The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-08-30

1O dA--1l lhulIlSan
Has any pigs tasell!"
--Yonsers Gazette.
AN EPISODE OF A FREIGHT TRAIN
I. Larry Hallan closed the windows o
his caboose with the first drops of rain
and entered the depot, for the purpos
of getting bite before going up. HI
was young man of six and twenty,
thorough railroader, and favorite will
his superiors. 1t was rumored that h,
would leave the road to take unto him
self wife, and one who was high owe
him had said when he heard the report
That's the way it has been going
with us. When a man can't be spared
he gets married and bids us farewell fol
a hum-drum life. Wish we could breal
up Hallan's foolish match; we cam
spare the boyp'
But Larry kept his own counsel con
cerning his future actions, and smiled
when the words of the bachelor and
master reached his ears.
It's going to rain," said the restaura-
teur to Larry, as he cracked the shells OF
two hard boiled eggs on the counter.
"Big drops are coming down" T" replied
the caboose conductor. We will have
a lonely run of it. Mansfield is not
going up tonight, I guess"
Mansfield was a commercial drummer,
whom Larry often carried up the road
to Pemberton.
Haven't seen him about yet. Don't
think he is in the place"
Larry ate moment in silence and
then spoke again.
Any news f'
Nothing in particular, only that
Dirck Waterman has been put into Jail
here. They talked SO strongly about
lynehing him over at Xenia, that the
authorities, fearing for his life, were
obliged to remove him. They lodged
him in Jail here one day last week, and
he is docile as kitten. 1 guess he'll get
long term, but as for hanging-that's
out of the question; bad man seldom
gets his just-dues nowadays. No re-
Election on Judge Meeker, Larry"
"Of course not, Charles" replied
Larry. "Justice seems to sleep. But
she will awake before long; then look
out. But our Jail is not overstrong, l
understand"
That's so, but it will hold Dirck
Waterman. He is afraid to trust him
self at large in country where his face
, and crime are so well known, and l
assure you, Larry, that he is content to
ranoain in iail -
Larry Hallan finished his late lunch,
and took the cigar that the restaurateur
handed over the counter with his COM
pliments.
Then, with an interchange of good
nights, the men separated.
On the track just without the station
stood the train destined for Pemberton,
a town of importance thirty-six miles
up the road. The +" makeup" comprised
six freight cars, not heavily loaded, and
was the lightest train that Larry had
ever been called to run.
We've got feather train tonight" :"
the engineer said to him, with a smile.
eve could run into Pemberton before
the passenger ran out, but suppose we
will have to switch as usual at Peter
son's."
Certainly" returned Larry. We
have waited on that old switch in the
rain before tonight. Maybe it will
clear of"
"Not in twenty minutes" grumbled
Kyle, the engineer, and moment later
the great iron wheels began to move.
Larry sat down in the caboose and
freshened the fire; then he folded his
arms and leaned back against the side of
the car.
The speed of the train was gradually
increasing, and he could see the lights in
many windows, when the door opened,
and man, dripping, and with a
ferocious look, walked in.
The young freight conductor started
and pallor crept over his face when
he looked into the blood-shot eyes of the
man who might prove one of the wickedest
passengers conductor ever carried. The
wet garments worn by the man height
ened his ill appearance, and his cleanly-
shaven face could not conceal the
shadows of once black beard.
Larry thought he might recognize his
passenger if the beard had remained,
and he began to conjecture whom he
might be.
"Bad night" the man said, throwing
himself upon cushion opposite Larry.
That voice startled the conductor, and
betrayed his visitor.
The former now knew that he sat face
to face with Dirck Waterman, the man
whose diabolical crime had shocked the
State. Waterman, short time prior to
his arrest, had been discharged from the
services of a well-known line of railway.
Exasperated with his deserved treat
ment, he deliberately obstructed the
track one mad October night, and hurled
train down steep embankment into
a rocky gorge. Many persons were
killed outright by the catastrophe,
others MANNED for life, and the revenge
of one man satiated.
He was apprehended by the sheriff and
sent to Jail, there to await his trial. The
people of Xenia determined to take the
law into their own hands. They attacked
the Jail, but the sheriff and his deputie:
bafied them by conveying the prisoner
by secret post to Piqua, town in al
adjoining county.
The voice of Harry Hallan's unex
pected passenger told him that he wa
Dirck Waterman, who had withou
doubt lately escaped from the count!
Jail.
at is, indeed, a bad night" LAIR,
answered. Where are you going"
"TO Pemberton. You run very slowly.
We are in no hurry; we switch a
Peterson's for the down passenger"
Couldn't you get to Pemberton be
fore she moves outp'
Don't know. we navar tr;ad 10