Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-01-06
THE DAY MAN AT MUD FLAT

sisted 1t was providence. AS TOT FRAY
ing Dick, he would say, THAT'S the way
it was" and never tried to explain it
Dick Cameron, known to the other
railroad men on the MISSOURI division OF
the A., T. & S. F. railroad as Praying
Dick, was day operator at Mud Flat. In
fact, he was the only operator at Mud
Flat, and also agent. He went on duty at
six O'Clock in the morning, and worked
until half past seven in the evening, SELL
ing tickets, handling freight, baggage and
express, and doing all the telegraphing.
Mud Flat was very sorry sort OF a
| place; little rain-splashed, sunburned
| wooden town OF fewer than two hundred
people. II was situated near the bank Of
a torpid, dirty little river, and most OF its
inhabitants belonged to that class con-
temptuousiy referred to as "river rats. "
There was not church in town, and only
one Sunday school, which met Sunday
afternoons.
twas his interestin this Sunday school,
together with the constant appearance
| near his telegraph keys of a well-worn
Bible, from which he sometimes sent
| messages over the wire when business
| was slack, that gave him his nickname.
Cameron was not agent at Mud Flat
from choice. When he had moved there
with his young wife and baby girl five
years before, they supposed it would not
be for more than year at the worst.
lust why he had not been promoted
was rather a puzzle. Some OF the train
men said, with an oath, that it was because
he was so pious; a fellow had to be a
"sport" to stand in with the "bfasS COL
lars" they declared. Others said-and
no doubt more corectly-tlat it was be-
cause Dick did his work well and was
not always raising row, as every other
agent did who was sent to Mud Flat.
But there was something more than
either of these reasons, something of
which Dick Cameron was quite well
aware; and that was his lack OF any marked
ability. He was fail, ,painstaking opera
tor, a faithful accurate agent /; but he pos
| sessed no special qualifications that
would push him forward and mark him
for promotion.
AT the height OF his ambition he had
sometimes dreamed OF being agent at
Wellington, the next station above, fiji
teen miles up the road. Wellington was
| fine town of five thousand inhabitants,
good schools and churches, nice, clean
streets. and buildings that were attractive,
| just the sort OF town in which they would
best enjoy themselves, and in which to
raise and educate the little girl. The
salary, too, was good, hundred and
twenty dollars month, more than twice
what he received at Mud Flat. But Of
late he had not hoped for any promotion;
even change at the same salary would
have been welcome.
/
The dispatchers sat at their keys in the
railroad building at Mayfield, headquar-
tiers for the Missouri division. II was a
pleasant May night, and vagtant breeze
wandered in through some open window
and stirred the sheets on the dispatchers'
tables. One of the dispatchers relaxed
for a moment, and yawned. Everything
was running smoothly. The Limited was
on time.
+, His companion, the dispatcher handling
The east end, and on whose line was now
the fast California Limited, checked that
train out of Marion, looked at his watch
it was exactly two o'clock-and turned
to speak to Griffith, the night chief. who
had just come up and stood leaning on
the railing behind him.
Instantly the dispatcher whirled and
caught the key. Quickly and sharply he
asked a question of the night man al
Wellington, and grew deathly pale as the
answer came back haltingly. With ner-
vous haste he ordered Wellington off the
line, and called Marion, the next station
below Mud Flat.
as the Limited out OF the yards ?"
The question fairly cracked along the
wires.
"Yes," came the answer.
Goodness Griffith, the dispatcher
turned a CHASTITY face to the night chief
"there's going to be a wreck. Fool a
| Wellington forgot orders. Limited and
fast freight headed straight for each other
Get the train master quick. Get out the
wrecking crew, and every doctor ir
town"
The terrible news went through the build
ing like shudder; and the firstthought ir
every mans mind was of the suffering
and death in store for the passengers
sleeping securely, and of their fellow
trainsmen hurrying on those two mon
sters to their own death.
Every man about the building who
could leave his post ran up to the dis
patchers' rooms. Among them was tht
superintendent, who had just come in OF
train, and stopped at his office to leave
some orders.
The dispatcher was still trying desper
ately to find some way to stop one of thu
trains. The superintendent and tht
others, most of whom were old operation
themselves, stood by with drawn faces
silently reading off the wire the message.