Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-04-19

palace cars. Rich road, though. Don't
often hear Of receiver being appointed
for that line. Some mighty nice people
on it too"
"Universalist:' - guessed.
"Broad 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 orders
are vague, though, and the train-men
don't get along well with the passengers.
No. don't go to the Universalist, though
know some awfu!ly good men who run
on that road"
Perhaps you went to the Unitarian !"
No, didn't, but | might have done
worse. That is mighty good road, d,wsll
ballasted with reason, though it runs
through region little cold, and there
is apt to be some ice and snow on the
track, but in case Of accident there is no
danger of upsetting the stoves and being
burnt up; and there's one good thing
about it, the neighbors are generally
ready to come and help you when YOU get
touoable. They like to have things nice
and comfortable in this world, doing
wha, they think is about right and taking
their chances for the other. They don't
seem to take much stock in being as
miserable as you can here in the hope
that YOU will be happier for it there.
They seem to think that a mans going
to reap the same kind of crop that he
plants, and that if he puts in selfish,
worthless kind of on seed this earth it ANITA
going to come out very fine specimen in
heaven. Seems to me sense as we'll as
poetry in that but raised an orthodox
and 'twouldnt do for me to be seen on
that train or might lose my place on
the other line, as there's a good deal OF
competition between the two roads, and
our folks are getting afraid of losing
travel"
"presbyterian" | asked.
Marrow gauge, eh:" said the brake
man, pretty track, straight as rule;
tunnel right through mountain rather
than go around it; spirit-level grade;
passengers have TO show their tickets be-
fore they get on the train. Mighty strict
road, but the cars are a little narrow
have TO sit one in seat and no room in
the aisle to dance. Then there's no stop
over tickets allowed; got TO 90 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 shop to hold just so many and nobody
else allowed on. But YOU don't often
hear of an accident on this road. It's run
right up to the rules
MAY be you joined the Free Think
ers ;" said.
Scrub road, said the brakeman, "dirt
road bed and no ballast; no time card
and no train dispatches. All trains run
wild and every engineer makes his own
time, just as he pleases. Smoke if you
want to; kind of a -you-please
road Too many side tracks, and every
switch wide open all the time, with the
swiichman sound asleep and the target
lamp dead out. Get on as you please
and ge, off when you want to. Don't
have to show your tickets, and the con-
ductor isn't expected to do anything but
amuse the passengers. No, sir; | was
offered pass, but don't like the line.
don, like to travel on a line that has
no terminus. DO you know, sir, | asked
a division superintendent where that road
ran to, and he said he hoped to die if he
knew. asked him if the general su-
perintendent could tell me, and he said
he didn't believe they had a general su-
perin,endent, and if they had he didn't
know any more about the road than the
passengers. | asked him who he reported
to, and he said nobody / asked con-
ductor who he got his orders from, and
he said he didn't take orders from any
living man or dead ghost. And when |
asked tue engineer who he got his orders
from, he said he'd like to see any body
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 railroad man, and
don't care to run on road that makes
no connections, runs nowhere and has no
| superintendent. 1t may be all right, but
I've railroaded too long to misunderstood
it."
did you try the Methodist: :" l asked.
"Now you're shouting" he said with
some enthusiasm. mice road, eh :
Fast time and plenty of passengers.
Engines carry power of steam, and don't
you forget it; steam gauge shows hum
dred and enough all the time. Lively
road; when the conductor shouts all
aboard you can hear him at the next
station. Every train lamp shines like a
headlight. Stop-over checks given on all
through tickets; passengers drop off the
train as often as they like. do the station
two or three days and hop on the next re-
yival train that comes laundering along.
Good, wholesouled, companionable con-
ductors; amt road in the country where
the passengess feel more at home. No
passes; every passenger pays full traffic
rates for his ticket Wesleyan House
air brake on all trains, too. Pretty safe
road, but didn't ride over it yesterday"
MAY be you went 10 the Congre-
gational Church," / said.
popular road" said the brakeman can
old road. too; one of the very oldest in
the country. Good road-bed and COM
Portable cars. Well managed road, too
directors don't interfere with division