The Jennings daily record., 1902-12-13
> ANE CREEK was a railroad
crossing on the S. and c. C.
n Railroad, about two miles

ANE CRIEIA was railroad
* crossing on the S. and c. C.
Railroad, about two miles
from the division terminal
at Mercer. 1t was in the midst of q
scrubby 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,
little general store With porch like
the visor OF a military cap. and a
school house, all arranged in scraggy
row along the railroad track.
A dozen trains whirled through
Kane Creek every day with only q
Shrek Of greeting and a Whipping
wake of fine sand. Only two of them
paid the slightest attention to the girl
in a blue gingham dress who stood In
the little observation window. One OF
them was the way freight which
stopped at Kane's every time 1t came
along while the conductor handed the
girl bundle Of yellow papers and
received another like 1t in return. The
other was the night express. westward
bound from st. Paul, and running at
forty miles an hour. It was Il splendid
train-ten cars. with the finest engine
on the road, big Number Six Hundred
Six. AS It's glaring eye flashed around
the bend in the direction OF Mercer the
girl In the gingham dress often thought
OF the great train as Il powerful and
ferocious beast snorting and roaring
westward on race with the sun. 1t
was beast, but it was we'll trained,
and she knew the hand that trained
It. When the train was Il mile away
there We're always two blasts on the
whistle. Every one else in Kane's
thought they meant simply. wake
up, look out!"--for that Is what all
locomotives say at every crossing
but the girl in the gingham dress heard
Hello. Polly" and dartctl out OIL the
platform and waved her handkerchief.
AS the great train thundered nearer n
hand was thrust from the engineers
window, and, although it was usually
dark, she could see the flutter Of some
thing white, and Oftentiues as the en-
Eine darted past the station she heard
the blurred sound OF voice anu
caught the glimpse of a grimy face and
blue jean Jacket. And then she went
back to her place i'll the little station
with sigh OF deep contentment
Tor il was 4 moment of great 10y 10
Polly Marshall when her fathers cn-
sine went through. Polly was the
station agent ct Kane Crcni-auy one
could have told that woman pro
sided III the littic depot. for was there
not always bouquet in tho window
and dainty pictures surrounding the
ssTmy time tables or the walls, ard Il
kitten curling upon Tie doorstep? At
seventeen Polly had gone in rs assist
ant to Learn teiegrarhy, and when
Clark, fhe agent was; called to Mercer
the company had left the independent
girl in charge. Size and her ather
lived in one OF the wooden houses II
stones throw back from the depot, and
Since Folly's mother. died they iiad
been everything 10 each other.
Engineer Marshall was Il big. silent
man, and his companions. some OF
them, thought him grufr and ill-tenA-
rcred, but 10 Ic!iy lie WAS always ic,-
der as kitten. Often when she was
little girl lie took her down with
him 10 Mercer on his engine and
While she sat OH his black leather seat
ut the cab window. ciinging on with
hoth hands. h2 explained to her how
the big black creature under them was
started and stopped. what this brass
crGnil was for. and how, when the cn-
Ginc squeakcd here and sUrealed there,
n little oil was needed in this cup or in
that crevice. And Polly had learned
TO EnnW an engine rs we'll aS she knew
the neat little pantry in the house 1T
home. Indeed, she had more tIlan once
managed the levers Hnd Tie throttle,
although 1t was very heavy work for
n girl to Go.
1t was one night late in the fall that
Polly Marshall had need OF all her
knowledge OF engines. She was sitting
ut her desi. III the little observation
window. shaded light throwing its
rays down on lcr telegraph instru-
neits and the souudar clicking sleep
lily. Suddenly she was startled by the
sudden call OF her number. lnstnrtiy
her fingers sought the keys ana she
gave the answer that signiiied that she
WIS all attention.
Look out for" clicked the
sounder, and then it suddenly ceased.
and try us she would Polly could get