Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-11-27

held it up SO as to save it, and couldn't
get his balance, of course, without both
hands, and so pitched forward again, and
this time fiat across tho rails, and We wen,
over him. -.
It was all done in q minute, you see
and the train stopped, and staring al
Jim here and he at me.
"What did you do that fort" said Jim
"Jerking her up like that tor nothing" :
"My God! run over human creature
and mash the breath out of him, and ask
what I stop the train for!"
"Run over mani" cried Jim. care
you crazy or drunk2" but L didn't wal,
to answer streaked up the track to
where the conductor was out, and the
brakemen and passengers all had thei,
heads out of the windows, and everybody
wanted to know what was the matter,
and there you know just as we'll as
II-therc was the open country and the
track as flat as my hand, and nothing
else near or far to be seen.
"Drunk9 No, I wasn't drunk. don't
drink-ever: And it happened just so,'
turning to Jim.
"Just exactly so,' answered the sooty
fireman.
Yes, just exactly So" echoed the en-
gineer; "and just exactly 80 I've seen it
every day, and done it regularly since
then. And can't stand it much long
er; I've got to quit. Look at that!
holding up his strong hand that was
shaking IN way that didn't belong to
its muscles, nor to the clear blue ewes
that had no drink or craze in them. "May-
be can make change with friend of
mine who wants to come West; anyway,
I'm going to get out OF here lively.
l sat down and pondered
"Do you believe met said he.
"Belleve you? Of course 1 do. I'm
not tool. know when a man has
truth IN his face, and you've got truth
in yours-volce, too, Tor that natter
He smiled and thrust out his grimy
fist.
"I'd like to shake hands with you for
that-lf you don't care"
but do care,' said smiling in turn.
So we shook hands.
"Can't you explain IT."
"No-no more than can tell you no
flowers grow"
We reached our destination and each
went his or her way, and SO far as
knew there was an end Of mystery and ex-
PLANTATION.
Five years after was at New Bruins
wick aiming tor the ten o'clock train to
Philadelphia.
"Drawingroom car" called I, az ran
down the long, dark platform.
"Drawiag-room Car this way!' was
shouted from the rear blackness.
"Ah, it is you, Miss Dickenson2 Plenty
Of room tonight and scrambled in.
About every officiel and employee on
the railroad knows me. So turned to
see with which conductor I was going,
but did not recognize him.
"You don't know me-"
"No, said I, yet l found something
familiar in face or voice. "You are
new man?"
"Yes," he answered.
"Let me see! let me Sect thought L.
don't like t. be thwarted. always re-
member peoples faces and always forget
their names. I could forget my own.
"Who is he2 When, where did l ever
travel with him?"
"You were not conductor when saw
you before. am sure of that" I ven
tured.
He laughed atmy puzzled face and an
swered, YOU'RE right there
All at once I placed him.
"Ah!' cried I, shows the ghost?'
The man had line ruddy color, but he
turned pale at that-pale as this paper.
"Why, you don t mean that anything
did really ever come of IT."
eyes, but do"
"What2"
swell! III tell you all in a breath
that's the best way, and I don't like
talking about it. You know I wanted
to get away? Yes. Well, got my trans
fer, came to the Philadelphia and Erie
road, and my friend went West.
Maybe didn't draw long breath as
I got under way that first day, as though
I'd left my bugaboo so far behind me-.
Everything about me was so different
from what had quilted, it made me
feel like new man. You know the
country the Philadelphia and Erie runs
through2"
| II knowi it, Beautiful, fresh and hilly,
and full of stream, with rough-look1ng
road and curving track"
"Just So" he assentcd, and I went
along it cheerful as cricket, looking at
everything and full ofinterest till toward
nightfall-and then well!-I shut my
eyes and drove ahead. What else could
l do? But my fireman was dragging at
the rope like mad and rousing me, and
the train was jarring and jolting, and
presently stopped.
"What did you do that fors" said I.
"My God, man." be cried, "run over a
human creature and knock the breath
out of him, and then ask what I stop the
train for-are you drunk or crazy?" and
I've plunged off and l after him.
II did not expect to see anything, but
at the right, you see, as the train ran
there was bit Of hill and shambling
old red tavern, with some lights shining
} on top of it, and ditch at the bottom,
and lot of people with the conductor
: and passengers gathered about something
on the road, and as came up there was .
man with his hat of, and open shirt. ly.
ing across tie track dead"