Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-01-23

BiS tt'Ct easy AOuku ~ ~ h"NA ~'SSsA
for his cursed whisky bottle; but he
grabbed it and held it up SO as to save
it. and conldnt get his balance, OF
{ course, without both hands, and SO
pitched forward again. and this time
fla. across the rails, and we went over
him.
1T was all done in inmate, you
see. and the train stopped, and / staring
It Jim here, anu he at me.
What did you do that for T. sold
Jun, jerking her up like that for
nothing
Ny Col, man! ran over human
creature, and mash tho breath out oil
him. and ask what l stopped the train
for?
Run over man! cried Jim. Arc
YOU crazy or drunk?' But didn't wait
to answer. l streaked up the track tc
where the conductor was out, and the
brakeman and the passengers all had
their heads out of the windows, and
everybody wanted to know what was
the matter, aid there-Yell! you know
/ Just as well as l, there was the open
country and the track as fiat as my hand,
aud nothing else near or far to be seen.
"Druuk! No, l wasd't drunk. l
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
engineer, aud Just exactly SO I've seen
it every dav-aud done it regularly
since then. And l can't stand it much
longer. I've got to quit. Look at
that!' holding up his strong hand that
was shaking i'll way that didn't belong
to its muscles, nor to the clear blue
eyes that had no drink nor craze in
them. Maybe I can make change
with friend of mine who wants to
come west. Anyway, I'm going to get
out of here, lively"
l sat and ponderea.
do you believe me?" said he.
Believe you? or course 1 do. I'm
not fool. 1 know when man has
truth in his face. and you've. got truth
in yours voice, too, for. that matter. u
He smiled aud thrust out his grimy
! fist.
I'D like to shake hands with you for
! that-if you don't care"
But do care said /, smiling in
turn. So we shook hands. d.,
Cant you explain it?"{ tf..ti 81
"No-no more than I can tell you
how flower grows"
We reached our destination and each
went his or her way, and 50 far "a /
knew there was an end of mystery and
explanation.
Five years afterward I was at New
Brunswick aiming for the ten o'clock
train to Philadelphia.
Drawing room car" called I, as
ran down the long, dark platform.
"Drawing-roOm car this way was
shouted from tue rear blackness.
"Ah, is it you, Miss Dickinson
Plenty Of room tonight" and scram-
bled in.
About every of1icial aud employe on
the road knows me. So turned to see
with which conductor l was going but
did not recognize him.
You don't know me?"
NO." said l, yet found something
familiar in face or voice. "YOu are q
new man." 49,.
Yes," be answered.
Let me sec let me see " thought
I. don't like to be thwarted. 1 al
ways remember peoples faces and al
ways forget their names. l could for
get my own. "Who is he? When,
where did ever travel with him ?"
"You were not conductor when
saw you before. am sure OF that" 1
ventured.
He laughed at my puzzled face and
answered, You're right there"
All at once I placed him.
"Ah |" cried T, shows the ghost? "
The man had fine ruddy color, but
he turned pale at that-pale as that
paper:
Why. you don't mean that anything
did really ever come Of it?"
Yes, but do"
What?"
"Well I'll tell yon all in breath
that's the best way, and I don't like
talking about it. You know wanted
to get away? Yes. Well, I got my
transfer, came to the Philadelphia and
Erie road, and my friend went west.
Maybe didn't draw q long breath
as got under way that first day. and
thought I'd left my bugaboo so far be-
hind me. Everything about me was
so different from what I had quilted, it
made me feel like q new man. You
know the country the Philadelphia and
Erie runs through?"
II know it. Beautiful, fresh and
billy, and full of streams. with rough
looking road and curving track" -.
Just So" he assented, land I went
along it cheerful as cricket, looking at
everything and full Of interest till to-
wards nightfall-and then-well II
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 iarring
and iolting. and presently stopped"
:" What did you do that for 2 said I.
My God, man, cried he. run over
= human creature and mash the breath
out of him. and then ask what 1 stop
the train for-7are you drunk or crazy 2"
and he plunged of, and I after him.
4 didn't expect to SEQ anything, but
at the right you see. as tho train raa-
there was bit of hill, ana q shambling
old red tavern, with some lights shining
on top Of it. and ditch ct the bottom,
and . lot of people with The conductor.
and raacopnorc nokh>.ol