Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-18

platform of the rear car to the rear
platform of the next, the st. Louis
shot by, and at the same instant he
heard cracking sound, and thought
he saw trunks flying in every direc-
ton.
When Conductor Brannigan reached
the baggage car he set down his lamp
with detected air, and sank wearily
in his chair. "Gustus," he said, I'm
getting old. Something's the matter
with my eyes, don't know what, but
IN afraid I've got to give up running.
If | have got to go off the road Ill do
what | can to get the train for you,
for you We always been faithful to me.
| don't know what ails me, but lately
I've seen all sorts of things. About
ten days ago | thought | saw two
lights at the junction; then | thought
the engine was a fire; tonight |
saw trunks flying around in the air,
and"
Speaking of trunks" said the
trunk-wrestler Che thought the con-
ductor was fooling with HIM, II
happened to be looking out of the side
door when the express passed us, and
thought | saw few trunks myself
kind o floating around, and there
might have been six or eight carpet
bags mixed in, for l set off seven of
EN- along with the trunks. | thought
there d be trouble when that baggage
WASH t got off the track sharp, and
when st. Louis came around the curve
there wasn't any help for it. / knew
by the whistle it was Seventy-nine, for
Jim BeettOp can get more screech to
the pound of steam than any man on
the road, and when he's making time
he doesn t waste any of it slowing for
way-stations. When she went by her
furnace door was open, and the fire.
man was stufing coal into her. jim
sat on his bench, hand on the throttle
and eyes ahead, and the way he was
bouncing her for New York was beau
tiful to look at. The instant he struck
the straight he saw that pile of bag
gage. He shut her off and opened her
air pump with one hand, and reversed
her with the other, but he might Just
as well tried to stop a comet. Fol-
about a second that pile of trunks
stood out in the headlight, aud
then"
Then them was real trunks | saw
in the air y and the conductor jumped
to his feet a changed man.
Real trunks" said Fogarty, amazed
that any body could doubt it. "Real
trunks" and he added, mournfully
II thought | could break up a trunk
pretty fine, but want to give up rail.
roading now"
Conductor Brannigan gave a vi.
cious yank on tho bell-cord, and, as he
felt the brakes gripping under him, he
started back Sitting humbly in the
uncomfortable end-seat at the rear O.
the last car was lean and tired tramp
whose piteous plea for free ride haC
Just been granted by the conductor
Looking up as the door opened, h,
saw the same conductor coming to
ward him, but so changed that h,
hardly recognized the man who, few
minutes before, had been kind to him
/ That was the Conductor Brannigal
who, sick and downcast himself, sym
pathizcd with those in distress thi
was the Conductor Brannigan who haC
discovered that it was not growiny
infrmitios, but indigestion, that alice
his eyesight.
You can't beat the company on m,
train. Come out o this" he shouted
as he dragged the trembling tram
along the aisle, and when the trail
Stacked up he pitched him of tn
platform into a snow-bank. Then h,
yanked the bell-cord again to e
ahead, went back to the baggage car
set his lamp on the floor, tipped bacl
on his chair, and placed his feet on tn
highest trunk in the corner; and a
he scratched match on the bottom
of the chair to light his cigar with
Conductor Brannigan pulled lot o
loose tickets out Of his pocket, thre7
them into his box, and said to tn
astounded baggage truncker, "Fogarty
if you cant learn to sort ticket
quicker I'm going to put on a MAJ
that can ~