Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-12-30
On a Southern Railroad.
Conductor who h several other
Things Besides u tonductyr.

Things Besides tonductyr.
Down South-it doesn' for the purpose
1f this story make any difference in what
,tatc-there is a railroad less than ten miles
long. IL is a very good railroad, as some
railroads in the South 60. IL is run by one
man. OF course the directors, stockholders
and officers of the system do not believe
his. But unparalleled travellers on the
road people who don't own any stock in it
and who haven't any friends that own
stock in IT,, know who it is that runs the
road It's the conductor He has been
running it ever since IL was built and no
doubt he will run it as long as he lives.
The conductor is called the Captain. vt
doesn't make any difference why; in fact,
nobody seems to know why, but there isn't
any doubt that he wears that title-and he
wears it proudly, too. There is one thing
which should be understood about him in
the beginning. He is a pretty big man in
his part of the country. In the fist place,
he knows every man, woman, child, dog
and horse for five miles on each side of his
railroad In the next place he is better
than a daily newspaper, a base ball bulletin,
a telephone and a sewing-class-thati is to
say, he knows everything that happens
along the railroad and lac isn't bit selfish
abou, his knowledge. He spreads it about
with q lavish hand.
There is another trait which ne possesses
not often found in plain, everyday con
ductors. He isn't proud. He knows his
station, appreciates the great power which
he is, hut this has not turned his head.
For instance, he is willing TO be on friendly
terms with the people. Ii doesn't make
any difference to him whether they are 30
years older than he, whether one man
owns half the county and another was a
general in the war of the Rebellion; it is
all the same to him. He likes them just as
much, no matter what their class, no mat
ter what their degree.
A Northern man once had the great
honor to be passenger on the twO-car
train of this potentate. He wanted to
make connections with another railroad
and as he had five hours in which to make
the nine miles between him and the desired
station he got on the 'locar' with feelings
of genuine Free Soil confidence. for nine
miles is a short distance, five hours a long
time. The train was a little late in start
/ ing, perhaps a matter of an hour or two,
| but the serene manner the calm air, the
/ placid smile and the expression of great
content of the conductor left no room for
| doubts or misgiyings.
The conductor, when the train finally
started, began to take up his tickets in this
/ way:
"IIullo Jim" he said TO a gray-haired,
! military-leoking man in the first seat OF
! the only coach, chow are you?' Then
| he punched his ticket and added:
"Well, what dye think OF the Sullivan
Corbett hght?''
Jim" had some views on the subject
and the conductor sat down in the seat be-
side him and began to talk prize-fghting
! Fity-tve minutes later he got up.
"Hullo,' he said eve re- stopped. ain
we?' and hc peered out OF the window {,
see if the train Wa, really not in motion
He was right. 1t was stopped. Il had
been stopped for a long time. He climbed
down the platform steps and set mp a yell
"Ili there lac cried; whats the mat
ter nOw?'
"Air brakes" sang back the engineer il
a contcnted voice.
"Oh, is that alp" answered the conduct
or cheertully and went along one side o
the cars and then the other, giving vigor
Gus kick to the air-brakes.
TRY it now" he shouted, and the train
bumped ahead.
"All right" cried back the engineer
"Wait minute shouted the conduct
or; "wait for me, and he walked ate
the train, climbing back to his car in a dig
ntied manner. Then the train wen
on its way and its sovereign owner sa
down and closed up that conversation OF
the Sulivan-Corbett fight
In the seat behind Jim he was
Judge of the supreme court of the state
sat little old lady, white haired an
weet-faced.
"Hullo, Sally?" said the conductor
warmly, chow are you to-day? Haven
seen you i'll long time. How's Sue?
sue was "Sally's" mother. Then h
seated himself at the side of sally an
reeled off two columns and a quarter q
Sunday "society chat
Meanwhile, the train advanced by tit
and starts and the conductor occasional
glanced out of the window to see if hi
, freight were making progress
"Well Jen,' said the conductor, movin
, on in the course Of time 10 seat No. 3, IS
you're back again, Ell? I'm glad to Sc
you. ] missed you this summer. Bee
up North Moth he called it, of cours
haven't you?"
) "Jen' had spent the summer in tn
! North, and she confessed as much.