The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-10
LUNY LEN.

| abode said to be extremely sultry, where all
| presidents, directors and other railway Off
Gals, more especially ticket agents, fetch up
| and finish their Internal labors. Were it not
| so hard on Mugby junction, should say
Glen Cove was the Mugby Junction of
America. Indigestion is kept there, like
| field ammunition in the quartermaster's de-
| partment, to serve out at a moments notice
| to hungry and insane passengers, and it is
| safe, for the trains carry away the sufferers
| to die in other localities.
One hot, sunny day of midsummer found
myself anticipating the punishment due for
| sins and shortcomings in this world by wait
| ing for an eastern-bound train long overdue,
as if the trains, like the passengers, disliked
| approaching the depot at which suffered.
A surly telegrapher, also ticket agent, who
shot insults and tickets through a hole at
| people, told me after an hours cross-exam-
nation that was very cross that my train
| had brought up in a corn field, and could
not possibly get away by rail before mid
| night
Now, what to do with myself from the
noon of this information to the noon ofnight
was a question that sorely perplexed me. 1
had no book, no papers, no anything to re-
lieve the dull monotony of that awful time
wandered lstlessly about the dirty frame
and platform Both were hot enough to
| roast potatoes in the shade. gazed on-nay,
studied all the colored bills, giving pictu-
rescue views of various towns, and telling in
assorted type the advantages each had over
n l. n IL
and it was very mild 1 found in guessing
at the missing letters of bill which read
Rough line to Chicago some scamp had
| cut out the initial 9Th when the bill had
originally read, Through line to Chicago"
While upon the platform gazing at an ac-
| commodation train just in. that was await
| ing its conductor leisurely getting orders
from the telegrapher, was attracted by a
| noisy crowd of men and boys gathered
about young fellow whose face indicated
the idiotic condition that originated their en-
| tertainment.
He was a tall. broad shouldered, we'll
| formed youth. and well dressed for one in
| his condition. But he had his clothes half
| buttoned, in the loose reckless manner of
| his class, while his face, without its intel
| lectual outlook, was regular in feature,
| and one could see, had there been a brain
back of il, would have been eminently
| handsome. As anxiety and care had ceased
| writing its record of age upon his face,
! it was difficult to tell his age. He had
| the form of man and the face of child.
ats the opinion of this crowd. Lem said
! the blacksmith to the idiot, that you can
beat that locomotive in a race from here to
| the tunnel and we have bet ten thousand
, dollars ON it"
The poor fellows dead face lit up with an
expression of delight, so pitiable that It
would have disarmed any other crowd than
F., the one engaged in chatting him. He gazed
wistfully at the huge locomotive that stood
/ kissing in the hot sun as if wrathful at the
delay and then he turned to the cruel crowd
as if the suggestion was slowly working its
way through his poor crippled brain.
go in Len" cried one of the crowd,
twelve got our money on you, and you're
bound TO win"
''We'll give you fifty yards the start. You
keep on the track" cried the blacksmith
land the thing can't pass you"
COulu DeUeNe l0cSe
were in earnest, when the surly engineer
gave the last bang TO his noisy bell, exploded
a short snort from the locomotive in the way
of warning, and to my establishment / saw
the idiot, throwing off his coat, start down
the track ahead of the train. Fortunately
the engineer caught sight of the poor fellow,
and checking the speed of the locomotive
began ringing him off the track. This was
responded to by the idiot bawling out with
great glee: "Come ON with your old tea
kettle" and the brutal crowd cheered and
reared with laughter.
The crowd, keeping along with the train,
cheered Justify, and the lunatic ''spurted," as
they say in boat race-tbat is, shot ahead
and exhibited considerable power as racer
! by the speed with which he got over the
ground. The engineer, infuriated at the
delay, put on speed and ratified after. But
he was upon down grade, and fearful Of
overtaking the unfortunate he almost i'm
mediately put ON the brakes and checked up
again
By this time heads were thrust out of win
dows and the platforms crowded by passen-
gers whose excitement became noisy and in
tense as they discovered that it was human
being instead of COW that impeded their
progress. As for the idiot, he paused only
long enough to indulge in jeering laugh
and gesture that was more irritating than
decent.
The crowd OF brutal loafers that exhibited
more industry in accompanying the race on
this occasion than they had probably mani
Tested in making an honest living for year
previous, went tearing along each side Of the
locomotive, laughing, shouting, cheering on
The IDIOT. while hurting I'll sorts Of exss-