The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-07-16
Getting q Free Pass.

"ls the superintendent abaout
The clerks at the Boston and Provl-
dence Railroad Office in Boston looked up
from their books and accounts and saw
specimen of the genus New England an
kee, since the days of railroad enterprise
yearly getting scarcer. An old man oil
81 or 20 years of age, whose face contlh-
ued exposure to the sun had Drowned 10 a
mahogany color, whose thin, lron-gray
hair struggled out from under felt nat
little the worse for wear, whose store
clothes" were a dozen years old IN fashion,
whose expanded bony hands and vast ex-
tent OF wrist projected far beyond the coat
cuff, and broad square brogans, ued with
leather strings and guiltless OF backing,
stuck far through the ends OF his panIi-
looms.
One of the officials, in answer to the in
auirv. pointed towards desk, where sat
an aiert-looking, clean-cut, all-alive sort OF
man, and said, "That, sir, Is MIR. Fol
son."
s'Harnsome % said the old fellow,
s!yaas so, so; but praise to the face is
open disgrace, as Aunt Jerusha used TO
say" %,
'What can | do for you to-day =
asked the superintendent, curiOusly eylng
the visitor that stood before him, in the
midst of a subdued smoker from the
clerks.
''Day? Yaas. very fine day. Don't sup,
pose you remember me, do ye!
ssYour name | must have forgotten"
"Mustapha Cotton? Thunder, no! Cot.
ton was the teller what did the gradin',
only furnished the sleepers."
''What grading do you mean p said the
Superintendent.
aGradin' done mean Gosh all hemlock
| should think it was. Bottom dropped
right aout ont"
F'What contract are you talking Of, sir
and what do you want of me?'' said thu
official, a little nettled.
"Who do | want to see? why yew,. l
yew air the superintendent. 1ew air
amt ye?'
"Ycs,'' said the railroad officer, with
smile, 81 am"
"Wall. We see, Pm little deaf an
used to furnish sleepers for this road
l did. Sold nigh GOO, an only tort!
| thrown aout." =,
ssYou must be Mistaken" said the rail
road man, shouting into his visitor
ear; we haven't made any contracts 10
some time"
"Seven wears! Wall, darn it all, 'twa
longer ago n'that. made a trade VIII
Raymun Lee-d'ye remember Haymul
Lee-littlc Teller, not ser tall rs yeW-
smarter er steel trap"
"Yes, [ remember him, he was super
intendent of this road twenty years ago.
Twenty years ago. IaaS, yaas
Wall. I moved East more'n tea years ago
7 was farmin' on it then up back OF Attic
berry: owned piece of land up there o.
sheers with Joe Farbink-him as brOk
his leo in a harrer in the wilder Burt
field-darned fool-told him the steer
would start. and he might hev known
"Well. WELL" said the railroad officer
jmpatientlv-.'w what is your business
"Wall, hev been runnin' a thrashlr
machine last fall daown ter Agusty
Maine. tendin' saw-mill till last week
lumber amt mOv'n so quick ez it used t
and"
"What is your business here, | mean?
bawled the superintendent. "What q
want?"
"Want? Why l want to go to Attl'
"Wen. why don't you 60? There's IL
station and the train leaves in ten NH
utes."
"Wall, hain't got no ticket-en eff yo
could give me a free pass"
"Why should pass you free? L ca
see no reason"
"Whv, you know, sold them sleeper
to Raymun Lee a cussed sight too low, al
he said" . .,
"What!" shouted the exasperated of
Ger. "Do you mean to come to me for
free pass over this road because invent
wears ago you sold Mr.. Lee $50 worth
sleepers? This is too much"
"Tew much. No, sir, yew couldn
buy them air sleepers naow for double Il
money. and Raymun Lee he want
t close of his passes, fur when | cum dow
here and settled with him an got talki
t with him. he told me if I'd only go up
z Attleberry he'd gin me a pass"
Good gracious " said Folsom, sin
: ing back into his chair, hoarse and e.
hausted from shouting, with great dro1l
r of perspiration on his forehead, 9 so Will
t if you'll only go. Mr.. S, buy him tic
z ct for the next train, and charge it to II
account. l won't write him a pass,
; might come back here on it,"