The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-23
Our Daily $bort Story

Bill Manner8 was takinx tno CPc@A through with the president board.
 "They had the road: but just before they got to Big river a red light harsd up on the track just ahead of them, and Bill pulled the brakes down hard and stopped her. There was nobody there, no light at all. for it faded out to nothing as the wheels quit grinding. Bill climbed back in the cab, but Jim Hughes, his fireman, suggested that they had better see if the bridge was all right-thinking of Baynes and Grant Crossing. Sure enough, Big river had carried away the middle span of the bridge. After that. the boys spoke of Mad Murphy in whis- pers, and they began to call him ''Old Man Special Providence"
 Braxton licked the ashes from the end of his cigar: How about your own cx- perience with hfm?'
 The superintendent looked at his watch. 'Tts about time they were getting here with the wreclxing crew. Yes, I don't mind telling it-Fm not asking you to be- lieve 1t. You see, Braxton. wasn't any presidents son, no tablespoon railroad man. I came up from the ranks, liter ally, and about the first station that they gave me was not 6 doxen miles from here, right around the curve at Barrys- had not been married but a few months, and my wife had gone east to her mother to stay some time, and I felt pretty blue and lonely when I was ordered out heie on the mountain. It wasn't more than two weeks after came, when had or ders from "head' to hold a clear track for the Special that was going through to Denver that night, with some direc- tors, and the president of the road. The weather was mean, just before Christ. mas. two or three days: sleet, tce and drifting snow was making the travel slow and uncertain. All the regular trains had gone through, and 1t was past il o'clock. The Special was not due until c few minutes after F. I was sitting there, thinking about Minnie, and wondering what was the matter, as she had not written for over a month. Her mother had written that she was not we'll, but would be all right again in a few days, since that time, nearly four weeks had gono by without line from Minnie. The sounder clicked. and I turned to the in- strument: Hold Speciar'-no signature. I glanced at the clock. u:S0. Then I did c thing that was calculated to make me lose my position. I called up ''head" to know why. Back over the line came the reply: No such order issued. Wake up." Ten minutes passed, then again: Hold Speciar'--no signature. For full minute I sat there paralyged; then I grabbed the key and called up head" for the second time. There was no mis- take about the order that came bacx: You are drunk or crazy. New man will be sent out tomorrow. Turn over the books and get time"
 I dropped down in a huddled head. Alone on that mountain side, those con- fiicting orders before me, and the "Spe- cial' coming at tho rate of 30 miles an fIaAx a,,A &v.T ~-al~N fl NasSsH do my thinking in hurry. Click vert the sounder. Before could get to 1t: Hold Special for Gods sake. Murphy" The order was signed at last.
 Man. don't know to this day how I pulled myself together; but the rails were beginning to culver when I swung the lantern across them: and maybe you don't think those men were mad when they piled off that train and began ask. ing questions. Drunk D--d fool was about the last they said. The engineer, Jack Wilson shook his fist in my face; but one of the directors. nervous, snap py little man. got to us about that time: Here you, stop that! he ordered. Got such a thing as a hand car around here? he asked me. led the way to the tool house, and we had her out and on the track in two minutes, Jack Wilson swear ing like a pirate up in the cab, and every man of the crew mad as thunder.
 To make a long story short, right around the curve, where the road broad ems a little and the switch begins. a jack had been placed in such a way that the engine would have been turned com pletely upside down, making about the worst wreck that was ever planned felt like fool when those men began to swarm out of that private car, and the president was shaking my hand. never did know what was said to me, for right in the middle of it. a woman came walk ing up the platform with a bundle in her arms, right through the crowd of dirCc- tors. and the president himself made way for her as Minnie placed my Christmas present in my arms, and fell to crying about my neck"
 How did she come to be on the 'Sps. ciaI?"
 "She missed the regular train, and was waiting in the depot, when one of the di- rectors passed through. Minnie had known him when she was a child, her father had been his partner out east; and she spoke to him. When he found out who she was. he brought her through on the private car. That's all. The boy is at Yale now, and am here; thanks to old Man Special There's the wrecklrg car now" as long whistle sounded. and the division superintendent strolled out.