Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-02-07
THE CoNDUcToR,s sToRE.
4 Fe'y Queer Incident That Happened
Reccntly on His Train,

coming east Oh No. IL, says s. j.. Cole
of Brooklyn in the New York World.
L had as passengers an old couple-the
queerest-looking couple | ever saw.
They We're both over so years old, as
learned in talking with them. The old
lady was dressed just as my grand
mother used to dress fifty or more years
ago-poke bonnet and ali-only minus
the hoops. The old man had on gem
uine swallow-toil coat and a stoyepipe
hat, tall and scarcely larger than FIVE
inch stovepipe.
first saw them on going through the
train after leaving Salamanca, where we
make connection with the Nypano.
The old lady at once commenced to ask
| questions, but as we make our first stop
at Carrollton am too busy to more
than glance at tickets, and I told her i
would see her later. Leaving Carroll
ton have more time, and when came
to the old people, as they were in the
rear of the last day coach, the one next
the sleepers, sat down in the seat just
in front of them and had a long talk.
| 1 found they We're Scotch and had
been living somewhere out in Illinois
for nearly half century. They were
both remarkably intelligent considering
their years, the old lady in particular,
she being great talker. They had at
last concluded to see the old country
once more before death claimed them,
and We're now on their way to Scot
land.
Arriving at Hornellsville where we
took supper, it was found necessary to
put on all extra car. This brought the
old people into the second car from the
sleepers. Canisteo, four miles out from
Hornellsville, is our first stop. Here
We register and report back to V. Our
next stop is Addison, thirty miles east.
Leaving Canisteo jumped on to the
rear platform of the last day coach and
there found the old man. 1t was get
ting dark, and there being q number Of
sharp curves between there and Add
son l took him by the arm, and saying
Come, come, uncle, this won't do,
opened the door and sent him inside.
L then went up ahead and commenced
taking up my through tickets. Wher
I came to the old lady Noticed she wa.
alone, but as she had both tickets anl
said nothing l thought nothing Of it.
had to 60 through the sleepers as vel
as the day coaches this time, and W,
, had begun to slow up for Addison be
fore I was through. Leaving Addison
I again passed through the car, and thi
time the old lady spoke up, saying:
Say, Mr.. Conductor, have you seel
anything of my old man lately?"
NO." I said; mot since leaving Can
isteo. sent him in the car there
Haven't you seen him?"
NO, not since we left that plac
where we stopped SO long"
then remembered about the extr
car we had put on at Hornellsville, an
that it was that car had sent him into
and went back to look for him. Blu
the old man was not there. The brake
man and 1 looked through the train
sleepers and all, but he was not to b.
found. Some of the passengers in tn,
car I had sent him into said the,
noticed him as he came in and that he
after looking the car all over, evidentl,
in search of some one, had passed int
the car ahead. 1 then knew that h.
had probably undertaken to pass iron
car to car just as we had struck
sharp curve and been thrown from &
platform. He had undoubtedly been
instantly killed, for there was not one
chance in million for it to be other
wise. It was with a heavy heart I Went
to the old lady to tell her my fears.
had had many a tough job, but this
was the hardest, and [ would have
shirked it if I could Going up to he1
/ said:
We'll, auntie, I can't find him, and
fear he has fallen off the train"
Mercy" she replied, II hope he ism,
hurt"
Then up spoke some fool passenger
Hurt! Well, if he has fallen off this
train he is killed, sure"
I The old lady looked up at me and
said:
DO you think SO, Mr.. Conductor?"
Il don't know, auntie lam afraid he
u.s., replied.
The old lady dropped her head and
for moment or two did not reply.
Then, raising it up again, she looked
me full in the face and said:
ooh, dear! Well, I don't know as it
makes much difference. He was getting
pretty old and couldn't have lived but a
little while anyway, and then he was a
great trial. He would get drunk"
was completely thunderstruclz. Do
you know that old lady wouldn't get off
the train and wait for news from him.
She said: ooh, it's no use. If he is