Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-03-06
DELAYED DISPATCH.


terry day in January. one of those dreary
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
comfortable spot ON which to fall
when reaching the friendly bosom Of
earth. Old Sol had not favored us with
a smile all day. but had sulkily hidden
his face behind the gray restless clouds
1t was truly dismal afternoon.
The Office building in which was
domiciled was 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 unsightly.
The little town of B. was a sleepy
little village of about 900 inhabitants,
built down in a valley, surrounded by
hills, from which flowed an abundance
of beautiful, clear, pure spring water,
supplying the humble, contented citi-
zens. Today the place presented 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
sleighbells 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 a merchant now and
then coming to the station for his small
shipments. One or two disconsolate
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 l sat in tho
little Office listening intently to the tick
of the two instruments on the table in
front of me, little did l dream that it
was to be the one eventful day of my
life. Looking from the windows, could
see east and west of me the straight line
of track stretching away like two silver
reptiles running side by side over vast
white sheet. A short distance north of
the Office was the old wooden mill of
Bartlett 81 Sons, from which issued tho
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
mile on each side of my Office were
two curves, preventing my seeing train
approach the station from either direc-
ton until the shrill whistle of the en-
CINE called for my signal or down brakes.
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 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 l
walked to the waiting room and back
several times, humming popular air to
keep up my spirits / think had been
thus occupied an hour or so when l
heard the train dispatcher at M :" Civ
ing an order TO the operator at Whining
ton for No. 4S, freight train coming
east. 1t read: Train No. 4S, engine
236, has until eleven ten OHIO a. m.
to run to Raysville for No. IL, engine
$40. --R. G. L."
went to the table and copied the or
der as it was given, simply doing SO to
pass the time, and heard the operator
at Wilmington receive it and give the
signatures of both conductor and engi-
neer of No. AS, the dispatcher giving
him the correct time. Then | noted
Wilmington reporting No. As ont of his
station at 10:40 a. m. After an inter
val of half an hour or 50 the operator at
IN. " asked if there were any orders for
No. Ill, receiving negative answer
from the dispatcher. ALI this / noted
casually, not thinking for a moment
that it had the slightest interest for me,
other than something to copy. and in
blissful Ignorance that we were on the
verge of a terrible catastrophe.
In a few moments, while Iazily gaz-
ing west from my window, / saw a
hazy, dark mist curling up over the
snow capped trees III the distance.
which looked very much like smoke
from an engine, and while l was con-
occurring as to what it might mean
heard the signal for my target as it
sung around the curve into sight. 1t
struck me as being exceedingly strange
that No. As, freight train, was run
ming 70 NJ. regardless Of the limited.
and concluded to inform the dispatch
er Of the unusual situation, telling him
No. As is coming" He answered 20.
K, and then gave them my signal
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