Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-06
Art thou a friend to Roderick 2

Art thou a friend to Roderickf'
Scott.
Te the Superintendent Of TranspOrta-
tioa at 10 O'Clock on the night OF Septem-
Der l4th, in the city OF ~ was hand
81 this dispatch:
"HALEY's STATION-Train due at so
raA of four miles above station. Nobody
hsTt. Passengers viii arrive at I2;3O.
''E. PARK, Conductor"
Fhe official reads the message, and re-
sumes his smoking without a single I'M
necessary movement. He is a stout man
and the night is hot and sultry. Ii there
is enc problem of life which he has stud
led successfully it is the art OF keeping
cool. Out OF a great deal Of experiment
tai effort in this direction he had at last
evolved from his failures one simple and
perfectly satisfactory conclusion, to wit
hat absolute quiet of mind and body
represents GOODNESS in any latitude, even
to "A fat man-and SO, acting upon, or
rather resting upon this theory, he sut-
feTed far less than many restless, eX-
sitable person of half his ayOirdupOis.
70 add to his tranquility, he Is persls-
tent and extravagant smoker, looking
even to his intimates as unnatural with
oua the inevitable weed, as would q GER
tain august and reucent United States
General.
Tonight the failure Of the train had
net disturbed his summer mood in the
least. He had mo friend, no brother
there" nor any where else, for that mat
ser; so it required something more than
possible accident with its chastity con-
cSRitants Of wounded and killed to ruffle
his studied calm. lie had known that
something was to pay" for an hour, and
was only quietly awaiting particulars be-
fore retiring, fearing TO be awakened from
his frst nap by the very telegram he had
f,s.. . ltrafl
nOt walk to the bell handle now, but
reaching for his cane, by an adrOit twist
Of the tassel with this implement, rings
The bell, and as its clear tinkle upples
through the silent rooms below and
reaches his ear he smiles sweetly and
placidly. He always does at this success
fuI maneuvre, for it has reached its pres
ent perfection by long and trying path
way Of failures. Very promptly the call
is answered by brisk negro boy, who IS
as restless as his master is phlegmatic.
He breathes fast, runs fast, and talks fas-
Ter, all of which the cool superintendent
enjoys. 1t represents so much caloric
that it enhances his own comfort.
Didn't you ring bell, sahY L thought
heard it, and l come a runnin', he
asks, quite out of breath.
81 did" comes Jelly from the master.
Fhe bOy fidgets, the other smokes, and
after two full minutes, slowly throwing
away the stump OF his cigar, looking out
Of the broad open window towards the de-
pOk he points with one t1eshy fOrehnger IN
that direction, and says:
eco down there and tell them that the
train went come until midnight. Tell
Mr. Harvey to sit up and wait for it, and
cont you dare come up here again to-
night"
.sYes. sab. Yes, sahl You betl7 and
the liberated boy is gone like a flash.
H. of handsome dnnOf tho III
boy, nearly bursting with pleasurable eX-
element, delivers himself of the news in
little. quick gasps without any breath TO
speak of.
Needn't spec no train-she done run
of-passengers IL come in by the 1890
down train"
ANYBODY hurt?" asks an old hackman,
with eyes and mouth wide open, athirst,
rs is the negro ever, for the dreadful.
Didn't say how many was killed" re-
plies the boy, TegTettully.
well. well low there was many a
onel Who was tellin' your"
"Mr. Berry-he got 'spatch."
NY! myl we'll! You'd as well wake
de bows and let 'em go hOme-tOO hot to
STAY here for mother hour stretch"
"The boys" were various hackmen and
porters, who had long ago succumbed to
the heat and the hour, and were fast
asleep, leaning against the broad, brick
columns which supported the heavily
arched roof of the building. The place,
for such place, was strangely quiet.
The heavy snOre Of the negroes, and the
busy hum of the mosquitoes could be dis
tiEctlv heard, whilst overhead the gas
nickered and burned, and added no little
TO the desperate heat. Outside, the night
was cloudy and dark, rain threatening,
but as vet, none had fallen, and pale
grew cloud of dust could be seen lying
SUSPENDED over the dry streets held mo-
tiOnless in the heavy atmosphere. Wax
ing the '.bOys" did not prove an easy mat
ter. When a fulI-gTOwn, hard-wOrked
coIOred drayman is fairly lost in slum-
bers, nothing short OF clarion note
reaches his solid, cOmatOse insenslbIllty,
and then unless his dun ear catches some
blood quickener in the way of accident!
Killed. wOundedv he subsidies into his
irresponsible beatitude only too hopeless
". The sharp boy. however, knew his
race well, and by a feigned excitement
Of voice, and no small draft on his imagi-
nation for facts, soon had them on their
feet asking, with different degrees OF
sleepy curiosity, about the missing tram.
Among the most eager and curious OF the
duskv group was tall, thin, not too in
telligent-loOking lad. who, with both
hands in his pockets, had been silent
and absorbed listener to the medley OF
explanations and speculatiOns IN which
his elders were indulging. lie had not
lost one word, but rolled his large eyes
from one speaker to the other with the
most absolute and comfortable cOnvic-
tiOu. At last he made bold to address
an old man who seemed to be an acquain-
tanee:
81 sayl I say, unker Joe, is you gwine
ter stay ur gOF'
The other turned upon him, not too
pleasantly, and said:
- IO5nt this ffIT from home
Ike? an let me tell you, amt no unker
Joe O yours. I'm Mr.. Joseph Wycher-
y say. is YOU goin' ter stay ur gO?'
sFm gOin' to stay and help with the
hurt and dead ones"
The boys face suddenly frightened.
ssPm a good ham ter help. believe Ill
stay
eWeII, 20 long and sit down and sleep
as close bv your boss as possible. The
old engine II scare her and you too"
With a look of satisfaction the boy re-
sumed his seat, and in ten more seconds
was slumbering in irresponsible colOred
sweetness.
Young man came down from the offices,
looked about him and went away; and,
EXCEPT for the low murmurlng talk OF two
DOlicemen seated close together on the
track. this was all the sound and move
ment which broke the midnight stiffness
for one long hour. Suddenly on the quiet
night is heard the prolonged. shrill whis
lie of the tast-cOming engine. The enee
is electrical. Men and boys bestir them
selves and shake of their heavy slumbeTs
whilst the horses raise their dropping
heads, and with erect ears listen for tins
noisy arrival. In five minutes all IS Ous
tie and stir The belated travellers pusl
eagerly out of the hot and crowded
coaches Men with Yalises, men will
umbrellas, men with boxes and bundles
women with shaWls and wraps anC
babies, little children struggling Will
careful nurses, who will wrap up thei
little perspiring throats-and everybody
hurries to the waiting vehicles.
Conspicuous in this crowd Ofbusy people
is tail gentleman dressed in full sui
*Entered according 70 ACT OF Congress IN tn