The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-11-25
A CONVERTED BRAKEMAN.
How Jim DudsOn interviewed
the ParsOn.

/
Jim Dudson is a railroad brake
man, and in his time has handled
IN re cars and used more profanity
| than any other m an In the business,
but his rough heart had been cap
t2red by lair little piece OF femi
ninity, who compelled him to attend
/ church with her every Sunday, and
/ by whose efforts, seconded by the
sermons of the earnest minister,
the germ OF religion was planted in
his breast, and in time bore fruit.
For several days past, Jlms com
panions noticed that he was rest
less and thoughtful, and that he
iidn't curse the new hand on the
forward part of the train, as he had
been in the habit of doing. and
while they marveled at the change
which hsd come over him, } ct all at
tempts to solve the mystery were fu-
Tile.
Yesterday evening the Rev. john
Spill heard his door bell ring, and
shortly thereafter jim Dudson was
ushered into his presence.
"To whom am / indebted for this
visit" said the kind-hearted minis
ter. rising and extending his hand.
"WeiI, parson, my name is Dud-
son-Jim Dudson, and I'm brake
man on the Chicago, st. Louis and
New Orleans fast freight"
"What can l do for you, MIR. Dud-
son?' inquired the minister, motion
ing him to a seat.
"Parson," replied Jim nervously.
al want to be a better man. l want to
get on a new road. You see for
sometime I've been flying along the
grade of sin, with the throttle wide
open, and nary a brake set, but
when YOU held out your danger sig
nails l checked the train and backed
in on the side track of safety, and
now I'm waiting for orders before
pull OUT
Gas l understand, Mr.. Dudson,
you wish to seek the narrow road
which leads to eternal life?"
mo, Parson; you've got 1t
wrong. / don't want 10 narrow
gauge or branch business In mine;
when l go in for thing, it's the
broad gauge, main line and
through run"
You desire, then, to take steps
toward the salvation of your soul,
so that when your life ends on
earth, your spirit will take its flight
to the land above?'
That's 1t, Parson; you've struck
it now. Yes, when l take my last
run, and have reached the terminus,
I'd like to have the General Super
lntendent promote me. Little Mel
lie-she's my girl, Parson, and pref
tier than a palace car with the lat
est improvements-tol me that
fellow running on a pious tram Is
bound to have a clean record, and
| if he didn't he'd be ditched. and
when the paymaster came around
his name wouldn't be on the roll.
She told me heap about heaven /;
how they wear long billed gowns up
there and play on harps. | amt
much on a harp. but ] guess l can
pick tune with little practice. l
ever was SLOUGH at anything l
ever put my hands to-"
81 am glad, Mr.. Dudson, to hear
of your determination to lead bet
ter life, and l trust that you will
have strength to bear the cross.
"Oh, don't be uneasy about that,
parson. won't bray about what l
can do, but last month | busted the
headlight of Bill Gleason in fair
fight, and he's counted the strongest
man on the northern division. III
wag of with that cross, and don
YOU forget it. And now, parson, l
want to tell you something. You
see Nellie's folks are all on the Cos
pei line, and at one time thought
il | ever got her I'd have to make a
running coupling"
"Wh at did you say" said the
bewildered minister.
"a running coupling, parson; that
is. I'd have to elope with her; but
it's all fixed now, and the next
time you send up a message to
headquarters, don't forget me, par
son. Sling in few words for jim
Dudson, will your The minister
promised that he would, and the
converted brakeman took his leave
after promising to be regular in biz
attendance at church, New OI
leans Times.