Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-09-28

he has not forgotten our past 1rleno-
ship" And the speaker IS eyes filled with
tears as they rested Oh the vase.
"He's here now," said the superin-
tendenr, touched deeply by the tears
and tenderness of the sick man. EVERY
morning for nearly month he has call
ed here to ask after you. I shall send
him to you at once, and now you must
brace up Goodby."
his sick friend was too much for the pa
tient, and the chief surgeon, who had
come in with the visitor, was obliged to
send him away almost Immediately.
1t was nearly week before any more
visitors were admitted to the sickroom.
Only the flowers came every morning.
They were not many, but always fresh.
"I'm strong enough to know now,
Dan," said the patient when Creamer
had been left alone with him, land ]
want you to tell me all about it,"
about what, Tom?"
about the collision. How many
were killed."
Dan assured him that there had been
no collision on the road for over year.
"And you," he explained, "have just
been here month today. This is the
2Oth of January.
"Dua't lie to me, Dan. Anybody
could do that. But from you ask the
truth, and I think 1 have right to ex-
pect it. I sent q lap order the day I fell
ill. l became confused over the repeti-
tion of No and engine SO, Eastcreek
and Westcreek, and 1 gave lap order.
A girl in the office tried to save me, but
/ laughed at her. thought her crazy,
and when au last ! noticed my mistake
| tried to call Wcstcrcek to hold No. 8,
but could not get him. l called and
called up to the last second, but he did
not answer, and it seemed to me that
must 90 mad. Suddenly it occurred to
me that I might get Eastcreek and hold
the special, but the answer came quick
and awful, Gone, and then l knew no
more until smelled the smell Of those
fresh roses you sent me and came to life
again.
"Now, I'll tell you the truth, Tom,
the whole truth and nothing but the
truth, as the judge would say" began
his visitor. "You did give lap order,
but you saved yourself. Westcreek did
answer and got your order to hold No.
=, and he held her, and there was no
collision. "
"Dan, never sent that message.
wanted to. GCd knows would gladly
have given my life to have saved those
poor fellows en- the engine! And the ne "
president? Was he killed? Ah, Dan,
why don't you tell me the truth?" and
the miserable man held out his hand be-
seechingly.
II have told the whole TRUTH" said
Creamer. "Tbere was 10 collision. D." But
Goodlough shock his head his eyes
filled with tears and he turned his pale
pinched face TO the wall.
The superintendent, whose ''long
suit" as the roadmaster expressed it,
was "hoss sense" had maintained all
along that the transmission of the mys-
terious message was still mystery.
Those occult scientists might sit up
nights and work out answers satisfac-
tory to themselves, declared the super
intendent, but they would never go at
his end CT the line. "There must be an
other solution CT this mysterious mes
sage" be declared to the president,
land shall find it before the end Of the
year."
At the expiration of 40 days the med
ical staff declared Goodlough sound in
body and mind, and tho old trainmaster
called upon the superintendent for his
decision. He had begun as messenger
boy in the trainmaster's office on an
eastern road when he could barely reach
the top of tho high desk. He had been
with this company SO lorg that he felt
a proprietary interest in the road. He
would be glad to return to his old post,
but men were usually dismissed for CIV
ing lap order.
"It will not be necessary for US to re-
view this matter" began the superin-
tendent when Mr.. Goodlough had seated
himself in the private Office of his-old
chief. Under ordinary circumstances
1 should feel it my duty to discharge
you, but in consideration of your excel
lent record and other eXtenuatlng Cir
cumstances, the confusing nature OF the
numbers of the locomotives and trains
and the names Of stations, have con-
cluded that l shall serve the company
best by allowing you to return to your
former place. In doing this wish you
to understand that the matter of person
al friendship, which has grown strong
in the years that we have spent togeth-
er, makes 10 difference in my decision.
The 60 days which l must now give
you is meant more as punishment for
your refusal to listen to Il well meant
warning which might have saved you
than for your carelessness in giving a
wrong order. 1t is more your misfortune
than your fault, however, that you have
lost these 40 days; therefore your sus-
pension will date from Dec. 90"
Goodlough thanked the superintend-
ent warmly for his consideration and
went out to begin the hard task of wait
ing 20 days, for to him every day spent
away from his work was wasted.
The old trainmaster spent the greater
part of his 20 days where he could hear
the rattle of the instruments and the
slow, measured ticking of the great
clock. He was interested in and then
amazed at the work Of the young wom-
| ,,,,, ,,D,, honIlino tho trains ON