Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1901-08-13

his field of operations was hidden from
the house by a rise of land. When he
came slowly up from the orchard with
the tired oxen. his wife met him at the
back door.
Heres a letter for ye.' she said.
''Supper's a kettle mite late. but the old
mare limps 50 couldn't Sit home as
soon's planned. Better read the letter
fore ye set down to eat. hads't YEP
No. answered Cyrus. limping TO the |
barn with the oxen. 'Itll keep until |
arter I've had a cup O. tea, | reckon"
Cyrus Stackpole ate his supper delib-
erately and then sank into the old pad
ded rocker by the window and opened /
his letter. Hardly had he commenced |
to read it when. with a startling cry, he |
sprang to his feet again and ran stunt |
bling to the barn. Her husbands cry |
and sudden leap caused Mrs. Stackpole |
to drop a lot Of plates she was carrying |
to the sink, but not even the terrific |
crash of broken crockery ELECTED the
slightest attention from Cyrus. The |
letter had fluttered from the old mans /
Stackpole stopped aud picked it up with |
shaking fingers. Something in that let I
ter, she knew, had caused her hus
bands sudden dismay
She turned first to the signature. 1t |
was from Frank, their own dear boy, |
from whom they had not heard for two
years and whom they had about given
up for dead. since he disappeared in the
Alaskan goldllelds. He wrote:
Dear Father ard Mothes-l am coming home at
last-a rich man Have been out OF the world |
practically, since wrote you last-liNing in a
hut 200 miles beyond civilization VIII tell you
ali when see you. Look for next Tunsday
evening. learn that you have new railroad
now. and can reach you By train the sanie even
ing get TO Wilmington. God bless you both
Lovingly. FRANK.
What was there in that blessed letter
that could have caused her husband
such distress? Mrs. Stackpole wiped
the tears of joy from her eyes and sped
out to the barn.
"Cyrus," she cried, what ON airth
air We doing!"
Cyrus was hurriedly replacing the
yoke on the necks Of the weary oxen.
His hands trembled. Ills face was over
spread with an ashen gray pallor.
"Git out o the wayi" he shouted as
he lashed the oxen from the barn, the
long chain that dangied from the yoke
gathering behind He caught lantern
from nail and hurried after the star
tied and bewildered beasts.
where air We going, Cyrus" de-
manded his wife, following the dis
tracted old man as he led the oxen over
the crest of the hill to the orchard bars.
Cyrus made no reply, and his wife fol
lowed him. Then she saw the brstling
stump fence across the railroad. and
the whole dreadful truth flashed upon
her Cyrus had built fence to stop or
wreck the next train, and that was the
very train that Frank had written he
should take from Wilmington
The village station was a mile be-
You'd the Stackpole farm. The train
would not have even begun to slow
down when it passed through the or
chard. 1t was already getting dusk. 1t
would be pitch dark by the time the
train came along in just an hour.
Cyrus Stackpole never looked at his
wife, but worked with feverish haste.
and she did not interrupt him, for she
knew that every moment was precious.
The oxen strained nightly at the great
stumps. but they were so crowded to
gether and interlocked that it was bard
to get them off the track. Cyrus had
performed his defiant task unfortu-
nately well.
Light the lanternw cried the pant
ing old man at last. His wife took the
match he flung her and kindled the
slight fame in the dusty globe. Cyrus
bent and adjusted the chain anew by
the candies feeble light. Then the
oxen strained together once more, but
the biggest stump Of all would not
move. The long. tough roots were
wedged between and under the rails.
"Godw groaned the old man. II was
the shortest of prayers, but 1t was a
prayer and not an imprecation.
"Hals.r' cried the trembling old wife.
From far off through the darkness
came a faint rumbllng sound. 1t was
the evening train from Wilmington
Cyrus" exclaimed the woman, red
light II stop 'em. I've heard so. Hain't
we got anything to make red light
with? Quick"
Cyrus disgorged the contents of all
his pockets at one sweep. Among them
was an old fashioned red bandanna
handkerchief Ills wife seized it, With
a cry Of joy. and. catching up the Ian
| tern. FASTENED down the track toward
| the approaching train. She turned up
1 the wick of the lantern until 1t smoked
furiously. Then she wrapped the red
handkerchief around the globe. held
the lantern up in both hands and slow
/ ~ swayed 1t to and fro.
The train was almost upon her be-
| fore the engineer saw the faint red
signal. But the airbrakes did their
magic work. aud the engine stopped
| within 20 feet of the last huge. bris-
! Ting stump of Cyrus Stackpole's fence
across the railroad. Frank Stackpole
was one OF the first passengers to lear
from the intercepted train.
what in thunder why. fathers old
orchardr' he exclaimed. And here's
motherr' lie caught tottering, gray
haired figure in his strong arms. Mrs
Stackpole. like all heroiDes. had frs
accomplished her deed and then faint
Cd away.
The railroad company did not entei
a complaint against Cyrus Staekpole
His big. black bearded. healthy sol
may have had something 10 do Will
that and he may not Very likely th'
unrestricted and undisputed right q
way through the old mans orchard
was an imducement. 81 any rate. th'
matter was dropped. and Cyrus Stack
pole proved to be so subdued in spiri
that only two days after his stunt
fence disappeared from the track u
rode through bis own orchard on on
OF the detested trains on bis way 4
Wilmington with his sen TO buy
brand new suit Of clothes and see thi
~f~rf+c ,,Na.-r York Eyprfrx Post