Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-03-14
MisekllauenMs.
REQUESTED TO RESIGN.

In rather luxuriously furnished
office, behind carved oaken desk, sat
man on tho right side of forty-a
man who looked just what he was--a
live, bristling, shrewd and successful
American railroad official For nearly
two hours General Superintendent Lock
wood, of the United States Midland
Railroad, had been opening his mail
(the accumulated correspondence of sew
eral days) and keeping his stenog rapher
busy taking down replies and sundry
memoranda. The stack of letters and
kilograms had very pcrceptibly dimin.
ished when the door Of the Office opened
to admit an old man. Not very old
man, perhaps, and yet one whose shoul-
ders we're decidedly bent, whose hair
was scant and grizzled and whose
weather beaten face was marked with
many deep furrow.
Half way from the door to the large
desk, cap in hand, the man stood while
Mr.. Lockwoo finished the diotation OF
q long letter. Then tho official looked
up.
"Ah, Rainsford,' he said. good
morning. Let me see. said 1890.
You are ahead of time. Just take a
seat and | will be through here in less
than fifteen minutes" Q
The man seated himself in one of the
capacious, leather seated chairs, while
the superintendent went on with his
work as though there had been no in
terruption.
Having dictated q reply to the very
last letter in the stack, Mr.. Lockwood
rose from his chair and walked over to
where his visitor sat. On his way he
liz a cigar, and then, thrusting his hands
into his pockets, thus began:
"You have worked for the company
how long, Rainsford 7"
"Thirty-three years, SIR"
'In the cab all that time 2"
Every year Of it. Three years firing
and thirty years On engineer"
"Its good record, an almighty
good record, Rainsford."
Mr.. Lockwood coughcd little, hard
dry cough not caused by the cigar
smoke. Then he walked to his desk, =,
walked back, and coughed once more.
Eyes, it's an excellent record. But.
has it ever struck you that you are not
as young as you were thirty y-three years
ago? You know, Rainsford, every dog
has his day. We are oil growing old.
1t is merely question Of time"
The superintendent smiled grimly,
and the engineer smiled also, though
he could by no means comprehend the
drift Of the officials moralizing remarks.
"Well, SIR" he said, "there's no de-
nying what you say amt as timber
as used to be. A man on the shady
side Of sixty cant exactly call himself
one Of the boys. But, please, God,
Mr.. Lockwood, Pm equal to good
many more runs before we 60 into the
round-house for the last time
Mr.. Lockwood coughed again, and
knocked the ashes of his cigar.
"rhe fact is, Rainsford, that we arc
going to make several changes on the
Midland. I've been put in here by the
directors and they expect good deal
out Of me--more than | can get out Of tho
road as it is managed at present. be-
lieve in young men, 80, though have
nothing whatever against you person
ally, shall have to request you to hand
in your resignation. Let me see thii
is the twenty-second US say on the
last Of the month"
The words fell on old Dick Rains.
ford's ears with dull thud. Such q
possibility as this, while he was still il
good health-sound mentally and ply
sically-had never entered into BIZ
mind. Thirty-three long years of faith
full service in sunshine and in storm, il
prosperity and in adversity, through
evil report and good report, under re
ceivers aud under presidents, through
strikes and financial panics--the thirty
three best years Of bis life, and then I
request to resign.
The fine old fellows tongue was tied
and be did not even make an effort :
move. He just sat still and twirled hi
cap in his fingers while over and owe
and over the words followed each othe
through his partially-stunned brain
requested TO resign.
Even the -blooded, selfish an
calculating official was momentarily al
fected