The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-09-26
THE FLAGMAN'S STORY.


board the evening accommodation,
which, as l knew, was usually slowed
at this point to let off an official living
in the neighborhood. AS the train was
not due for nearly half an hour, | took
refuge in the shelter-hut of the old flag
man with whom had long been on ex-
cellent terms. He was Jolly, gossipy
little man, who had become superan-
uated in the service of the company,
and was enjoying in his old age what
was to him a position of ease and hon
or. He had just finished his supper,
brought to him, as usual, by his grand
daughter. As he lifted the tin pail to
make room for me on the scanty bench,
he carefully put back into it some choice
pieces of meat, bread and cake, suffi-
cient by themselves for a quite substan-
tial meal. That for the General, :" said
he, in answer to my look of curiosity.
my old woman would no more forget
his supper than she would forget
mine"
."Who is the GeneralP' Inquired.
"Well, sir, he's what you call man
with history"
Tell it TO me. 1 am fond of MIS-
tory.
'I've no objection but wait bit, l
g, .ess he's coming Movies, sir. that's
him. Just keep quiet, and don't no
tice his crankiness, and you'll see a
character"
A shutting step, and hoarse, tear
ing cough announced the approach of
the General, who soon presented him.
self at the door of the hut. where he
paused and struck an attitude in the
half light of the liagman'S lantern.
General, indeed! A once tall and mus
cular man, now a miserable slouch,
with STOPPING shoulders, hollow chest,
bending, tremulous knees, the dress of
a vagabond and the face of soti Yet
there was something in his bearing, in
the lines of tAe mouth, in the glance of
the blood shot eye, that seemed the
shadow of departed power; and his sal
utation to the lagman was given and
received as that of a superior to a de-
pendent. Upon me he glowered fierce
ly, exclaiming: ''No loafers allowed
around these premisesn
The liagmau explained that l was
waiting for the train.
WHY don't he go to the depot? This
is not station"
| was about to reply when the flag
man drew forth the tin pail, saying:
General, they have sent us up our
lunch from the hotel; will you have it
now?" Steadying himself against the
door, with q hand that shook as with
the palsy, the wretched tramp took the
old mans bounty as ii it were his by
right, grumbled at its antness and
quality, said lie must be off to the Office,
and without thanks or farewell shuffIed
away. We heard his cough, mingled
with an occasional wheezy oath, as he
disappeared in the darkness.
There" said tie old Gag-man, turn
ing to me, what do you call that?"
1.-The wreck of great man, but ex-
ceedingly disagreeable in its present
state. on have, | see, some less I'M
pleasant associations with it."
81 should think so Why, sir, fifteen
years ago that man was Superintendent
of this road! And the best one, by all
odds, that they ever had He was en-
CINE, steam and engineer, all in one
Things went just like clock-work. He
knew every man, aud wheel and spike
on the whole road. You couldn't blow
whistle or swing lantern anywhere
on the line without his leave We
called him the General and we might
as well have sa i King, for he was
every inch of it. He had a good sal
airy, owned some stock in the road, had
a nice home, and moved in the best
society. His son had a tlrst-rate posi-
ton in the general office. His daugh-
ter was engaged to young milLona re
Ia nephew and ward of one OF the BIZ
rectors.
''But the General had one bad enemy
liquor. Pve heard that he learned
to drink at the wine suppers that the
railroad magnates used to give when
they met to lay their plans, and all
that. At any rate he learned pretty
fast, and practiced what he learned.
Now and then he gave wine supper
himself; and many a young man under
him-his own son among the rest-tOok
his first glass at the Generals table.
BY and by the habit began 70 show
itself in his face; next in his step; then
in his temper, and at last in the road.
Screws came loose; things ran down;
stock declined. Then the magnates
complained; and when they saw that
complaints did no good, they turned
him out. The young millionaire turned
up his nose, and asked to be released
from his marriage engagement. The
girl approved his decision; dismissed
him kindly, and before morning was 3
raving maniac.
''All these troubles, instead of sober
ing the General, made him worse. For
four months he scarcely knew sober
moment. He spent the savings of his
life; his house and goods were sold UNI
der the hammer, and he and his heart
broken wife moved into little tene-
ment in the alley yonder.
"At last the Good Templars got hold |
of him, and he signed the pledge. You
never saw such change in man. He |
was like one alive from the dead. The
railroad folks had SO much faith in him
that they made him train dispatcher. 1t
was step down; but he took it willing
ly, and did his work well. When the
new depot was opened, the beer was
f1rnis! ed without stint. To every
body's horror, the General took a glass. |
What happened after that no one knew;
but that night he ran two trains togeth-
er at the Wildwood switch, killing one
man and wounding four. In half an
hour after the accident, the dispatcher |
was discharged. In three hours, he /
was drunk in the street, arrested and
sent to the lookup.
.Some of the boys went over and |
paid his fine. Then be Swoyc By all !
that is holy that he would never drink /
again. After a probation Of six
months, and when his reformation
seemed to be genuine and permanent, |
he was offered q conductors position.
1t was another step down; but he took |
it gladly, and did his very best, which |
was as well as the best could do. One
day, the Directors car was attached to
his train. He went through as they