Year: 1877

The long summer day had crept slowly
away, and it was nearly o'clock. The
hours at the railroad station were marked as
by some gigantic clock that told the laggard
minutes by screaming whistles and changing
bells The 4:30 accommodation had gone
East, the Western express, due there at 400
had thundered through the village, gone on
over the great viaduct, and disappeared round
the vast curve beyond.


So one counted the hours by the trains,
Lydia by name, girl Of the best New Eng
land type, quiet, and yet with an immense
capacity for doing and daring, should love
and the occasion demand. The local freight
would come next, and then-then she would
see him again. She laid aside her work, put
some split zephyr vanity upon her head, and
went out toward the railroad. As she ap-
preached the station she saw her brother,
the station master, opening the little freight
house ON the farther side of the track. By
this she knew that the local freight would
stop this time. Her heart beat the faster,
and she quickened her step. On reaching
the passenger station where the village street
crossed the railway, she looked up and down
the line, and then crossed over and turned
to the left, and walked beside the track to-
ward the freight house.


To understand all that took place on this
occasion, and to fully appreciate her consum-
mate skill in controlling the events 30 quick
ly to crowd upon her, We must study the
construction of the road at this point. The
main line for more than a mile to the right
or toward the East, was perfectly straight
and comparatively level. To the left, or the
West,it crossed deep valley by lofty stone
viaduct, and beyond the valley it curved
toward the North and mounted the hill by g
| long grade. Just East Of the passenger sta
ton a branch road entered the main line
and there was, as might be supposed, cros'
over switch Beyond the passenger station
on the West, was short siding ending in {
small freight house, and directly opposite
was another siding with freight shed ant
coal yard. At this point there was also an
other cross over switch.


Lydia walked on past the freight house
and, crossing the side track, found larg
fiat rock beside the way, and there, unde
the shade of an ancient apple tree, she sa
down to wait till her lover came.


He comes, she hears the three long whist
les sounding far down the line, and brigh
blush mounted to her face. The train woul,
stop. That was the signal for the station
master. Her brother came out of the freigh
house, spoke pleasantly to her, and the


walked ON toward the switch at the head Q
the siding.


Suddenly the main line track before he


began to sing in sharp metallic murmur


The train had entered that section of tn


road, and he was near, Then there cam


the sound of escaping steam. The engin


was slowing down, and the steam no longt


employed, was bursting with loud ros
from the safety-vslve as impatient of d,


lay.


With a jar that shook the ground, the in
! mense freight engine rolled past her, and IL
] engineer, leaning out of his window, noddt
TO her as he slid past. Then the cars in loI
: procession came into sight and moved pa
: with slowly decreasing speed. -Four brak
men, busy at the brakes, went past and ST


he came not. At last the rear car appeare


and a young man swung himself down fro


the iron ladder on the car. and sprsng TO Il
'ground at hef feet