Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-25
QUEER VIRGINIA CUSTOMS.
Stopping Train to GIVE Little Girl a
Ride-A Sleepy Switchman.


Ride-A Sleepy switchman.
Time in Virginia, says a correspondent
of the New York Sun, has no value what
ever, and, as it is the universal practice
there never to do to-day what can be put
of until tomorrow, little inconvenience
arises. The railways are run on happy
! go-lucky schedule, which is extremely di-
verting to those who have time in abund-
| ance, and the few who are pressed for
| minutes, being in a hopeless minority.
| rather afford occasion for mlrth when
| they begin to kick at Virginia methods.
/ The railway time tables are in perfection
| in the rural districts. Not long ago
night train with party of New Workers
| on board was humping along comfortably
! at a manifestations gait through a re-
/ mote part of Virginia, when all at once,
| with Tremendous jerk, it came to
! standstill. The natives in the sleeping
| car did not think it worth while to ask the
reason of the sudden stOppage; the aliens
| did, though, and when the conductor
! strolled through the car roar of indig-
nant inquiry went up. The conductor
| soOthingly explained that they always
| stopped at switch for fear it might not
be set.
But, good gracious" exclaimed an
Irate New Yorker, ''where is the switch
man:''
The conductor explained that the par
ucular switchman they then needed was
| probably asleep. Followed by objurga-
| tons, the conductor got of the train,
| went to the station house, and pounded
vigorously, shouting at the same time:
Cit up, jim; the trains here, and
passed. O them burned folks from up North
Is raisin' breeze cause the switch amt
! set"
Jim called back, 'Tm a cOmin'," and
| evidently turned over and went to sleep
| again. The VIrginians on the train began
| to chuckle. Their sympathy was entirely
| with Jim and the conductor. The latter
| continued to urge Jim, who was always
| ''comin', )" but didn't come. The cOnduc-
| tor, at first apologize, being gOaded by
| the New Workers, now became pressing.
| DO, JIM he anXiOusly said, ''git up
| and set the durn thing so the train can 90
| bV."
Jim continued Obdurate until one of the
| New Workers arose from his berth. and,
l. clad in rage and a checked ulster, got of
| the car and threatened to set fire to the
station house and make burnt offering
of Jim if that switch was not set in ten
| minutes. Within the specified time Jim
| appeared, boiling with indignation. and
threatening to resign if he were again
| subjected to similar Inconvenience.
1t is the custom along these provincial
| roads to stop the train at any point upon
| being signalled. People can be taken on
| and put OIL anywhere they like. A fast
| train-that is, what they call a twenty
| miles-an-hOur train-Was going through
| plantation a month or so ago, and the
| passengers observed three little girls on
| the wayside waving their white aprons
| frantically at the conductor. The train,
| of course, stopped. The tallest of the
! girls, ten-year-Old, with long eYelashes,
! bashfully remarked: 'Won't you please
| give me and Katie and Fanny and the
| doggie rideW The conductor promptly
consented, and assisted Miss Eyelashes,
her companions, and the doggie on board.
| They rode on for a mile or two, and then
they announced their readiness to get off.
The train was stopped, and they jumped
down and scampered off. just as the
! train had started Miss Eyelashes rushed
| wildly back.
''Oh, mister, if you please, don't 90
away till we get 'cross the creek. Mamma
| doesn't let us go over it less somebody's
watching us, and we have to carry the
| doggie.0
The conductor waited until a final
| waving of white aprons on the other side
| of the creek signltied that his passengers
| were safe. Nobody in the train expressed
| surprise except the aliens. Nobody who
| has ever been there before rushes to meet
| a train in Virginia. When the first rail-
| way train went through the ancient town
of Williamsburgh in October, 1881, it was
| advertised for 8 O'Clock. 1t was the time
| of the Yorktown centennial, and the town
| was full of strangers. These rashly APP
| peared at the station at 9 O'Clock precise
| ly. The natives meanwhile went about
! their business. Toward II O'Clock those
| OF the natives who meant to board the
! O'Clock train assembled. After waiting a
While they went off and sat on the court
| house steps, leaving orders with a negro
! to call them when the train came. 1t did
| come some time in the afternoon. and the
| negro, running about the town, informed
the passengers when the train would
| start.
The present Norfolk and Western road
was once the Atlantic, Mississippi and
! Ohio. Then Senator Malone gObbled it
| up. The Senator refers to Mrs. Malone
! always as "Otelia," and she is popularity
! supposed to own more than her dover in
! all the Senator has. One day, as a train
of freight cars marked "A. NJ. and o."
was backing into the freight yard in Nor
| folk a pessimistic gentleman remarked
| dolefully: Yes, there it is. A. NJ. and
o. That means, All Mahones and
| Otelia's."