The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-10-22

iERMs: Six Months, so cents,
the wire which sounded indistinct his
thoughts seem to wander to that little
lonely station at Tenby and its fair oc-
cupant
"Wake up, Billy, what's the matter
with yon!" asked Jim Murray, the con-
ductor on No. IS as he rushed into the
station. Everyone of you key manip-
uiators appear to be moon-struck or
something ever since Kings sister has
been on the pike. What's the orders.
BilIy?"
"You are to 60 as far as Kasnuck.n
replied Billy. "Well, so long" said
Murray. 81 will see what can do for
you and Miss King" and ne darts out
and swings aboard his caboose.
NH, m-h went the call over the wire.
and as Billy 0. X, it was Immediately
repeated. 1t was King and he invited
Billy to come down on the following
day to see him. Billy watched the
clock and it seemed as if morning would
never come. At last he is relieved and
he rushes upstairs and into his best
clothes and catches No. IS for Tenby.
The short time he spent there made
him more infatuated than ever, and he
Informed Miss King that he would
like to become teacher of telegraphy.
Midway between Tenby and Mar9ach
flowed the Pine River which the rail-
road crossed. Some time previously
the piles on this bridge had to be
strengthened on account of heavy
blasting made during the double track
ing OF the line. In the spring the river
generally overfiowed, consequently
careful watch was maintained at the
bridge.
Some few weeks after Billy had be-
come acquainted with Miss King he
was startled one night just before the
express was due BY having his call rap
idly repeated Oh the key. NH. NH
was still being called, SO Billy wired
the dispatcher and asked if No. / was
all clear to Scovi. He was assured
that it was. Again came his call and
he managed to piece out the following
message: Hold express bridge-Jim
train" He knew in moment that it
was Miss King and that something
was wrong. He rushed outside and
swung the red light just as No. came
pounding in.
The conductor was furious and de-
manded to know the cause of The de-
lay. Billy explained aud handed him
the message "Why, somebody is
handing you a lemon" remarked the
conductor. "Mr. King is aboard the
train; here he comes now"
"Why are you holding No. / 7" asked
King. He was handed the message,
and on reading it he advised the con-
ductor to approach the bridge eau
tiously, saying that something must
have happened to the bridge. When
they arrived at the bridge they realized
the import of the message, for the
bridge had been washed away and the
river was raging torrent. A great
disaster had been averted, for if they
had not received the warning it is like
ly that the engineer would have failed
to see the danger in time aud great
loss of life would have resulted.
It seemed that the section foreman
noticed that the bridge was in danger
and sent man out to- watch and flag
any approaching train at the slightest
sign of danger, leaving him jigger to
proceed home with. IIe stated that
about eleven o'clock he noticed the
bridge was weakening, and then all of
q sudden the structure gave away. 1t
was Impossible to flag the express, as
he was on the wrong side of the river,
so he jumped aboard the jigger and
made haste to reach Tenby. Arriving
there he was Informed that King was
away for the night, so he told Miss
King of the disaster to the bridge.
She Immediately made use of her scant
knowledge Of teiegraphy aud wired the
foregoing message to Margach to hold
the express. How successful she was
has been seen, but she said she was
nearly frantic knowing that her brother
would be aboard the train and for fear
that Billy would not understand or
perhaps take it as joke.
The company afterwards presented
her with first-cIass situation and am
fconfin,,e<1 ~, rec> &hre.a