Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-07-12

The Train wfeckers.
II was shortly after the war that Pom
pey came to US, the same summer, il
fact. that the great railroad, stretching
itself across the country, came through
the southern part of the State, anc
passed directly over the lower end o.
our meadow.
II was having time when be came
along the road and begged for work.
What's your name Z" my father asked
him.
"Pompey." was the simple answer
What can JON -doi" my faihsr con.
tinued.
Pompy showed his teeth.
81 kin pick cotton, massa," be
sa,d.
"Can YOU mow1'
Guess SO. Use mighty quick tc
learn"
So father called out to me.
Jack" said he "take this man in
ahd give him some supper. l thini
he'll do"
And Pompey did do-do q splendid
deed that I'm going to tell you about
only that was years after.
All that time he stayed with US, and
there was not one of US but loved him.
Faithful, patient, trusty old Pom.
pey!
We always had a kind Of grudge
against the iron rails for passing so near
US and cutting of the prettiest portion
OF our favorite meadow.
And we never to this day have grown
quite used to the roar Of the train and
the shrek Of the locomotive as it comes
rushing by in the night.
1t always disturbed US all except
Pompey.
Somehow the negro and the railroad
struck up an intimate and lasting friend
ship.
Although he was intelligent enough
about most things, towards the locomo-
tives he seemed to feel a sort Of super
stitious awe, looking upon them some.
what as the earlier Indians regarded the
first ships that came over the Allan.
tic.
Almost every evening, If the night
was fine, PomPey would light his pipe
after supper, and 60 down through the
orchard to The meadow, and sit there
until the train went by.
That was not until ten o'clock.
There were two passenger trains
each day, one at morning and one at
night.
OF course there were plenty of freight
sre'ss r~~.:"s ~t al l>..-.
twas one hot afternoon that Patty
came in from the barn.
Patty IS my sister.
She said that there was somebody in
the hay-mow asleep.
She had heard him snore.
PomPey was sitting in the kitchen
porch just then.
There was nothing particular doing
that day.
Father had gone to town.
He jumped up when Patty told US this.
"lts them dirty trampers s." he
cried.
He looked upon all tramps with con-
temptuous disdain.
They were always allied in his sim
pie mind with the white trash" of his
native South.
So, with him at our head, and our
dog Rover too, we took up our march
for the barn.
Pompey seized a pitchfork, and climb
ing the ladder, >prang eagerly into the
hay, very much as terrier dives in
among the rats the instant a door is
opened for hum.
Presently we heard his voice.
He seemed to be stirring up some.
body.
Come, now, wake up here! What
YOU tinks' Gwine to lay abed all day
Rouse out, now. Time was on your
trabbels, ! reckon"
There was some growing and grumb-
ling in response to this.
Then down the ladder, one after
another, came four men. unwashed and
Poorly-dressed, as desperate and viii
lainous-looking wretches as you would
care to meet.
They glanced at Patty and me sullen-
ly. and muttered something or other
| could not exactly tell what, only it
was half-profanity.
l had Rover BY the collar, but it was
as much as could do to bold him back
by hand or voice.
Pompey came down behind them, and
escorted them out 10 the road, talking
to them in his peculiar style.
When we told father At supper about
the tramps, he thought they might be
men who had committed some crime or
other. and were obliged to remain in
eoneealment during the day.
1t was not until afterwards that We
thought ofeonnecting them with an out
rage that had been committed several
days before, on the Central Railroad.
The rails had been torn up. with the
evident intention Of throwing a pAssen-
ger train down an embankmeut.
Luckily, a freight train came along
just before the other, and tw o lives were
lost instead OF hundreds.
That evening, after supper, Pztt and
I went to a neighbor's.
We stayed awhile.
1t was nine o clock before we arose
to 90 home, and then il took Us more
than half an hour to get fairly started.
The stars were shining brightly. and
as it was somewhat nearer. We decided,
instead Of going round by the road and
over the hill. TO 20 down the line, and