Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-07-12
Qhe "Offcer's Special.


ed eastward. The agent heard the
news going over the wire and he told
it to his helper. The section men
learned of it and looked anxiously
down the track for the cloud of dust and
smoke. Word was passed along the
line, and its time of arrival at each
point was carefully noted.
The effect was instantaneous. The
loiterers who had braved the ''no
loafng" placard on the door of the
telegraph and ticket room because
they were important people in the
town, received polite hints to vanish.
The agent threw lighted cigar out
of the window, the broom was hauled
out from behind the door and put TO
work. Newspapers, telegraph blanks.
odds and ends of ali kinds were care
fully piled up or put under cover and
the desks and tables cleaned and
busted. The waiting room was hast
lily inspected for loose papers or
crumpled peanut sacks. and the agent
stood before small mirror back of
the ticket case ana retied his ban
enough to keep himself busy for some
time, while the day operator worked
the wires and watched the block. As
for the night operator. he knew
naught of all this, for he was in the
hay. IF | could get to bed before
daylight" he SAID to his day quarry,
Il could sleep till noon very nicely.
One hour of sleep after midnight is
worth four in the daytime, beside
the racket Of kids at play. unloading
of coal and the bark of dogs which
keeps me awake after | have tried to
Sleep
Expectant and heart beating anti
cipation dwelt within the bosoms of
the two men in the telegraph office.
Both bestowed nervous chances along
the two rails up the track to the
point where they met the horizon.
mot in sight yet" said the agent
as he glanced in the direction of the
man surrounded by Morseologv.
"Umr came from the busy man
who was having busy day.
Who's aboard?" asked the agent.
''Don't know. &C. o. didn't say"
The clicking went on merrily from
several different directions. A shut
fling of feet was heard in the direc-
ton of the window which opened into
the freight house areawav. The OPP
orator turned slowly in his chair, be-
slowed upon the visitor enc of those
helpless, plying looks, and without
a w Of nc
turned again and watched the ticker.
Whether the stranger wanted to
know the time of the next train east,
or whether any household goods had
come for him, or whether he was eX-
pecting an express package from Chi
cago with a mail order in it from one
of the stupendOus houses that Sc y
only on mail orders, did not develop
at the time. for the man was gone
when the operator had taken the mes
sage and was at liberty to talk.
There was a sudden roar, the sound
of whistling air and an engine and
two cars stood in front of the depot.
The rear car was not like the coaches
that had so often gone through with
out stopping. Its side windows were
large, and there were partitions scat
tered all through it. A coon with a
white duck coat and white cap, with
an official look on his face that would
repel any attempt at familiarity. was
one of the glimpses that were afford
ded the agent through the little win
dow under the block signal. The
window that this duskv man peeped
through was like all the other win
dows-a great, square one. with no
seats in sight through it. The plat
forms were covered with fancy rail
ing, tightly closed with a little fancy
gate, and the word Private scin
tillated dangerously from the panel of
the door.
A tall military looking man wear
ing little travelling cap alighted
quickly from the train, a cigar be-
tween his fingers. A sack coat of
gray was buttoned tightly about him.
He was followed by short. fat man
with bankers moustache and
glance that seemed to skip the head
of every BODY in sight. A third man.
bronzed from the suns heat timidly
and slowly brought up the rear
The military man and the stout
one went into the depot. while the
man with the tanned face shook
hands with party who was CARRYING
a tampev bar. This must have been
the roadmaster.
The fact that a passenger train had
stopped at the depot at that time Of
day brought some town fellows to the
depot on the run. They heard the
whistle and saw the train, and al
though they had no business at the
station they walked up and down the
platform staring into the windows
and making remarks. Not knowing
just what to do with their hands,
they thrust them with jab into the
side pockets Of their pantaloons. And
there they staid.
IAN ossifer of railroad must have
a fine time of it, one gave out. IF