The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-12-02
THE CONDUCTORS STORY.
BY REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.

Good arableo Yes, Sir; and II you look
at it in the way Of scenery, it's as pretty
bit of land as you'll find in Kent county.
That stretch now ahead. By the way,
there was queer thing happened on the
track just three years ago come Thanks
givin9-as queer as ever came in my way
since I've been railroadng. 1t occurred
in this way: I'll have time to tell it, l
reckon. We have to switch off for the
express at the next station, and lay by
awhile.
This branch road you see, was built for
the local peach business was put on as
conductor of the first train that was run.
By George! how the engine woke the coun-
try up, The Delawareans are genuine
Southerners-lazy and hospitable. They
were hospitable to the very train, in way
commercial people couldn't understand
1t wasn't 4 matter of business; it was 4
home affair to them, like their church or
their darkies; something to chuckle and
gossip over and boast about. The stations
used to be crowded with young fellows in
flashy neckties, and their sweetheartS, nice,
modest little girls, loaded with cheap finery,
who had made up parties and come down
from the interior to see the train go by
Every old farmer on the route thought he
owned the engine the General Jackson it
was and knew each separate car as well
as he did his own bulls and sheep. They'd
treat their wives to few miles ride, as
you town people would run over to Europe
with yours.
OF course, sir, I was at home here on the
road in two weeks. Everybody called me
Dick. There were scores of places where
could drop in for an odd meal. | began
to doubt whether they were my uncles and
cousins or not. Besides, a man here, after
fifty, has no other business but loating.-
All the old fellows got free passes over the
road, and forsook their corners by the tav-
ern fire for the baggage-car. There they
smoked day after day, and told queer sto-
ries of their neighbors' families for the
benefit of anybody that chose to listen. |
knew all the gossip by heart directly. 1t
was just when the peaches were in bloom,
too, when l went on the road, and | soon
was punching open buds with my thumb
nail, and talking earnestly Of Early Blush
and Morris Whites with the rest. It's a
curious sight to see that pink flush, above
the early spring mud, from one end of the
| State to the other, and to think that crop
is the one matter of life and death to the
people.
The peaches had come and gone, though,
when one day, about month beforeThanks-
giving, an old fellow came on board with
his family, who had pass for two
down to St. Georges. | saw at a glance
he was none of my usual deadhead squad.
A thin, wiry old man, ite-headed, but
as active as boy of sixteen, and with the
true Delawarean knack of finding friends
and showing himself friendly. lie was a
reporter on some Philadelphia penny
papsr and had his notebook out every
minute, pumping me about the New Castle
whipping post, Sloan's fish-breeding exper-
iment, and the condition of the freed
negroes.
make items, make items.' he said
Pushes the paper wonderfully into local
circulation
| He had been doctor or lawyer, forget
| which. in New York, and was starved out,
he told me, so took up journalizng. lie
did not impress me as a man of ability:
and besides, the poor old fellow was worn
out 1t was high time for him to lie by
and loaf with the others in the baggage car.
Newspaper work, - "pays handsomely,
compared to my own profession. We get
on quite comfortably on my salary; quite
| comfortably"
l noticed, however, that both he and his
women folks were thinly and shabbily
dressed. did not pay much attention tC
the women, but there was boy, Dan, the
old mans grandson-a little chap of fonl
that took an odd fancy to from the first.
He had an ugly face, but I think one Of
| the most honest and lovable l ever saw.
Tanner-that was the old mans name
told me that he had brought his wife and
daughter down to keep Thanksgiving in
this village, where they had lived years
! before. "We were all younger and cheer,