The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-07-15
THE RAMpAGEOUs BRAKEsMAN.

Soon after the opening of the East
Tennessee and Georgia railroad, there
CHANGED to be travelling over the line,
in a car where there were but few pas
sengers, a gentlemen who was seated
opposite the stove, wrapped up in his
shawl and meditation. Night came
on. Presently in bounded brakes
man, loudly slamming the door be-
hind him, one of those country geni-
uses, who, with a laudible ambition
had day or two ago abandoned the
girls, the fiddle and the plow-tail, to
"climb in the world" and become a
brakesman. He had been the "king
bee" of all the neighborhood frolics,
at the house raising, the corn shuck-
ings, and at the cross roads doggery
fighting ground, and now he felt sure
that he was "king bee" on railroads.
Strutting up to the stove he slammed
down his lantern, kicked the mud from
his huge boots on the foot board of
the seat, spit tobacco juice copiously
and noisily on the Kissing stove, cross
ed his muscular thighs, took a survey
of the aforesaid boots, with harness
leather straps, and then bethought
himself of the "customer" opposite, on
whom he proceededto bestowa length
ened and saucy look, as though he
doubted the customers right to be in
the coach at all. AT length he sought
knowledge:
"Whar are you guine, Mister?'
"To Daltcn sir" responded the gen.
tleman.
preacher, amt you ?"
"No, sir, 1 am not; but why do
you ask ?"
"Oh, nothing, only I thought I saw
'Hark from the tombs' sticking out all
over you like the measils. You know
me, | recon ?"
"No, sir"
"Well, I'll just be dam; why whar
the devil was you raised?"
"At Maryville, East Tennessee"
ooh! that excuses you, for if ever
I hearn tell ov that settlement afore
1 wish 1 may be burned, and knows
every place, l duz."
'You seem to be we'll acquainted
with the place you now occupy" re-
piled thestranger almost choking with
efforts to suppress his laughter.
"What place do you mean Mister :?
This ere red bench covered with the
dried skins of cows tongues, or my
office"
81 allude to your office, and by the
way what is your position on the road?
"Brakesman, by the jumpin gemi-
ny, thought everybody lSnowed that;
brakesman over the Yeast Tennessey
and Georgy railroad"
"Unfortunately, | did not know it."
"Well, you'd dam soon foun the fac
out if you'd cut up any shines round
here, huggin wimmen, or cussin or
tryin to steal anybody's carpet bag, or
talkin sassy to the conductor, or sich.
Why, I'd chuck you butt foremost
thru that winder, like darting clap
boards through the cracks ov a barn
for l mean to run this ere train on
high morril principles, l duz. And
you didn't know 1 was the brakesman
on this here road?
"Indeed, sir, l did not"
"Well old Slideeasy, all I've got to
say is that for man of fyourlooks, you
know less than any man | ever saw.
How do you manage to make livin"
81 receive a salary; 1 am President
of this road. Wallace is my name;
but l have not the pleasure Of know
ing yours will you be so kind as to in
form meT
Allsymptoms of" king bee' disap-
peared at this thunderbolt announce
ment, and in their stead were seen hu-
mility, crushed pride of place, strong
get up and git expression, and a
most contounded hang dog done up and