The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-16
The Old, Old Story.

The Old, Old Story.
1t was a dismal November evening,
and the rain and the darkness were
beginning to fall together, as l reached
the A - street crossing, intending to
board the evenings accommodation,
which as | knew was usually slowed at
| this point to let off an official living in
that neighborhood. As the train was
not due for nearly half an hour, | took
refuge in the hut of an old fiagman with
whom | was on excellent terms. He
was jolly, gossipy little man, who had
become superannuated in the service of
the company, and was enjoying in his
old age what was to him a position of
ease and honor. He had just finished
| his supper brought to him, as usual, By
his granddaughter. As he lifted the tin
pail to make room for me on the scanty
bench, he carefully put back into 1t
some choice pieces of meat, bread and
cake, sufficient by themselves for quite
substantial meal.
''That's 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 General" | inquired.
"Well, sir, he's what you call a man
with history"
"Tell it to me- lam fond of history"
GIVE no objection-but wait bit, l
guess he's coming now-yes sir, that's
him. Just keep quiet and don't notice
his crankiness, and you'll see a charac-
| ter"
A shuffiing step, a hoarse tearing
cough, announced the coming of the
| General, who soon presented himself at
the door of the hut, where he paused
and struck an attitude in the halfhght
of the fagman's lantern. General, in
deed A once tall and muscular man,
now a miserable slouch, with shopping
shoulders, hollow chest, bending, tremu
lous knees, the dress of vagabond, and
the face of a sot! Yet there was some
thing in his bearing, in the lines of the
mouth, in the glance of the blood-shot
| eye, that seemed the shadow of departed
power; and his saiutation to the flagman
was given and received as that of a
superior to dependent Upon me he
glowered fiercely, exclaiming, mo loaf
ers allowed around these premises"
The fagman explained that | was
waiting for the train.
"Why don't he go to the depot? This
! Is not station.
was about to reply when the fagman
drew forth the tin pail, saying, General,
| they have sent us up our lunch from
the hotel will you have it now?" Steady
| ing himself against the door with hand
that shook as with the palsy, the
wretched tramp took the old mans
bounty as if it were by right, grumbled
at its scantiness and quality, said he
/ L. - Of and xxfthA1f
thanks or farewell shuffled away. We
heard his cough, mingled with an occa-
sional wheezy oath as he disappeared in
| the darkness.
There! said the old fiagman, turning
to me, "what do you call thatT'
| ''The wreck of great man, but ex-
cesdingly disagreeable in its present
state You have, / see, some less un-
pleasant associations with him."
| 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
engine, steam, and engineer, all in one.
Things went just like clock-work. He
knew every man, and wheel, and spike
on the whole road.
You couldn't blow a whistle or swing
i Al
| his leave. We called him the General,
and we might as well have said King,
| for he was every inch of it. He had a
good salary, owned some stock in the
road, had nice home, and moved in the
best society. His son had frst-rate
position in the general Office. His
daughter was engaged to a young mil
| lionaire-a nephew and ward of one of
| the directors.
But the General had one bad enemy
Liquor. I've heard that he learned to
drink at the wine supper thai the rail
road 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-hls own
son among the rest-took his first glass
at the Generals table.
"By and by the habit began to show
itself in his face; next in his step;
then in his temper, and at last in the
road. Screws come loose; things ran
down; stocks declined.
| Then the magnates complained; and
when they saw that complaints did no
no good, they turned him out. The
| Young millionaire turned up his nose,
| and asked to be released from his mar
riage engagement. The girl approved
his decision, dismissed him kindly, and
before morning was raving maniac"
"All these troubles, instead of sober
| ing the General, made him worse. For
| four months he scarcely knew a sober
moment; he spent the savings of his
| life; his house and goods were sold un-
der the hammer, and he and his heart
broken wife moved into a little tene-
ment in the alley yonder.
'sAt last the Good Templars got hold
of him, and he signed the pledge. You
never saw such change in a man. He
was like one alive from the dead. The
Railroad had SO much faith in him that
they made him dispatcher. 1t was
a step-down; but he took it willingly,
and did his work well. When the depot
/ was opened, the beer was furnished
| without stint. To everybody's horror,
the General took a glass. What hap
pened after that no one knew; but that
night he ran two trains together at the
Milwood switch, killing one man and
wounding four. In half an hour after
| the accident the dispatcher was dis
| charged. In three hours he was drunk
in the streets, arrested and sent to the
1 lOtA-uPs
@Some of the boys went over and paid
hia ine. Then he swore by all that is
iho1y that he never would drink again
After q probation OF six months, when
his reformation seemed genuine and
permanent, he was offered conductors
position. It was another step down;
but he took it gladly, and did his very
best, we'll as the best could do. One day
the directors car was attached to his
train. He went through as they were at
dinner. The smell of the wine awakened
the old demon in him, and at the next
station he got glass of liquor. He
made q fool of himself, insuIted the
passengers, was complained of, and dis
charged.
/ "Once more after that the company
gave him chance to make his bread. |
He was appointed to petty clerkship
lin the general Office. His SON had long
since lost his place there on account of |
infemperate habits. The father soon
lost his in the same way. Some sudden |
temptation suddenly overlook him, and |
away he went again.
| It was piEiful to hear him beg for an /
other trial. He would do anything and /
1t any price. He would be fagman at |
crossings but there were no vacancies, /