Smyrna times., 1902-07-30

80. - ~,.----
1t was In the dry season, when no rain
was expected, the temporary tracks
might be swept away. After fifteen
minutes of doubt and worry he tele-
graphed Clairsville that he was going
to the creek and at once set out on a
run. He had scarcely started when a
gale sprang up in his very teeth, and |
within ten minutes it was all he could |
do to make way against it at a walk. |
Darkness had fallen before he reached |
the culvert. The bridge was gone!
The first train due was a freight at |
0 o'clock. This train would sidetrack
at Bristow for the express bound east.
He had tADught a red lantern, and this
he managed to secure to a pole sus-
pended over the track. That would
stop the freight, and he would get
back to the station in time to flag the
express.
The wind was bowling along at the
rate of sixty miles an hour, and a
dozen different times in returning over
that mile of track Bert was blown fiat
Even with the gale at his back it took
him as long to go as it had to come,
and he was thoroughly played out
when he reached the station. Even
| before he mounted the platform he
heard the instrument calling him and
| realized that something was up.
| A surprise awaited him as he opened
! or
his head on his arms and apparently
asleep, was the tramp of the afternoon.
The instrument was calling "B B."
as if lives depended on an instant an
swer, and Bert had to reach over the
sleeping mans shoulder to reply. In
a minute came this message from
Clairsville:
'What the dickens is the matter
with you? Are there any more emp
ties on the way"
''What do you mean" Bert asked.
81 mean that 1 have ditchcd the
seven cattle cars and want to know if
any others got away"
1t took some time to make matters
plain. Several times Bert shook the
sleeper and called to him to vacate the
chair, but he did not move. The
o'clock freight had brought down six
teen cattle cars and after backing
them in on the siding had pulled out
and left the switch wide Op2n. The
section gang had passed the SPOT with
out noticing the switch, and when the
gale came up seven of the cars had
been blown out on the main track and
started down the road at thirty miles
| an hour. The other nine would have
followed had not one of them jumped
| the track and held the rest. Clairsvillt
t had received word of the runaway'
] and ditched them to prevent a smash
t up with the express.
1 1t was no ghostly telegram that haC
] been sent in Bert's absence. The in
! jured tramp who had left him tina
p afternoon had for some reason re
j turned to the track later on. He mus
have seen the open switch and sight
ed the runaway empties. He ha
made his way down to the station t
give Bert NE information and, findin
him gone, had sat down to the instrU
ment and warned Clairsville. He ha
given Bert no hint that he was an OF
| orator, but such was the case. He ha
sent the message through in goo
1 shape and saved the road big smasl
| up.
/ "Here, wake up, wake up and shak
I hands and let me thank yOu," Be-
| shouted as the mystery was solved an
\ he felt his heart growing big
4 No reply broke the silence whiC
| suddenly and strangely impresse
Bert. The hands he touched wei
cold.
\ The inquest was held at Clairsvill
n and the verdict was "heart diseas
II aggravated by a recent injury" III
n recent injury" consisted of three br
A ken ribs. The fact that this was T
I ceived at the hands of the section bo
\ was not stated. That the poor cha
had ever managed to walk hundr'
4 rods the doctors declared a wOnderf
MI thing. He was nameless, homeless al
Nj friendless, and the railroad compal
u had no sentiment and no gratituC
n The poor bruised body was laid in
II paupers grave. unmarked and uncar
4 for, and only Bert Brown stood besi
y the last resting place of Bristow 81