Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-04-13


tearin' and screcchin' up Cross.Keys
Betsey Ann Simcoe, she looked on
with a kind o. smile of triumph, fo
all the worlds if the hull concern be
longed to her. Every time the trail
passed she came out and looked at i
till she got used to seeing 1t and hear
ing its unearthly noise. And ther
one day she tuck her little white helI
along, and got aboard the cars aud
rode up to the next station, as she
said TO see how she liked it. Nexi
week she went ag'in as fur as Glover
dale, and little after made another
trip, long with her cousin, Lucindy
Parks, clear up to the city.
Purity soon she got to be known to
all the railroad folks along the line,
and there was no end to the jokes
about her.
"By gosh!" says old Mr.. Potter to
one O. the conductors, one day. "I'm
thinking you'll hev to fix up car for
her speshal 'commodation, if she goes
on this way longer"
"Oh," answered he, q smiling,
otis novelty to her at present, but
we don't object. After awhile, when
her curiosity's gratifed, she'll be con-
tent to settle down at home ag'in,
and talk over her travels"
Well, she did stay quiet for a
week or two. and then took ag'in to
to riding on the rail First she went
to Cloverdale to buy tin kittle for
10 cents which she said was a saving
5 cents from gitten it at Cross-Keys.
Then she left her gal at home and
tuck Lucindy Parks along, all the way
to the city to sell her eggs and buy q
caliker gownd; and so it went all the
Summer.
"Ob, never mind" says the con.
ductor. smiling a hard kind of smile
shell get tired of travelin' arter a
| while"
But she didn't seem to get tired On
the contrary got she to making reg.
nlar trips, taking along first one person
and then another, until the conduct
ors got to looking as grum as bears;
and even the fremen and injineers
scowled or laughed every time she
put in an appearance.
One injineer used to let off a fear.
full screech o. the b'iler whenever be
seed her coming; but, arter the frs,
scare. she got used to it and took nc
notice
And once when she was late and
the conductor started the train just as
she and Lucindy Parks was about
climbing aboard, she threatened to
sue the company if it happened
agin.
They knew she'd keep her word, sc
they were all obliged to be on their
good behavior to her.
| So she kept it up all the first year
or two. Her way was to get aboard
with her female companion, whoever
it might be for the time, and jest fix
herself comfortably near The stove oil
at window, 'cording as it was Sum
mer or Winter, and thar sit and knit
the whole journey through.
She'd carry one woman up maybe
and bring another down, and at last
it came out that she was maxim 6
regular business of it, with folks thai
wanted to visit the town or country
they paying her half and quarter
of the regular fare on what was pass
ed off on the railroads folks for a free
trip.
The company interfered then. anG
said something about stopping it by
law; but she Flowed they hadn't stip
erlated bout any business matters o
hern, and she was keeping to the let
ter of the agreement.
Then they tried to buy her off, but
she said she was satisfied as things
was and wanted no change. Still, i
was clear that she was not only max
ing money for herself but keeping the
company out of it.
There was one injineer nameG
Wells on one of the trains, and bime
by, when this had been going on {
matter of four or five years, Betsey
Ann Simcoe noticed that he always
fetched his cap and looked at her in &
soft, spooney sort o. way whenever he
seen her.
| One day, when she was standing
on the bank, he dung bokey of pink;
and bachelder- to her feet, anG
another time pitched her a pound o
candy.
Then he handed her a newspaper
wife some verses in it marked with
charcosl-something about his hear
being captivated by lady cover the
way" that he'd never spoken to; anG
at last came letter saying as how
he'd seen her 80 often on the cars
end he was sure she would make hin
the good, clever, sensible wife he't
always wanted, if she could only
bring herself to fancy him as be die
her.
Well, she answered the letter, anG
meeting was fixed; but meantime
one O. the railroad chaps stepped il
and told her that Wells was getting
so dissipated that the company talked
of discharging him, but she might b,
. able to save him only on condition
that he'd give up going to bar
rooms.
He considered of it and said b,
would if she'd promise to give up hel
railroad travelin and stay at hom'
and make it comfortable and agreea
BILE for him and her.
So they both put it down in blacl
and white, and got witnesses to it
and took oath to keep their words
and then they was married.
Of course Betsy AND Wells stayed
: at home now. and set about doing al
she could to make it pleasant for he
husband. She had plenty of time t.
do it in, for he didn't make his ap
pearance there once month, skeerse
ly; and at last she found out that j
was all put up job of the company
who'd bribed Wells with $500 t.
marry her off the road for good.
He was a reckless sort of a chap
, but not bad, and had always been a
. sober and free from bar-rooms as