The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-03-10
Why one feels bad when appearing ii
company in shabby garb, knowing well
that ones shabbiness gives more pleas
urs to others than ones rich clothing.
A BRAKEMAN AT CHURCH.

A BRAKEMAN AT CHURCH.
On the road once more, with lebanon
fading away in the distance, the fat pas
senger drumming idly on the window
pane, the cross passenger reading "Gea
Grants Tour Around the World,' an6
wondering why "Green' s August Flower
should be printed above the doors of "a
Buddhist temple at Benares." To me
comes the brakeman, and seating himself
on the arm of the seat says:
II went to church yerterday.''
"Yes2" I said, with that interesting
infection that asks for more. "And what
church do you attend?"
Switch do you guess2" he asked.
"Some union mission church2" I haz-
arded.
"No'' he said, II don't like to run
on these branch roads very much. 1 don It
often go to church, and when I do,
want to run on the main line, where your
fun is regular and you go on schedule
time and don't have to wait on connec-
tons. don't like to run on a branch.
Good enough, but I don't like ~
"Eplscopal?'' I guessed
"Limited express he said, all palace
cars, and two dollars extra for seat, fast
time and only stop at the big stations.
Nice line, but too exhaustive for brake
man. All train men IN uniform, conduc-
tors punch and lantern silver-plated, and
no train boys allowed. Then the pas
sengers are allowed to talk back at the
conductor, and it makes them too free
and easy. No, l couldn't stand the pal
ace cars. Rich road, though. Don t
often hear of receiver being appointed
for that line. Some mighty nice people
travel on it, too"
"Universalist2" suggested.
abroad gauge" said the brakeman
"does too much complimentary business.
Everybody travels on pass. Conductor
doesn't get fare once in fifty miles.
Stops at all flag stations, and won't run
into anything but union depot. No
smoking Car On the train. Train or
ders are rather vague, though, and the
train men don't get along we'll with the
passengers. No, don't 60 to the Uni
versallst, though know some awfully
good men who run on that road"
"Presbyterlan?" I asked.
Marrow guage, eh9'' said the brake
man, "pretty track, straight as rule;
tunnel right through mountain rather
than 60 around it; spirit level grade;
passengers have to show their ticket be-
fore they get on the train. Mighty strict
road, but the cars are little narrow,
have to sit one in a seat and no room in
the aisle to dance. Then there IS no
stop-over tickets allowed; got to go
straight through to the. station you're
ticketed for, or you can't get on at all.
When the cars full no extra coaches
cars built at the shops to hold just so
many and nobody else allowed on. But
you. don't hear Of an accident on that
road. It's run right up to rules
"Maybe you joined the Free Thinkers9'
I said.
"Scrub road,'' said the brakeman, edit
road bed and no ballast; no time card
and no train dispatcher. All trains run
wild, and every engineer makes his own
time, just as he pleases. Smoke if you
want to. kind of go-as- you please road.
Too many side-tracks, and every switch
wide open at the time, with the switch
man sound asleepan the .aarget lamp
dead out. Get on as yoaPfieaease and
get off when you want to. Don't have
to show your tickets, and the conductor
isn't expected to do anything but
amuse the passengers. No, sir, I was
offered pass, but don't like the line.
don't like to travel on a road that has no
terminus. Do you know, SIT, asked
division superintendent where that road
run to and he said he hoped to die if he
knew. asked him if the general super
intendent could tell me, and he said he
didn't believe they had general super
intendent, and if they had, he didn't
know anything more about the road than
the passengers. asked him whom he
reported to, and he said nobody l
asked a conductor who he got his orders
from, he said he didn't take orders from
any living men|or dead And when asked
the engineer who he got his orders from,
he said he'd like to see anybody give him
orders; he'd run that train to suit himself,
or he'd run it into the ditch. Now you
see, sir, I'm a railroad man, and l don't
care to run on road that has no time,
makes no connections, runs nowhere and
has no superintendent. It may be all
A1SAes UuG L w 1tb1AAOaAtcu wv " I'LL
derstand it."
MAYBE you went to the Congrega-
tional church2" I said.
popular road" said the brakeman.
can old road, too; one of the very oldest
in this country. Good road bed and COM
Portable cars. Well managed road, too;
directors don't interfere with division
superintendent and train orders. Road S
mighty popular, but it's pretty indepen-
dent, too. Yes, didn't one of the division
superintendent down East discontinue
one of the oldest stations on this line two
or three years ago2 But it's mighty
pleasant road to travel on. Always has
such splendid class Of passengers"
"Did you go to the Methodist church2''
"Now, you're shouting,' he said with
some enthusiasm. mice road, chg
Fast time and plenty of passengers.
Engines carry power of steam, and
don't you forget it: steam guage shows
hundred and enough all the time.
Lively road; when the conductor shouts
'all aboard you can hear him to the
| next station. Every train light shines
like a headlight. Stop-over checks are