Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5923, 30 August 1890, Page 4

THE SIGNALMAN ON THE MIDLAND.

There are probably about a million men employed iv various capacities on the Railways "of Great Britain—-a number large enough, if they were soldiers, to overrun Europe. Upon the intelligence, fidelity, and physical condition of this vast army depend "the lives of the multitudes who arc constantly travelling by rail. Any sudden and serious disability happening to one of them may result in a, disaster which would put hundreds of families in mourning. Accustomed as it is to safe and swift conveyance from point to point the publio scarcely realises this fact. The following brief narrative, which is strictly true, will therefore bo read with interest :—

On tho Midland Railway, twenty-three miles south of Carlisle, there is a little station called Culgaith. Here there is a signal-box in which Signalman Andrew Agge is to be found on duly daily. As is tbe case with all other signal boxes, this one contains the levers and tho usual complicated electric and mech uiieal contrivances for making and receiving signals. Mr. Agge is on duty nearly every day, and takes bis luncheons without leaving bis post. Ho is a sturdy man of thirty-five, in good health, aud no complaint has over been made against him by the Company or by the public : yet an incident occurred a few years ago that came near depriving him of j.i. position ami his life. For some time be had'not felt, well, the worst and most dangerous phase .if his indisposition being a kind of giddiness that would seize him unexpectedly and, as he described it, "set everything to moving and twisting round and round." The tl -ctor told him frankly that it. was a symptom of a still more radical complaint brought on by too much confinement, and by his irregular habits of eating .".ml -b-epirtg, and that he had belter abandon his work for a while, and try a change of scene. But this was easier said than done. He had a family to support, and couldn't afford tho luxury of a vacation. He knew no other business, and could not risk the loss of his place. His work was always done, however, no matter bow lie felt. But it is only fair to say be had many anxious hours over it. His "ailment, which bo had discovered to be indigestion aud dyspepsia, now set up more alarming symptoms. A physician .-it Appleby assured At.r-.-e that there was serious n-itible with his kidn-ys and bladder. "It i <," sail the doctor to the Signalman. " tin.' result of tin-condition of your digestion, l'nur bim-d is poi.-imd by" your stomach, a:td every organ of the body is crippled by it." This wtis a miserable outlook for Agge, who went buck to Calgaitti with small courage for his work. He took hold, though, as well as he could, and kept up until one morning several weeks afterwards. He was in his box as usual when of sudden a sharp pain shot through him as though he bail been stabbed with a knife. He tumbled down on the locker in the signal-box, and lay there till the forenoon iv acute distress and agony. For the time his work was a secondary consideration. Unable to remain in that position any longer, he laid down and rolled ou the floor. The pain in his hips and back was so intense that he compared it to being cut with dull knives aud pierced with hot irons. Agge was alone when the attack came, and as nobody except railway officials are allowed in the signal boxes/it was some time before his plight was discovered. Finally, however, the station-master came in, the neighbors were summoned, and the suffering man was put into a trap and taken to his house, half a mile away. Thero he was ill for weeks, part of the time unconscious. When the physicians had avowedly got to the end of their resources it was agreed that tho Signalman's end was only a matter of a very little time.

This was the situation when a singular thing happened. Two or three years, before, vhile Agge- was feeling the earlier symptoms of his disorder, he had taken a medicine that helped him ; getting better, ho put the bottle aside, still half full, and forgot it altogether.

Now, as he was almost in a dying condition, his memory Hashed up one day, and he distinctly recalled where ho had put it. A search was made and then it was found. Tho prostrate Signalman began using it. and, to tho astonishment of neighbors and doctors, in a few days was able to get out of doors. Wit may mention that the medicine was the well-known preparation, Mother Seigel's Curative Syrup, although to advertise the article is not tho chief motive for this little narrative. As a matter of fact. Signalman Agge kept on doctoring himself with it, aud it cured him, bo its nature what it may. He went back to his box long ago, and this incident is printed in order that the reader may know more of the character and experience of a large ami faithful body of public servants.

O o w :■_ O N B R os , WOOL AND PRODUCE MERCHANTS London, Cii__.tcu._cu, and Napiee. Cash buyers of WOOL, SHEEPSKINS, AND HIDES, Also, LIVE STOCK OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, Wool Scoured for Clients at lowest rates at Greenmeadows Works. For terms of business apply at either Spit Wort... or Greeniueadows, or by letter addressed. ARTHUR BEAMAN, Manager for Bowrun Bros. Spit Post office. RECEIVED AT W. L. WHITE'S NAPIER BAZAAR A Fine Lot of AMERICAN TRICYCLES, Selling Fast at very Low Prices. Also, TVTEW TOYS. NEW FANCY ±. GOODS. Gread Reduction in Price of PERAMBULATORS And all kinds of B A S X E T W A it E. Ladies' Fancy Chairs from 7s Gd each. W. L."WHITE, WHOLE . AEE AND RETAIL BASKET, 1-EiIAMBULATuR, AND WICKER F URN ITUi. 1; MANUFCTUREE, Eaii__o_ .TKiiKr. IMPOUNDED at Hastings, August IS, by the Ranger— Dark-brown Man-, star on forehead, indistinct brand on near shoulder, .-bud all round. Bay two-year-old Colt, star on f.l .head, no brand vi>ible. Dark colored female Donkey. If not claimed and expenses paid will be sold on MONDAY, September Ist, at 12 o'clock Noon. W. STOCK, Pouudkeeper. [Established 1 b&'_ ] E. T. ALLEN, PICTURE-FRAME MAKER, GILDER, MOUNT CUTTER. AND DIRECT IMPORTER, lias ju..t received, ex America, a splendid assortment of MOULDINGS of newest designs. Ai-oin stoi.i*. a larj..' assonmi-nl. of Mouldings in Plain Dale, Oak and Black, and Gilt Oak. In thanking my pa'rons for )'-. I. favors i b"g ia. inform them ami the public generally i'ait baying had -JS ve-ir.' London anil C-lonial ....p-licne-l, tbev ,•;,*! ivlv on ,_U work- e::tru.-!ed to nr; )..•_!_ i ..-edited satisfactorily and on the most iva-; miible terms. Address: '.'.-..r1y1;. str,.ei, > aaier. '\\T lIILDKi. ;'LI. A. r'ON, Lome Vf . street, \Vei_n-..,n, Waste Produ-t ami Bo!tie Merchants, Cash Pun-.husers of _ L. id,' ...pp'...;. always on hand. Every d- ..-rii.ioii of Bottles bought, told, or ex*, lunged."