, 1892-09-26
A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
Jack Tells About His Encounter
Win an EpiIeptic.


"Why does the word fits make me
tremble2 1 will tell you, said A. T. Jack
son, of the Northern Pacific. 1 was night
operator at the M, a small sta.
tion at the junction of the Il &C
railway. 1 was IA years Of age and this
was my first situation.
The Office itself was about 12x12 In
! fact, it was an old handcar house which
/ had been brought from down the road on q
| fiat car, set on piles and for pOliteness
sake called depot. On each side was a
bench of rough boards for seats. Across
the end was a very light railing, breast
high which separated the Office from the
waiting room, freight room, express room
and baggage room, "au under one roo" as
the Arizona Kicker would say
"Ihe station was about ten miles from
nowhere and the winter was bitter cold.
The company would furnish no fuel and l
had to borrow what l needed. l would
take lantern in one hand and a coffee
sack In the other, jump on coal train as
she pulled through and throw off the coal
as we went down the lines, then drop Off
mile down in the country and pick up
the coal as / came back. The only trouble
was to find a soft place to fall when 1 got
off. When | would get back the dispatcher
would ask sarcastically:
"AlOng in the middle of January the
weather was so intensely cold that the
railway gave up trying to run trains
The C"gOt one along now and then, but
only in spots. One night, when there was
not a sound to be heard except the howl
ing of the wind and the humming of the
wires, big six fOOter stumbled into the
office, considerably the worse for wear. In
fact he carried beautiful jag.
81 am going to stay with you all night
young feller," he said.
Gas he seemed to know exactly what he
wanted, l concluded after had sized him
up, that, as it was a cold night, I'd let him
stay so mmrmured sweetly, with a stiff
upper lip, while my heart simply quit
through fear
"All right, partner. Lay down and make
yourself at home"
He stretched himself out on the bench
and was soon sound asleep. About 3
O'Oclock in the morning the wind seemed
to get stronger and fairly rock the shanty
had nearly forgotten about his "high-
ness-the drunk" with my back to him.
While | was doing in my chair / was
startled by the most horrible, Outlandish
deYliish, maniacle, scream that ever fell on
mortal ears. There was something so wild,
so unusual, so full of anguish, that it fairly
frOZe me to my chair. l looked around.
my rOOmer had risen to his feet and was
He started towards me with his hands claw
ing the air and yelling frantically at every
step. His eyes stuck out like balls Of
ire, large as goose eggs. He
kept coming but kicked the
gate shut; then he curved and took a
header into the hot stove, turned over and
fell lengthWise across the doorway. / was
simply dying with fright. He had posses
sion of the only doorway on the job and
the windows were nailed shut. AS he
didn't get up watched him closely as he
lay there beating his head against the
floor. All at once the foam came to his
lips, and it daWned upon me that he was
some poor unfortunate who was subject to
fits. But that didn't lessen my fright
lie hnally come to himself, got up and
lying down on the bench again went to
sleep. Did l say anything to him Well
guess notl Was afraid the shock would
start him again. Once was enough for me.
At daylight freight train pulled in and
the engineer, Patsy, came over to get or
ders. While l was getting them, my
friend in the corner, simply to show what
he could do when / had company, got up
and performed again, though he didn't
seem to take as much interest in it as at
the first performance. Patsy turned to me
and exclaimed:
Shorty, what is the matter with that
fool 2'
"You will note his language was entirely
English.
"He was not careful the way he put his
words together, but knew what he meant.
He's got fit; that's the second act, l
answered.
Wasn't you afraid when you were here
by yourself2"
"N-n-n-nO," !" / replied.
I was even then scared so badly 1 would
have skipped if there had been any place
to 60 to, but 1 tried to keep up bluff at
nerve 50 the gang wouldn't guy me when
the story got out, as it was bound to.
"Why don't you shoot ."
"Thats not exactly the way he said it,
but it will do.
With that he walked out and picked up
his fitletts, and after pouring bucket of
water over him, and getting him straight
ened out, chucked him down on a bench
and proceeded to give him one of the most
scientific, gentlemanly and artistic "cuss-
ings" that it has ever been my lot to hear.
The "star" apologized and all that SAID he
couldn't help it; but excuses were no go.
Patsy took him by the nape of his neck
and the heel of his pants, and out he went
into the beautiful snow, head first. ! was
afraid he would come back after the train
got out and sweep the Office with me, or
worse yet, have another fit. But he never
showed nm -