The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1889-04-11


hungry but improvident brakeman,
was thrown into the open water butt.
The conductors lurid remarks were
drowned by roar that eclipsed any
previous effort on the part OF the baby.
The silent man examined his pipe
anxiously, and, finding that it was I'M
injured. looked vastly relieved. Bates
and Speers untangled themselves.
The brakeman fished the dinner
basket out OF the waterbutt
and chuckled at its soaked con-
tents. Again the conductor spoke
disparagingly of the luck. He dragged
several great jack-screws out OF the
cuddy Of the caboose. while the brake
man chuckled maliciously at the
growls of his chief. Then Bates, who
had jumped from the car to reconnoi-
ter, returned with the information that
the caboose had left the track for rea-
sons to him unknown. and all hands
but the apologize man with the twin
babies adjourned to the ground.
The brakeman threw himself fiat on
the grass and volunteered the informa-
ton that they were stuck for half a
day. The engineer and fireman were
probably OF the same opinion, for they
had already severed the engine from
the rest of the train and were pulling
away, presumably to replenish the sup
ply of water in the tender-tank, which
was not sufficient for so long a wait.
mo need to stay a quarter of that
time if you fellows will all take hold
and help with these jack-screws.
Come, Jim, said the conductor.
Not much" answered the brake
man. mo jack for Jim just now. l
thank you. DO as you like, but | am
going to skirmish for dinner. House
over there by the mound
Bates expressed a determination to
join him. Speers requested them to
count him in. Silent relit his pipe and
said nothing.
Then the conductor lifted up his
voice and his hands in a maledictory
roar, for the substance OF which the
literary-inclined reader is referred to
the third chapter OF Job. AS he rolled
over on the grass the brakeman con-
fided to Bates that his position in the
employ of the company was in no dan
ger, as the superintendent was his
cousin. While the conductor worked
single-handed at the jackscrews with
wrathful energy the loungers on the
grass INDUCED in insulting comments,
and the baby within the car roared, if
possible, louder than ever.
oval" continued the narrator at
this juncture, II don't reckon | ever
heered that conductors equal. Ian
guage! An I've heered Sam Bass an
Shorty Lawhead, too. He pulled an
hauled till lowed the next jerk would
unkink his spine, an we laid there an
grinned, an the baby kept on a
yellin'.
WAL said I, 4 don't keer how
long we stay yere, SOS that baby's
cried himself plumb out by the time we
start again. 'Druther stay year than
to ride with him an his voice"
me, too" said Bates and Jim.
Silent didn't open his head. The
conductor had given up exhausted, an
settled back a-puffin'.
oval, said he, low an stern, I'm
not going to ride with him! You can
just bet on THAR
"'Going to walk? asked Bates.
No, I'm not. But that cursed
baby, or rathor his father is. When
the train starts again he's got to stay
behind. Wen take the quiet baby to
the next station if his father wants,
but the man has got to get there with
the bowler any way he can besides rid
ing on my train
Bates an Jim an me lowed we'd
stand by him. Silent didn't say any
thing.
"'Yes, said the conductor, hell
have to walk or do the next best thing.
And he wants to be quick about it to
get clear through before the moons
up and the coyotes are out
Coyotes, you know, amt exactly
dangerous, unless thar's a good many
of 'em, but they're mighty unpleasant
and snappy company.
"'And, the conductor went on, If
he gives me two words talk, We'll
mixr
That's the talkr said me an Jim
an Bates. Silent didn't say any thing.
1.-The sooner he starts the better for
him and us, too, said the conductor.
That's the idea, said Bates.
Who'll tell him?'
"None of us stirred.
IN do it, said Silent. wasn't a
bit surprised, for | never knowed how
to take Silent, any how
oven give him good start, and
then turn in and jack the eaboose back
onto the track, said Bates. an the rest
Of us agreed.
1T wasn't two minutes till Silent an
the apologetic-looking man stood in the
open door of tho car, the bowler sorto
heralding their approach by his yells.
The bowler was in Silent's arms, an
the yellow-faced man looked discour-
ageder and depresseder an moro stoop-
shouldered than ever. Before they
could speak, the conductor busted out:
Here! Why don't you throttle that cub
say? Why don't he be as quiet as
the otherp
The other baby's deadr SAID ST.
lent, solemnly.
'Thon the apologize man, with the
dead child in his arms, turned an vent
out OF sight back in the oaboose, lo)k-
ing more discouraged than ever. an
Silent came out with the bowler ilA'
jined us, an the baby yelled louder
| than before.
'Ibelieve that Silent spoke more thes
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