The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1895-04-13
DELAYED DISp AIII[.

! had never been let alone IN charge
Of the of1co before. IL w;.s q cola. titus
terry o@F IL January, oncoI those icoar.y
winter days th@t make o:.c fae.>2 mel
a~cclloiy anti h'uc, tie wind >iiiuL.i.4S
ahout the building AMI tles.!oE falling
thic..iy in great white fake, which
seemed to b WIN: with o"9h o5s@v Tor
q colnfortall, spot y wiich 10 fail
when reaching the friendly bosom Of
earth. Old Sol had not favored Us with
smile Ell da.r, lrit had s"!kily hidden
his face feEi1a! tho sra restless e.oads.
1t was truly . dismal afserncon.
Tic cfac' building IL which | Was
domiciled y-2s crc CT those d-ea.y ed
county stations which seemed to be
dropped along the siGe Ct the railroad!
track at intervals withGut al effort at
making them other than what they are,
both uncomfortable and unsightly.
The little town of B. wasaslccDv
little village Of about 900 inhabitants,
built down in valley, surrounded by
hills, from which flowed an abundance
Of beautiful, clear, p--e spring water,
supplying the humble, contenteG Cit
zens. To-day the place presented c nc
turesque appearance. Tho snow Lad
been falling heavily during tho night,
and the trees. fences, lo-31t6ps, Lushcs
and streets were completely covered
with the "bcautiful.
The principal street Of the villasoe end
ed at tho foot Of the long winding hill
which served as acoasting 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 nay ears Oh the
frosty air as somo farmers boy took ad-
vantage of the deep TO- to exhibit his
new sleigh. and a merchant now and
then coming to the station for his small
shipments. One or two disconsnlatn
looking tramps passed Ely ot7ice, truds.
ing along through the snow, casting an
envious glance in my direction as I sat
in the bow window.
This cold wintry day, as / sat IN the
little office listening intentiy to tha tick
OF the two instruments On the t.0la IL
front of me, little did l dream that it
was to be the one eventful day OF lav
life. Looking from the windows, I could
see east and west Of me the straight line
of track stretching away like two silver
reptiles running side by side overa vast
white sheet. A short distance north Ct
the office was the old wooden mill Of
Bartlett & Sons, from which issued the
sound of the merry wheels rs they hum
med in busy unison With the clicl. of
the looms, keeping company with M
wandering thoughts.
At q distance of perhaps q quarter of
a mile on each side Of Iny office were
two curves, preventing my seeing /. train
approach the station from either direc-
ton until the shriIl whistle Of the en-
CINE called for my signal or down brakes.
l had jnst learned biography, or
thought l bad, having studied it about
four months, and had become proficient
enough, as my sanguine teacher avow-
cd, to fill the place with perfect safety
while he made Il pleasure trip to Louis
vile, the center of gravity for him. |
remember / had serious missiviEgs as
to my ability to take care of the ofiic,
work and sat with tears Trembling o,!
my eyelashes long after the train bear
ing my only assistance had disappears,
and felt very much depressed, as though
on b eve of some great calamity.
To throw off this dreadful feeling !
walked to the waiting room and back
several times, hulnming 4 popular air tc
keep up my spirits. l think l had been
thus occupied an hour or so when !
heard the train dispatcher at Nj. Civ
ing an order to the operator ut Whining
ton for No. 40, a freight train coming
east. 1t read: Train No. IS, easin,
236, has until eleven ten Ul:i0) IA. III.
to run to Raysville for No. II, engine
245.-R. G. L."
/ went to the table and copied tho or
der as 1t was given. simply doing so t.
pass the time, and heard the operate,
at Wilmington receive it and give the
signatures of both conductor and engi-
neer of No. As, tho dispatcher giving
him the correct time. Then | noted
Wilmington reporting No. IS ont of his
station at 1910 "a. III. After an inter
val of half al hour or 50 the operator at
M" asked if there were any orders for
No. Ill, receiving "a negative answer
from the dispatcher. All this I noted
casually, not thinking for a moment
that it had the slightest interest for me,
other than something to COPY. and in