D. C. "PEACH CREEK, 4 | 13, 18--
"DS.
"Peach Creek bridge washed out to-night, but I heard of it and
arrived here in time to flag the flyer. Send an operator on the
wrecking outfit to relieve me.
(signed) MARY MARSH, Operator."
Two hours afterwards the wrecker came by X---- and, obedient to orders
from the despatcher, I boarded it and went down to work the office. We
reached there in about forty minutes and found that the torrent had
washed out the underpinning of the bridge, and nothing was left but a
few ties, the rails and the stringers. A half witted boy, who lived in
Dunraven, had been fishing that day like "Simple Simon," and came
tramping up to the office, telling Miss Marsh, in an idiotic way, that
Peach Creek bridge had washed out. Just then she heard me "OS" the flyer
and her office was the next one to mine. As the flyer did not stop at
Dunraven, the baggageman and helper went home at six o'clock and she was
absolutely alone save for this half witted boy. The section house was a
mile and a half away to the east. A mile away, to the south were the
twinkling lights of the village, while but one short mile to the west
was Peach Creek, with the bridge gone out, and the flyer thundering
along towards it with its precious load of human freight.
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