Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-09-24


of little black ant at one end Of fish
worm.
The superintendent had gone into the
dispatcher's Office to talk with the train
master about a meeting point for No. 8
and the presidents special. This was
the new president, who, with the chair
man of the board of directors, was max
ing his first tour of inspection.
Every one must be busy without ap.
pearing to try to be. The section boss
saw that each man was at his shovel
and waved a "slow" signal himself to
show the officials that they had been
doing something to the track. The road
master had gone out that morning, o..
cupying camp stool on the rear plas-
form of No. s.
All these things combined to show to
the most casual observer that something
was up. In the face of every officer Of
the road at this particular point there
was a look of anxiety as though he
might be repeating:
He'll cut me off or let me stay,
Just as he happens to feel today.
The division superintendent, who had
just gone into the dispatcher's office,
was an exception to the rule that all
subordinate officials are afraid of a new
management He knew his business and
knew he could 90 with the retiring
manager to another road. The train
master was of different caste. He was
as nervous as a maiden lady in her first
bicycle suit. Having sent the "trick"
man away, he was handling the trains
himself to make sure that everything
was o. KID.
81 sent girl over here yesterday, an
operator, said the superintendent after
they had fixed the meeting point, "and
you sent her away. have instructed
her to call here again this morning, and
I hope you will be good enough to put
her to work. Her father was the en-
gineer who was killed when the fast
mail went in the ditch on the east end,
and she is the only support her mother
has"
The trainmaster mumbled something
about the company running unnecessary
risks for charity's sake when the super
intendent cut him off with the informa-
tion that there was no charity about it.
It was just an act of simple justice and
decency, and he hoped the trainmaster
would not only give the girl something
to do, but that he would take especial
care Of her and keep her out Of trouble.
The man at the key said he would en-
deavor to find place for her, but he
positively refused to be responsible for
her. "Then, sir" said the superintend-
ent II shall cease to lie responsible for
you," and there followed scene in the
midst of which a pale girl slipped into
the room and sank upon seat outside
the railing unobserved by either Of the
angry officials.
The superintendent, after pacing the
room time or two, paused at one of
the windows overlooking the yards. The
presidents special had for the moment
been forgotten by the dispatcher, who
now turned to the key to send the order
for the meeting.
Still smarting from the effect Of the
tilt with his chief, his mind was dis
turbed.
The Office was now as still as death,
save for the clicking of the keys and the
slow, measured ticking of the great
clock above the dispa:cher's desk-the
clock that marked time for all the clocks
on the entire system. Presently the dis
patcher jerked the key open and began
to call Westcreek, and when he got
them said:
"Train No. 8, Conductor Smith, will
take siding for special west Eng SO at
Eastcreek"
Now he began calling the operator at
Lookout siding, and when he answered
the dispatcher shot him an order that
almost burned the wire:
Especial west, engine SO, will meet
train No. s at Westcreek."
The pale girl sprang to her feet The
dispatcher turned and saw her, and
when he realized that she must have
overheard the quarrel between the su-
perintendent and himself his anger rose
against the innocent young woman, and
the other official, seeing their embarrass-
ment, quit the room BY side door.
"Mr. Goodlough, you I've made a great
mistake" said the girl.
"Have II" shouted the trainmaster.
"And do you expect salary for correct
ing me?''
"Look at your sheet. You've''-
What" yelled the man, "do you
mean to-
"For heavens sake, man," pleaded
the girl, "see what you've done. Look
at the clock. There'll be collision in
less than ten minutes. You'll be muir
derer if you fail to save those trains"
you're about as crazy as they get, I"
said the dispatcher, and really she looked
like mad woman, with her big eyes
burning in her pale face. Of sudden
she turned. darted out Of the Office and