The Opelousas courier., 1889-04-27

car.
The brakeman took his feet out Of
Bates abdomen and g~rinned malicious
ly at the fate that had overtaken the
conductor.
That worthy had been thrown half
way out of his revolving chair, and his
head struck the window sill in front
with a sounding crack. Not to tran
scribe his subsequent remarks too lit
orally, let me say that then and there,
and without the slightest ambiguity.
the conductor consigned the luck to
everlasting and torrid oblivion.
The basket that had reposed on the
desk and containing the lunch which
he had refused to share with the
hungry but improvident brakeman,
was thrown into the open water butt.
The conductors lurid remarks were
drowned by a o a 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-serews 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 a 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 apologetic man with the twin
babies adjourned to the ground.
The brakeman threw himself fat 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 q wait.
"No need to stay a quarter of that
time if you fellows will all take hold
and help with these iack-screws.
| Come, JIM" said the conductor.
Mot much!" answered the brake
man. mo jack for Jim just now, I
thank you. Do az 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
lnded to Bates that his position in the
employ of the company vas in no dam
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 e
"Wal," continued the narrator at
this juncture, II don't reckon ] ever
heered that conductors equal. Lam
guagJ An I've heered Sam Bass an
Shorty Lawhead, too. He pulled an
hauled till / '1owed the next jerk would
unkink his spine, an we laid there an
grinned, an the baby kept on a.
yellin'.
"tWal,' said /, I don't keer how
long we stay ;yere, SOS that baby's
cried himself plumb out by the time we
start again. 'Druther stay a year than
to ride with him an his voice"
stMe, too,U said Bates and Jim. 7
silent didn't oaen his head. The
conductor had givln up exhausted. an
settled back a-puffin'.
".Wal,' said he, low an stern, I'm
not going to ride with him! You can
Just bet on that!'
- 0O1uS ~ WGlhs CEohOO Loves =L
emo, I'm not. But that cursed
baby, or rather his father is. When
the train starts again he's got to stay
behind. Wen take the quiet paby to
the next station if his father wants,
but the man has got to get there with
the bowler any way he al besides rid
ing on my train
GBates an Jim an me lowed we'd
stand by him. Silent didn't say any
thing.
Yes said the conductor, he'll
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. II
he gives me two words talk, vel
MKT
asThat's the talk!' said me an Jim
an Bates. Silent didn't say any thing.
1.-THE sooner he starts the better fol
him and us, too said the conductor.
That's the idea, said Bates.
Who'll tell himp'
sNone of us stirred.
"Ill do it, said Silent. / wasn't 8
bit surprised, for / never knowed how
to take Silent, any how.
asWe'll give him a good start, ant