Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-08-18

kNM from the division ter
~ lo$.. minal at Mercer. 1t
~N 81 was in the midst of
(e W. ~ sorubby pine forest,
with sandy road crooking out from
the trees on one side and into the trees
on the other. There were only two or
three houses, u little general store
with porch like the visor OF military
cap, and schoolhouse, all arranged
in scraggy row along the railroad
track. The dusty red depot was an
oasis in the midst of cinder desert,
with great many telegraph wires
singing overhead.
A dozen trains whirled through
Kane Creek every day with only
shrek of greeting and whipping
wake of fue sand. Only two of them
paid the slightest attention to the girl
in blue gingham dress who stood in
the little observation window. One
OF them was the way freight which
stopped at Kane's every time it came
along while the conductor handed the
girl bundle of yellow papers and re-
ceived another like it in return. The
other was the night express westward
bound from st. Paul, aud running at
forty miles an hour. II was q splen-
did train-ten cars, with the finest en-
gine on the road, big No. COG As its
glazing eye flashed around the bend in
the direction of Mercer the girl in the
gingham dress often thought OF the
great train as powerful and ferocious
beast snorting aud roaring westward
on race with the sun. 1t was &
beast, but ii was well trained, and she
knew the hand that trained it. When
the train was mile away there were
always two blasts on the whistle.
Everyone else IL kaue's thought they
meant simply, "Wake up, look out!'
for that is what all locomotives say
ct every crossinS-but the girl in the
giugham dress heard 'Helio, Polly
and darted out Oh the platform and
waved her handkerchief. As the great
train thundered nearer hand was
thrust from the engineers window,
and although it was usually dark, she
gsoI{d of oEseFhfffee
white, and oftentimes as the engine
darted past the station she heard the
blurred sound OF q voice and caught
the glimpse OF grimy face and blue
jean jacket. And then she went back
to her place in the little station with
sigh of deep contentment.
For it was moment of great Joy to
Polly Marshall when her fathers en-
giue went through. Polly was the
station agent at Kane Creek-any one
could have told that woman presided
in the little depot, for was there not
always a bouquet in the window and
dainty pictures surrounding the grimy
tables on the walls, and kitten
curling upon the doorstep? At seven
teen Polly had gone in asassistant to
learn telegraphy and when Clark, the
agent, was called to Mercer the COM
pany had left the independent girl in
charge. She and her father lived in one
of the wooden houses stones throw
back from the depot, and since Polly's
mother died they had been everything
to each other.
Engineer Marshall was a big, silent
man, and his companions, some of
them, thought him gruf and i'll temp
cred, but to Polly he was always ten
der as kitten. Often when she was
little girl he took her down with him
to Mercer OH his engine, and while she
sat on his black leather seat at the cab
window, clinging on with both hands,
he explained to her how the big black
creature under them was started and
stopped, what this brass crank was for,
and how, when the engine squeaked
here or squealed there, little oil was
needed in this cup or in that crevice.
And Polly had learned to know an en-
gine as well as she knew the neat little
pantry in the house at home. Indeed,
she had more than once managed the
levers and the throttle, although it was
very heavy work for girl 10 do.
It was one night late in the fall that
Polly Marshall had need OF nj her
knowledge of engines She was sit
ting at her desk III the little observa-
ton window, o shaded light throwing
its rays down on her telegraph instru-
ments and the sounder clicking sleep
lily. Suddenly she was startled by the
sudden call of her number. Instantly
her fingers sought the keys, and she
gave the answer that signified that she
was all attention.
''Look out for clicked the
sounder, and then it suddenly ceased,
and try as she would Polly could get
10 further communication with the
station next to the eastward. What
could the trouble be? What was she
to look out for? Polly sprung to her
feet, remembering that the night ex-
press, of which her father was engineer,
was the next train due. Could any
thing be the matter? She ran ont on
the dark platform to see that her lights
were all in place and that the switches
were properly set, so that the express
would slip past the station without IN
accident. Then she went back and
called up Mercer.
"Can you get Pinckney?' she asked:
Pinckney was the station which had
sent her the warning dispatch 50
mysterionsly interrupted. Size knew
the operator at Pinclney weil-eyefy
night he told her of the approach of
her fathers train, and whether or rot
it left his station on time.
'.Pinckney quiet; can't getanswer, :"
was the report of the wires. Whats
the trouble?"
Polly answered as well as she conld,
and Mercer made another attempt 10
arouse Pinckney.
Her fathers train was now due. 1t
should be wlistling chcerily at Tie
lower bend. Polly stepped out on tho
platform and pcered up the track:
Yes, there was the familiar headlight
,ka ,,.,,,1l h,,,n onnDtr Z,