The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-11-04
THE COUPON TICKET.

"0As yooS 00lO tue COuOUCCOI Oh tho
train as he took the cigar I offered HIM,
I have. OF course man that travels
much has to. Can't help it. But the
worst case had to deal with was about
two years ago. OF course you've heard
of the case of Jeffries against the road?
MOP Well it grew out Of tho Meedville
accident Never heard Of the Meedvile
disaster? Well. I declare I Thought
everybody had heard of that. There
were columns and columns about it in
the papers for days. Jimminy, how
the newspaper fellows tried to interview
me! Course l knew better than to say
anything. but it was pretty hard to get
rid of the reporters. Well, it was like
this: I was on No. 5, and we were behind
time. Johnnie was a-whooping her
through for all she was worth. Just
this side of Meedville the air-break tub
ing snapped. and on went the brakes
quickern'n lightning. You see, that's
one advantage of the air. If anything
goes wrong it don't wait till you need
'em. but it justs clamps your train
where she stands. You may risk a
cracked Wheel but you can't monkey
with the air. You've got to fix that
right there or you can't go ahead.
Still, it was an unlucky affair for us.
Well. there's curve at Meedville, and
We sent back man with red lantern,
but before he got round the bend down
comes a wild special right on us. 1t
was down grade, the engineer lost his
head and jumped, fireman did the same,
and before you could say Jack Robin
son that special had climed half way
! through the sleeper.
1t was an awful wreck! Half-past
in the morning and as black as CATS
Whew! l don't care to talk about that.
General thing it's the emigrants in
front that suffer in an accident, but this
time it was the rich folks in the Sleep
ers. Jeffries was one of the killed.
He was railroad man who used to be
in Chicago till he got position on the
Central in New York. His family lived
in Chicago, and so he came through
now and then. Mrs. Jeftries sued the
company for $lo,OoO-I think it was
$4,000. although they generally 60 in
for larger amounts. Anyhow the com.
pany claimed he travelled free and held
they were not liable. The company
lost the suit before the jury. but they
carried 1t up and the higher courts re-
versed the decision, and as Mrs. jeff
ries didn': seem to have money enough
to carry it any further it rested there
against her. Oh, yes, I suppose she
could have got lawyers enough who
would fight the case on spec when she
had one verdict. I don't know the
particulars or why she dropped it; I'm
only telling you just what heard-that
the case was dropped. Well, mebbe
it's as you say. Perhaps the company
is liable for passed as well as for regu-
lar tickets; anyhow, I'm giving you
my version on it. You see the con-
ductor that took up the tickets that
trip was killed. was braking then
and whether they got the tickets and
passes or not-well don't know any
thing about that. They didn't have to
pay for Jefries, anyhow.
: The night after that suit was decided
came through the sleeper collecting
tickets. In seat No. sat a man that
thought was asleep. He had SLOUGH
hat drawn over his eyes. touched
him on the shoulder.
: Tickets, please" I said. He didn't
move, and somehow the moment
touched him I felt as if he wasn't q
living man.
Il want your ticket" I said louder.
He didn't seem to breathe or stir, and
was going to shake him when he
slowly raised his head. shall never
forget the look Of that face. The
cheeks were sunken and the pallid lips
were drawn back from the teeth that
glittered in the light of the lamp l had
on my arm His complexion was like
paste, only dark and mottled. There
seemed to be a bruise or cash on his
forehead, but he had pulled the SLOUGH
hat over it so as to partially hide it.
j He handed out a soiled coupon ticket
that had evidently been bought at a
scalper's. I looked at it suspiciously.
1t was dated more than year before,
but it was an unlimited ticket and was
good enough. 1 tore off the coupon to
Chicago, and gave him a check.
When gathered all my tickets. sat
down in the smoking car to arrange
them and make an entry of the cash.
Oh, that's all right; we do make an en-
try of it. If man takes any of it, he
takes big risk with it, can toll you.
thought would take another look at
that coupon. Well. sir, couldn't find
it! No. sir; hunted every pocket had.
; Couldn't find a trace of it. I went
back and met the conductor of the
sleeper and told him that had lost a
ticket or else l hadn't torn it off: Said
never knew myself to do such thing,
but might have done so this time, as
the look of that man had sort of ratified
me.
"Oh, him. said the sleeper man;
"we've had q deuce of time with
him."
what was the matterp''
well, guess it was the fault of the
uptown ofice-sold lower four twice.
. Finally the other fellow agreed to take
lower twelve. Lucky it was empty.
Guess he didn't want to wrangle with
that fellow. Did you notice how he
seems to be looking past you instead Of
at you with those half-crossed eyes Of
his?"
Didn't see his eyes. He was hall
asleep. Was his sleeper ticket all
right?" He gave me a coupon a year
| DID,
20, it was all right. Here are the