The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1892-10-29
A BAGGAGE SMASHER

4opC dh' DHi4Ls -hNLcd5dA- ~
Sandy McTougal's friends. one gets a
pretty good idea of Sardy's remarkable
adventure with a voice, or. as Sandy
terms it. with the devil IL a boz.
Tom Pope Is conductor and McTougal
is baggage master on the Air line,
which runs from the Atlantic ocean &c
''the middle Of next week"
Most astonishing thing. that hunt q
Sandy for u voice said The conductor.
the other night.
"Umph." grunfed Sandy, that may
be yer way Of lookin al IL. bur | call it
diggin for the devil. and fndin him"
Are you going to tell this story in.
quirei the conductor.
Not by "a long chalk" McTougal an
swered.
Then Tom narrates. and very prettilv
too, how he and Sandy were transferred
to night runs III August last. and now
lonely the baggage man became because
he was cut of from fellows 10 listen 10
his stories and offer him cigars.
You alters smoked EN-, Tom" inter-
rupted Sandy. u don't smoke. ye
know"
Il did get a good many putf4 that
way, III admit said the conductor.
sThey We're about the only thing Sandy
ever gave that | could get amy light ont
Of"
care yon telling this story" asked
McTougal. If 50. tell it."
SANDY was lonely and miserable"
continued his friend. Nobody tailed
to him or gave him IA quarter for not
smashing their baggage. 50 he tool, 10
brown studies and maps between stations.
The night of his voice business"-
Devil, | tell you" cries Sandy
abruptly.
Was crowded one continues Pope,
without noticing the interruption. "Hi4
car was JAIN full Of luggage"
And tie more trunks Sandy has on
board the crosser he gets. There was a
camp meeting on a switch-ofT track. and
at the junction | picked up a lot of mob
by passengers who We're lcavin" for
other places Of amusement, ana there
was no end of trunks"
t'McTou@al got things into shape
about II o'clock, | reckon. and as there's
a part Of the run where its a good hour
between stations he got ready for q
snooz He picked out the softest trunk
in the pile On which to pillow his head,
tilted back his chair with his feet OH the
rounds, pulled his hat over his face ard
went to sleep. How's that, Mae"
"Quite k~eerect,a responds the bag
gage master.
Very well; then you tell for awhile.
I wasn't there, you know"
1T didn't seem 5 if I'll been asleep
more'n d minute" begins Sandy. when
there was a lively jump Of the car an /
sort Of come TO life with q jerk. At the
same time heerd. as if way of, 4 noise
like some one a-talhin. But | thought
twas q brakeman outside, an was jes'
a-dozin OF again when right 1T my ear.
in d thin, sharp voice, sutnin said. oh,
Lord
4 amt 10 fool. Iain't." Sandy asserts.
throwing hack his head Gefiantlv. IAN
when that tLl whisper come into nv
ear | jes half opened my eyes 'specfin
to see some Of the boysaround. But nos
a Twin thing vas visible. So | SAID t.
myself, i snored; that's what's the ma
ter an OF | goes a-noddin an dreamin.'
Then agin Ihears that voice. Itsays
quite distinctly, 1 want to get out.
Nov, ! want d bit mistaken this
fine. | heerd it. But fore | could get
my wits together there was q veil sound
in way off.
"'That's my death call, says l to my
self, instantly calling to mind fellows
who had heard like sounds an were dead
in less'n a week. Then | says TO myself,
Sandy, don't be q fool" an jumps to my
feet as wide awake as | am now.
sit was q wolnans squaWk, ard |
could have sworn to it. Then it sung
out in tin trumpet style:
"'Help. help
81 haulad over the tool chest, All the
water barrel, and the cupboard III the
corner, an looked out on the platforms
an did eyerythin a man could do under
the circumstances. to find out what was
a-makiu Of that fuss. | went to the
side door to cool myself, an was a-fannin
my face when. blame me! if | didn't
hear d cornct start off with the .Rogues'
March, and d gruff voice foller it with:
"'In the midst Of life we are il
death
Il yal!,ed my head round, an didn't
see nHthin that wasn't there before.
That threw me of my pins. Then Il
rooster croy7ed. an a feller with a cold
in his nose counted ten forward and
then backward. IN another cuss. with :;
bullfrog vo5ce, ordered me: Wake up.
the devil wants YOU You needn't
laugh. gentlemen, when I tell You | run;
an sod vcu if yon'd been thar. | was