The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-04-04

Away back from the lines of the
Southern railroads, up in the noun
tains and in the somber pine-woods,
dwell many people who have never
seen locomotive, steamboat, tele
| phone or Sunday newspaper. These
| who live within a few miles of the
| tracks ride down on muleback to wit
ness the passage of the one daily train
with undiminished wonder and salts
faction. l have frequently seen forty
or fifty saddled mules tied to the
fences around some obscure little sta
ton, and their owners gawkily stand
ing, open -mouthed, gazing at the train
| and its occupants.
But if you ride back into the coun-
try you will find many who have in
tended all their lives to 60 down and
see the sight, but have been too busy
loafng around to get time to accom-
plish the journey. Crops need watch
ing in this section, and the men, with
observing with eagle-eye the growth
of forty y-five feet of popcorn and few
stalks of tobacco for home consump-
tion-home consumption being a very
prominent disease there.
They have few worldly goods, and
they are light and portable. One of
the residents of little cluster of log
| cabins said to me: "We uns don't
hev no trouble bout movin. yereabouts;
we jist POUR some water on tie fire
an whistle to the dog, and we're
moved"
Now and then one of these people is
compelled. once in a lifetime, perhaps,
to make a journey by rail. 1t is like
pulling tooth to get him started,
and the whole community assists in
the operation. Every able bodied in
habitant is at hand to witness his de-
parture, and few "allow" that he will
ever return. When he does so he is
regarded as "globe- -trotter" forever
by his stay-at-home neighbors. l had
a curious exhibition of the verdancy,
as we'll as the neighboring feeling of
these shy and retiring people on a
journey through Georgia. Our train
stopped at little, almost nameless
station on signal, and a tall, slim boy,
attired in butternut homespun. step
ped upon the platform and knocked
vigorously upon the door, hesitated a
moment and then walked in. Making
solemnly for the first seat, he shook
hands warmly with its occupant, say
ing, "Howdy, stranger how's yer
folks p
He went through the car, shook
hands with every one, with the same
kindly inquiry, and sat down. L
later, took occasion to talk to him
fand discovered that it was his first ex
perience in railroad travel, and the
formal manner of his entrance / after
ward ascertained to be the regular
Cracker" manner of greeting an as
sembled company. He was extreme
ly alarmed at the terrific speed of the
train, which ratified and bumped along
one of the rudest of tracks at the ratt
of seventeen miles an hour, and he sale
it took his breath away.
But the queerest and funniest Incl
dent of this Southern trip had almos
a tragic termination. The train wa
just starting, without ringing bell o.
blowing a whistle, when a cloud o
dust was observed travelling down th'
t road to the station, and from the mids
of which proceeded prolonged yells
The train was promptly stopped, ant
an ancient and rickcty chaise drov
up, and there climbed down from it al
old man in long yellow coat and
! William Goat beard. He wore be
sides these a pair of abbreviated gree
trousers, which seemed to, desire t
shun his boots and rise to highe
plane, and beaver hat of the vintag
of 1912 He took from the chaise
1 bandbox, tied with a string, larg
carpet bag, paper bag containing a
assorted lunch, two live chickens,tie
together by the legs and crock {
butter, over the top OF which piec
of muslin was tightly fastened. Wit
these and an ancient umbrella b
boarded the train with some difficulty
and sat down in seat a few feet froI
l the door. The train rolled ava,
. leaving his companion In the chais
sitting, open mouthed, paralyzed wit
wonder.
The ancient one, with the wint
tossed beard, gripped the arm of h
seat as soon as he felt the trains n'
ton, and let out startled yell th;
caused the passengers to turn pa
I with fear that we had mailman ,
. board, and when the conductor rain
him he shouted, "the hull darn thin
is sinking"
The amiabIe conductor assured hi
that he was perfectly safe. and goil
l. into mis- pocket pulled out his pune
The old man held up his hands in !.
instant and cried: "Don't sho,
Mister, don't shoot; I'll give in r
= II amt goin' to shoot, | only wa
= your ticket"
"What ticket?"
"Your railroad ticket"
"Ain't got none. We uns up o
way don't hev no railroads n
n nuthin'."
aWell, then, pay your money to II
Where do ycu want to go
sIp gwine to Staunton, to 4
grandson's, Pete Rawiins. Knt
him p
- Nope"
4Knov any Of his folks down
-Staunton r. just then the whis
blew and the old man jumped. up a