Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-09-22


front Of and close to the station at
Pinetree Siding, and it is one of these
wires which has caught the attention
of the operator.
1t is now 2:45 in the afternoon, and
not cloud has crossed the face of that
hanging ball of fire which threatens
to shrivel and scorch to cinder every
thing on which it's beams rest.
The operator goes over to the window
and attaches to the electric-light wire,
from portion of which he carefully
removes the insulation, the end of an
other piece which he holds in his hand
When this is secure he carries the other
end oIer his desk, and kneeling down,
spends some minutes in arranging 1t
in some manner below; bringing two
free ends up through hole in the top
of the table This done, he takes from
a closet several round and greasy-look-
ing sticks about foot long, and, de-
scending the stairs, places them at reg
ular intervals along the railroad track,
connecting them all together with
wires, which he afterward brings up
stairs and joins to the arrangement
underneath the table. Then he returns
to his seat, and save for his trembling
hands and the peculiar glare of his
eyes, performs his routine duties in the
usual manner.
Tick tick, tickety tick. 1t is the call
for Pinetree Siding. The operator opens
his key and answers promptly. 1t is
message from headquarters announcing
that the special following No. 6, and
carrying the division superintendent
and the new operator for Pinetree Sid
ing is due at $50, just three minutes
after No. 6's schedule time. The oper-
ator's eyes fash; it is as he has anti
cipated. He wires the track clear and
waits.
Promptly at SAT No. 6, the vestibuled
limited express for the east, dashes past
the siding with a rattle and crash that
causes the operator whose nerves are
tense to the breaking point, to spring
to his feet in alarm, fearing that the
destruction meant for the special has
overtaken her predecessor. But the
express whirls safely by and the oper-
ator has the satisfaction of seeing MS
innocent looking messengers OF death
lying untouched but waiting his Will to
fulfill their devilish mission.
And now the operators breath comes
short and sharp and his eyes glisten
and glare as though the fires OF hell
were lighted behind; his lips are drawn
back over his teeth and his long fingers
work nervously, as if longing to execute
the finishing touch which shall culmin-
ate the awful catastrophe he has
planned Gold help the poor men on
the train so swiftly rushing to their
doom, and God help their waiting fam
lilies, for the operator at Pinetree Sid
ing who holds their lives in his hands
is no longer a man but demon.
Suddenly the whistle of the approach
ing special is heard and the operator
bounds from his chair and rushes to the
window, eager to feast his eyes for a
moment on the sight of his nearing vic
Tins. Everything is complete. He has
but to press together those two tiny
bits of wire and the entire telegraph
line will be transformed into kissing,
blazing serpent, carrying death and de-
struction to the poor operators along
it's path and wrecking the instruments,
thus stopping telegraphic communica-
ton all over the line; while at Pinetree
Siding only scattered tangle of wood,
iron and human flesh would mark the
humiliation of both the special with
her human freight and the operator as
we'll. For he is quite willing to sacri-
flee himself to achieve his end, and
counts the cost but little if with the
forfeit of his life he may encompass
the revenge he has so cunningly plot
ted.
But there is no time to lose; already
the special is slowing up in front of the
station, and leaping to the table like a
wolf upon his prey, he presses the two
wires together. But no boom or roar of
the expected explosion follows, nothing
but the escape of steam as the air.
brakes Of the special bring her to a
stop. and the operator, realizing that
his scheme has miscarried, filings him
self upon the wires, biting them togeth-
err with his teeth, cursing, praying,
disappearing and shrieking aloud in his
mad rage and disappointment. But all
to no purpose; and as the division
superintendent and the new dispatcher
enter the room they start back in hor-
ror at sight of the body of the operator,
as with black and twisted features he
lies across the table, still grasping in
his hand the wires by which he had
hoped to avenge himself for life of
scSrn and enmity. A glance reveals
the whole plot, and with cheeks paler
than usual they cut the wires and re-
store everything to its original state.
AS the new operator brings in the dy-
Mantle which he has carefully removed
from the track, and looks over at his
predecessor lying Strengthened out on
the floor by the window, he shudders so
that the division superintendent jumps
forward to catch the stuff, thinking he
is about to drop it.
Next morning the Bluefields EXPOSE
tor calls the attention OF the citizens
to the wonderful mercy of providence,
which by permitting fuse at the cleo
trio light plant to blow out, so cutting
off the current just before the special
following No. 6 was due at Pinetree