The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-04-01
Delayed Dispatch

charge OF the Office before It was
cold, blustery day in January, one
OF those dreary winter DAYS that
make one feel SO melancholy and
blue, the wind shrieking about the
building and the snow falling thick
~ IN great white flakes, which seem
ed to be wing with each other for
comfortable spot on which to fall
when reaching the friendly bosom
OF earth. Old Sol had not favored
us with a smile all day, but had
sulklly hidden his face behind the
gray, restless clouds. It was truly
a dismal afternoon.
The office building in which I
was domiciled was one of those
dreary old country stations which
seemed to be dropped along the side
OF the railroad track at intervals
without an effort at making them
other than what they are-both un-
! comfortable and unsightly.
The little town of B. was
sleepy little village of 900 inhab-
itants, built down in a valley, sur
rounded by hills, from which flowed
an abundance of beautiful, clear,
pure spring water, supplying the
humble, contented citizens. Today
the place presented picturesque
appearance. The snow had been
falling heavily during the night.
and the trees, fences, housetops,
bushes and streets were completely
covered with the beautiful"
The principal street of the village
ended at the foot of the long wind
ing hill which served as coasting
place for the merry young people.
The only sign Of life about the place
this memorable afternoon was the
occasional jingle Of sleighbells watt
ed to my ears on the frosty air as
some farmers boy took advantage
OF the deep snow to exhibit his new
sleigh and a merchant now and
then coming to the station for his
small shipments. One or two dis
consulate looking tramps passed my
office, trudging along through the
snow, casting an envious glance in
my direction as | sat in the bow
window.
This cold, wintry day as I sat in
the little office listening intently to
the tick of the two instruments on
the table in front Of me little did
l dream that it was to be the one
eventful day of my life. Looking
from the windows, / could see east
and west of me the straight line of
track stretching away like two sill
yer reptiles running side by side
over a vast white sheet. A short
distance north of the office was the
old wooden mill of Bartlett & Sons,
from which issued the sound of the
merry wheels as they hummed in
busy unison with the click of the
looms, keeping company with my
wandering thoughts.
At a distance of perhaps quarter
of mile on each side of my Office
were two curves, preventing my see
ing a train approach the station
from either direction until the
shrill whistle Of the engine called
for my signal or down brakes.
| I had just learned telegraphy, or
thought I had, having studied it
about four months, and had become
proficient enough, as my sanguine
teacher avowed, to fill the place with
perfect safety while he made pleas
ure trip to Louisville, the center OF
gravity for him. / remember I had
serious misgivings as to my ability
to take care of the Office work and
sat with tears trembling on my eye
lashes long after the train bearing
my only assistance had disappeared
and felt very much depressed, as
though on the eve of some great
calamity.
To throw off this dreadful feeling
l walked~to the waiting room and
back several times, hummlng pop
ular air to keep up my spirits. |
think I had been thus occupied an
hour or so when I heard the train
dispatcher at IN" giving an order
to the operator at Wilmington for
No. 48, a freight train coming east.
It read: "Train No. 48, engine 236,
has until eleven ten (11:1O) q, m.
to run to RaysVille for No. II, en-
CINE 245.- R. G. L.
/ went to the table and copied
the order as it was given, simply co,
ing SO to pass the time, and heard
the operator at Wilmington receive
it and give the signatures Of both
conductor and engineer OF No. -.
the dispatcher giving him the cor
rect time. Then | noted Whining
ton reporting No. 48 out OF his sta