The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-10-10

Perhaps am old and foolish,
For my locks are growing 50 white;
But a bit Of the old love Ellie,
To brighten our hearth-stOnc tonight
--Uarptr's Weekly.
THE MAN IN THE PEPPER.BOX,
The pepper-box was little octag-
onal house about six feet in diam eter
and eight feet in height, with a conical
roof. In one of the eight sides was a
little door with window in the top OF
it. and in the other six sides there were
small windows. The pepper-box was
furnished with one comfortable, leath-
er-covered armchair, and the curious
little building stood in q railroad yard
amid perfect network of switches
and turn-outs; and was placed there to
shelter the man who watched the
'.know nothing" or crossing where two
railroads intercept each other at right
angles.
The crossings of which l now write
We're in the railroad yard of a large
manufacturing city and railroad cen
ter where nearly every foot of land,
with the exception of this little TRAM
gular spot of ground where the pepper
box stood, was covered with iron rails.
One would naturally take it to be a
very confusing place to be in. The
man in the pepper-box was obliged to
keep level head on his shoulders, or he
would be likely to make 4 mistake in
regard to the time that one of the nu-
merous trains was due; and miscal-
culation of half a minute meant more
or less destruction of life and property.
Or, if he was rot constantly on the
lookout and alert, when he stepped
outside he was liable to be run over and
cut to pieces by the regular or SWITCH
ing trains.
Paul Serus, the pepper-box man,
called "Old Serious" by the railroad
"boys," was an object of interest to
every one of the scores of employees on
the several roads, who passed and re-
passed his close quarters every day.
He had never been seen or heard by
any of them until dusty and travel
worn he walked into the passenger
station one day in half intoxicated
condition, and took the cars for New
York.
He refused to show his ticket or to
pay his fare, so the conductor, giving
a pull to the bell-rope to have the
train slowed up, pitched the poor fol-
low off-rather too unceremoniously,
it was thought-and left him lying on
the ground in half-stunned condi-
ton. Before he re2ained conscious
ness and was able to get up, another
train came along and ran over and cut
off one of his feet that was lying across
the rail.
There was quite an ado made over
the affair. The conductor was blamed
for not bringing the train to stop be-
fore he put the man off, and for leaving
the man partly on the track. The for
mer was suspended indefinitely there
had been many complaints entered
against him before at the Superintend-
dents office. and the poor victim was
carried to the city hospital where the
Superintendent of the road, a very kind
hearted man, himself went to see
that he was well cared for.
He became interested in the patient,
Paul Serus, and called to see him more
than once, and promised him a job as
soon as he should be well enough to
take it, on the condition, however, that
he should sign the pledge. The wound
ed man promised faithfully to do so,
and while his mutilatcd stump of an
ankle was healing, he had time to get
thoroughly sobered, to profit by the
somewhat dismal retrospect of his life,
and to make plans for useful, honor
able future.
"This is the first time l have been
completely sober for years." he said
to the surgeon, who was very attentive
and kind to him. 81 feel exactly as
if had been away from my true self
all this time, and had just got back in
to my old body again-as l used to be
when was somebody in the world"
AS soon as poor Paul was able TO
hobble about on a crutch, the whole
souled railroad Superintendent came to
the hospital and had long interview
with the surgeon in regard to him.
There was such a quiet dignity about
the man, such native goodness of
heart, honesty in action and purpose,
that these two gentlemen had made up
their minds not to turn the crippled
patient out upon the world when he
should have recovered, but on the con-
trary to do something for him.
"YOu must give him a situation
where there is some responsibility;
where he will have something to take
up his mind constantly" said the good
surgeon. The pepperbox' down in
our yard is the iveliest place know of
for a green hand,' said the Superin-
tendent. II will give him the day
watch there"
And so he did, telling big Mike, the
old and faithful switchman on a side
track near by, to keep a sharp watch
upon him, however.
There's not man on the road, sir,
as needs less watchin' than Old Seri-
ous," reported Mike at The end of a
month; che jist minds his own bust
ness, an reads his Bible atween
whoiles."
One day as the Superintendent was
walking in the yard, Paul said to him,
IL can do the day and night work both
just as well if you increase my pay and
let me build an addition to my house
in the shape of dry-goods box in
which can stretch myself out between
trains at night; there's room for it in
the triangle. Downing. the night watch,
told me to-day that he must throw up
his job, his rheumatism had got such a
hold upon him. Beside, can easily
awake at any given time at night;
was noted in the army for that when
on guard and picket duty
livery WE'LL" replied the Superin-
tendent, Il am willing you should try
it. Downing spoke to me just now
about giving up his job" In this case,
little Mike, the night Waterman, was
instructed to have an eye out to see that
Paul kept the right signal lights at his
window. So Paul made the queer ad-
dition to the pepper-b0x.
The railroad boys called it Old Serious
Chapel, and made great deal of fun
of him and his Bible reading. It came
j.. to be quite the thing to get up stories