The L'Anse sentinel., 1916-02-12
''HE Also SHINES


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/ BellamS was assigned to the Black
Greek station In February. He went
to It grimly. knowing AL its demands
and dangers. II was not only black
BY name. but Il held the blackballedI
place Of honor with every operator IN
Wisconsin. Timber stretches, them
the river, black and turbulent, them
the embankment and railroad tracks
and hiB lone eyris percled near the;
water tower-that was Black Creek
station. Back In the hills. II you fol-
lowed the corduroy road. you came toi
b few houses. Bellamy boarded at
one the first week. but tired Of it,
and he heard Of Ma Appley's from
Operator No. 10.
She was stationed down at Sweeti
water, eight miles below Black Creek.
After the firs' week she would an
swer questions. and when he conn
planned Of the food and lodging up at!
tho halfbreed's house. she told him
to hang on to the 7:20 local and drop
on at Sweetwater and she'd take HIM
over to Ma Appley's.
That was the beginning for Bellamy.,
All his life he remembered the picture
she made waiting for him on the plat
form. It wasn't that she was 80 beau
tiful. Bellamy only knew that shel
was infinitely tender and womanly.
He found himself telling her all his
hopes and plans the third night, after
he had become regular" down at
Ma Appley's. And when he had fin-
ished she had nodded her head.
Il know. / think every one should
set something ahead of him and then
run for 1t. I'd rather be anything
than GUTTER"
The thought of that had made him
hang on to his nerve through six
months Of Black Creek, with its lone
liness and hard work. /
The river had been high all day.
When he took the station over at six.
Tucker, the day operator. told him he
had tried for an hour to get an an
swer from Packers Grove. twenty-five
miles north along the river.
N there's washout up there wen
get It here during the night, and
Sweetwater and you'll have to hold
back the trains"
Sweetwater and he. He called her
as soon as he was alone. his Sweet
water sweetheart, as he laughinglyI
named her to himself. Madge Lowell
ON tho company's pay roll.
Keep at the key" she called. No
matter what happens. don't 60 away
There are two passenger trains be-
sides the express. and it's up to us.:
because we're at the top Of the val
ley and will get the first ALARM"
Il was quarter Of eleven when.
he heard the roar up the valley. He
leaned out of the little side window
and saw the river dashing below. II
was over the siding tracks now and
rising. He called Sweetwater and
told her the food was booming down
the valley and the tracks were going
under. And In five minutes she called
back that the express had left Chip
,pewa Junction already. but she was
signaling 1t from her station. II It
passed he must call for help.
How can 1t pass your"
"The river may get me first"
Then he understood. He was In q
tower, but her little shack was on q
level with the tracks, q few pine
boards with water tank on one side,
and semaphore on the other. The
river would pick 1t up like o chip.
He begged her to 60 away-to leave
the station and summon help. She
said there wasn't time. The express
was on the way up. And then Bel
lamy tried to make the key carry his
message to her, all that he had meant
to say, all that she was to him. And
she called back lust this: \
Il know. dear. Here comes the ex-
press. The waters up to my door.
Good-by."
He staggered to the window and
hung out, listening as II he could
have made the night tell him what
was happening out in the heart Of It.
There came the call Of the express -
Il swung around the curve below her;
above the roar Of the waters It came
family, far-off, broken shrek, 1t
seemed to him. for help. Then o.
lence. He called 6weetwater dog,
gedly, but NO answer came His wire
was still alive, though. and he caught
the FIRST big town south, asking help
for Sweetwater and the express.
Through the Allow, dread hours till
dawn broke he sat head down ON his
arms at his table. Yet she had told
him to stick and he lived up 70 her
measure Of him. answering each can
that came up the valley, warming
each town along the river. stopping
each. train It the points Of safety -
she would have begged him to do.
Tucker came an hour earlier. cheery
and riotously ovsrjoye& to md ths
station safe.
-Bad nisht. eAY' he asked.
s nellasny aid not answer. He
dropped down TO NEST the looaI = 4
came cautiously along. And - ~
stood Watching On the DlaxfoFD ~
sav l1adoo On tl,D steps of tho1 end
~ g6o 1llnned infb l6a, oufntr6< -