The Washington herald., 1907-03-12
REVOKING HIS ORDER
BY HENRY MOORE.

was not in tho least illustrated and lost
none of her dignity. While treating him
with the respect due his position. he some
how felt that there was a feeling of con-
tempt for him in her demeanor. He took
his departure a bit ashamed Of himself.
and yet furious that the whole division
had conspired against him.
W hin an hour IL was known the length
OF the division that Miss Williams had got
the sack because she was "a mere woman
She had the sympathy Of all the operators
and more than one counseled her TO ap-
peal 10 headquarters. She thanked them
for their kinds words and said that she
would be all ready 10 step out Of the Of
fee when the new man arrived. The d. s
should have saved his dignity. but the
feeling that he had been outwitted kept
him boiling hot. and within the next ten
days he discharged five operators and
struck terror TO the hearts Of all the rest
For inefficency" was the report he
made at headquarters, and that went In
each case. The president Of a railroad
never sees reports Of such trihing af-
fairs and would not read them II they
were placed under his eyes. 1t therefore
followed that the president Of the K. q
l.. knew nothing Of what had happened
and was going 10 happen at StapletOu
IL might have altered the case if he had
been appealed TO. but the girl. knowing
that she had been crowded out through
no fault of her own. would make no sign.
Fifteen OF the twenty days allowed her
to finish her month had passed. 1t was
early spring and there were constant
rains. The track gang was watching
the big bridge and the deep cut, but the
floods rolled under the one. and the
banks Of the other showed no signs of
giving way. The StapletOn Office was
cut out Of the circuit after the passage
of the Z o'clock train in the evening
Then the girl operator went 10 her Board
ing house for the night and resumed
duty at the next morning. The Office at
Marion. the next one east, was run on
The same schedule At O'Clock in the
evening Of the fifteenth day the track
gang came IN and reported all safe. At
the passenger train whiZzed by with
out stopping. and ten minutes later the
girl was ready 10 go home. AS she
stepped out into the rain and darkness
she heard shouting down the tracks. and
five minutes later an affrighted hobo ap-
peared and called out:
SAY. now. me partner is buried under
about four million tons of dirt back dere
I'm de CUT.
do you mean that one Of the banks
has caved in2' was asked.
"AIore'n an acre Of it. Tt'H take a
whole week 10 dig me partner out. Bet
ter git der telegraph w0rkin'. If train
runs into dat heap you won't find nuttin'
but splinters left
The girl turned and ran back 10 the
office. and as soon as she could light
lamp she began calling for Marion. The
4 of
must be notified and held. Her calls
were not answered. The operator was
of duty. as ne had a right to be. There
was no telephone service between the
towns. The tramp had disappeared into
the night. as if fearing that the railroad
company would hold him responsible for
the caye-in. The Gbpot was a good half
mile from the village. In fifteen minutes
after the tramp's first report the girl
was ready. With matches in her pocket.
and a red light I'm her hand, She was
making her way down the tracks in the
face Of the wind and the rain. Yes. there
had been Cave-in and a bad one For
space OF 100 feet the tracks had beer
buried ten feet deep. The girls only way
was to Chamber over the dirt and rocks
and brush. Sometimes she was caught
and held, and sometimes she met with a
ed and had TO be relighted. She pushed
ahead, however, until she reached the
western end Of the long bridge. It was
standing stanchIy. She saw the light of
a locomotive a mile beyond and began
waving the danger signal. BY and by the
train came to a stop almost at her feet.
1t wasn't the freight. but a special, and
among the anxious men who left the
coaches and came running along to make
inquiries was the division superintendent
Cloaked and bedraggled as she was, the
man did not recognize his discharged
operator
How did it come about? Why didn't
a man come 10 give warning?" he asked
"A tramp told me of it, and there was
no man to send she replied.
You must be from the village. and per-
haps you can tell me where the girl
operator boards. I must get into the
station and try to raise Vincennes by
telegraph"
Ten men followed the light of the
girls lantern over the great heap of
debris and to the depot. The D. S. was
surprised when she unlocked the door
and entered He was more surprised
when she laid aside her sodden hat and
cloak and sat dcwn to the key and began
calling each way and finally received
response. He gave her no Instructions
He simply listened and waited. She
ordered a wreckng crew to the spot and
then turned from the key to meet his
eyes.
I-aw-beg pardon" he said
Il don't understand, sir" she replied.
Youre-aw-Miss Williams
Certainly"
And two weeks ago II"
Discharged NE for being a woman
have five days yet. I believe. You win
find everything in order when the dav
comes"
But, Miss Williams, I was laboriDg
under a misapprehension, it seems. You
see"
I am a woman, sir. and there can be
no misrepresentation, and I bid you good
night
Six weeks later the D. S stepped down
and out. The president of the road had
sat up TO take notice. and the discharged
girl was bOssing things in one of the
best offices on the line.
Copyright, 1907. by P. c. Eastmentl
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