serious misgivings as
to my ability to take care of the Office
work and sat with tears trembling on
my eyelashes long after the train bear
ing my only assistance had disappeared
and felt very much depressed, as though
ON the eve of some great calamity.
To throw off this dreadful feeling I
walked to the waiting room and back
several times, humming q popular air to
Keep up my spirits. / think / had been
thus occupied an hour or SO when /
heard the train dispatcher at m. Civ
ing an order to the operator at Whining
ton for No. AZ, a freight train coming
east. 1t read: ''Train No. As, engine
236. has until eleven ten (1I:i0) a. m.
to run to Raysville for No. IL, engine
245.-R. q. L." s.
l went to the table and copied the Or
DER as 1t was given, simply doing SO to
pass the time, n heard the operator
at Wilmington receive it and give the
signatures Of both conductor and eDgi,
neer OF No. As, the dispatcher giving
nlnl the correct time. Then | noted
wilmington reporting No. As ont Of his
station at 10:40 a. IN. After an inter.
val of half an hour or 50 the operator at
IN. asked ii there were any orders for
Nc. Ill, receiving a negative answer
from the dispatcher. All this / noted
casually, not thinking for a moment
that 1t had the slightest interest for me.
other b something to copy, and in
bilssful ignorance that we were ON the
verge OF q terrible catastrophe.
In . tA6nents, while lazily gag.
ing west from my window, I saw n
hazy, dark mist curling up over the
snow capped trees in the distance.
which looked very much like smoke
from IN engine, and while / was con-
5ecturing "a 60 what it might mean /
heard the signal for my target a. it
snDg around the curve into sight. II
struck me - being exceedingly strange
khas No. 4s, = freight train, was run-
nlng 20 n. y regardless of the limited.
nd ] concluded 20 inform the dispatch.
" IF the unusual situation. telling him
NO 40 Il eQming." he answered 20.
and then I gave them my signal
-