Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-18
A STORY OF THE HEADLIGHT.
The Astonishing Vision that Appeared 10
Conductor Columbus BrannigaH.

New York SUM-
Gray-headed Columbus Brannigan
is as rough and ready conductor as
ever swung lamp. For over quar-
ter of century he has run Hudson
River train between New York and
Poughkeepsie, to the satisfaction of
the company, the public and himself,
and to the terror of all who tried to
circumvent the road. But of late
years, while he has done his work as
well as ever, Conductor Brannigan
has felt that he is growing old; that
his shoulders arc not so plump as they
were, his limbs less supple, and he
looks with a growing aversion upon
the new men who are coming on.
young fellows who wear their gold
laced caps iauntily and give their sig
nails in an off-hand fashion that is
plainly unlike the clear, free sweep of
the lamp that characterizes the old
style. These last two weeks he has
felt worse than usual, aud his eyes
have bothered him great deal. On
one occasion, for instance, he saw two
lights, red and a green, at a point
where he knew there could be only a
green. At another time he thought
that fire was spouting from the side
of his engine when really the flame
was only the faring torch of the fire.
man, who was putting oil into the
cups. When he reflected upon these
things he was troubled for if he
should get worse he might have to
give up his train. He couldn't live
away from the road. Once off, and he
knew what would happen then; it
would not be long before the Great
Engineer would blow brakes on him
forever.
This condition Of mind wrought an
astonishing change in Conductor
Brannigan's demeanor. Before, if he
encountered on his train man who
was trying to ride without paying, he
put him off without ceremony; now,
he was inclined to be lenient, and if
the poor traveller told a plausible story,
he would let him pass. Formerly be
was brusque and dictatorial to his
baggage master, and made that over
worked servant of the company sort
and count his tickets for him, and
stand around generally; now he was
gentle and forbearing, and did his
work himself-all to the great amaze
ment of Augustus Fogarty, the placid
but gigantic trunk destroyer, whose
thoughts were 50 engrossed by this
new departure that one day he care
lessly dropped trunk on the wrong
corner, and gave it, not the gaping
collapse that marks good work, but
what is known as the steambOat-split,
term of contempt applied to the
bungling work done by steamboat
deck-hands and baggage masters on
short-feeder roads Chagrined by this
unfortunate accident, Fogarty gave
closer attention to his duties but he
never ceased wondering what was the
matter with the conductor.
Conductor Brannigan pulled out of
the Grand Central Depot yesterday on
time He takes the east track going
up. Waymonk Depot, which he
reached about two hours after dark.
stands alongside the west track so
that the baggage for Waymonk from
up trains is set off on the down track,
and removed to the station platform
by the agent. Fogarty set out last
night upon the down track seventeen
trunks, seven carpet-bags and four
band boxes, making a neat pile about
the size of log cabin. As Conductor
Brannigan passed the depot on his
way along down his train to see if
everything was all right, he saw the
station agent coming out for the
trunks, and then in the darkness he
lost sight and thought of then alto.
gether. Turning at the rear car, be
lifted his lamp and gave the engineer
the signal to go ahead, and at the same
moment he saw the glare of the head
light coming around the curve lust
north Of the depot, "St. Louis, he
said to himself, as he stepped upon the
rear platform, aud then as his train
gathered headway he forgot St, Louis
as be bad done a hundred times bcf,re,
and started for tho baggage-car
l. l. a.