The L'Anse sentinel., 1912-04-20


L. road had not risen from the
ranks. If he had he would
have been more popular with the force
under him. He had obtained his place
through Influence" and nineteen times
out of twenty such men are cordially
hated.
The X. and L. had no use for women
| telegraphers. 1t had long been the rule
| of the road to turn all such applicants
down In the curtest manner. In some
way that seemed mysterious to ihe
other operators on the division young
lady had taken charge Of the office at
Stapleton. The place was only nam
let, and there was not much frelght OF
passenger traffic, but there was the
great bridge over the Big Blue river
lust to the west Of 1t, and there was
the deep cut extending for half mile,
in which several landsldes had oc-
Cured. so in way the post was an
important one.
The agent and operator in question
was Miss Carrie williams, and she had
} been crowded in, so to speak, by one
of the big stockholders who had heipeo
) the president out Of hole. She had
learned telegraphy at school, and this
) was her first place. A hundred miles
down the line lived her widowed moth
or and the girl was working for the
support Of both
1 II was a bit strange that Charles
0 Morton, the new division superintend-
e ent. had been in power six months be-
d fore he saw there was woman on the
line. Even his private operator had
sheltered her. Then an accident to his
train at her station brought the two
face to face. The man was brusque
and pompous in his authority, and he
was provoked and impatient at his de-
lay.
she was told plainly that his division
had no use for her. He was not run
ming a kindergarten. At the END OF
twenty days she would be replaced.
Within an hour 1t was known the
length of the division that Miss VIII
lams had got the sack because she
was mere woman.
"For inefIiciency" was the repor'
made at headquarters, and that wen
in each case. The president Of rail
road never sees reports OF such trinint
affairs and would not read them j
they were placed under his eyes, l
therefore followed that the presiden
of the X. and L. knew nothing of wha
had happened.
Fifteen Of the twenty days allowe
her to finish her month had passed.
was early spring, and there were col
slant rains. The track gang wa
watching the big bridge and deep Gu
The X. and L. Office at Marion, tn
next one east, was run on the SAN
schedule. At o'clock In the evenin
of the fifteenth day the track gar
came in and reported all safe. At
the passenger train whizzed by wit
out stopping, and ten minutes later Il
FOR girl was ready to go home. AS 81
ty, stepped out into the rain and darkne
rk- an affrighted hobo appeared and call'
)se out:
"Say. now, me pardner is buried u
on der about 100000 tons Of dirt ba'
ted dere I'm de cutV'
nes "Do you mean that one Of the ban
has caved inY' was asked.
"More'n an acre Of It. TIN take
whole week to dig me pardner o.
Better git de telegraph workin'. II
to train runs into dat heap you won't Il
Il a nuttin' but splinters left"
and The girl turned and ran back to
,g a office, and as soon as she could ligh
rad lamp she began calling for Marie
Irop The through freight was due soon q
hey er 8. 1t must be nociiied and held. E
can calls were not answered. The ope
mo tor was on duty, a. he had right
be. There was no telephone serv