Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-01-29
ONE DAY OF DUTY.


said the hungry reporter as he tilted
his chair back and elevated his heels
on the desk that the city editor called
his when he was there. There are
some things in this world I'm not
adapted for. That's one"
The rest of the Late Watch" gath
cred around with EXPLANATIONS of
amazement and surprise and he con-
tinued:
You see. | once applied to a divis-
on superintendent for job and was
ssured that my application would be
0nsidered the very first vacancy that
occurred. Then i waited. The sus-
)ense was not especially trying to me-
)ut | could SEQ it was wearing on the
friends with whom | was boarding
Onsderably
Zone day, however the caller,
the man that rounds up the trainmen
when they are wanted to go out on a
special, came around with IL note re-
questing me TO call at the superin-
tendents Office. Of course l complied
with the request and was told that
they wanted me to act as assistant
agent for q day or two at a place called
Copaiba or something like that.
| wanted to know if 1 would have
time to go and pack my grip. but they
seemed to think such delay would
materially prejudice the prospects of
the road so | grabbed the pass and
made for the train, which | managed
TO catch after brief but exciting
| al, off
road men call it. began.
This train don't stop at Copaiba
young Teller" said the conductor as
he pocketed my pass and proceeded
calmly on his rounds. l would liked
to have asked him what | was ex-
pected to do about it, but his countc-
nance was so stern and forbidding l
! did not dare.
We were rapidly nearing my desti-
nation, and something had to DO DONE
SO informed a brakeman OF my pre-
dicament and he very kindly volun-
teered to ask Fatty Duff" the
engineer to slow down a little at
Copaiba and let me off. l presume
he did so. yet if there was any reduc-
ton in the speed of the train it was
too slight for my Impractical eye to
detect. The brakeman encouraged
me- however, and as there appeared
10 be no other alternative. when we
were nearly abreast of the platform, l
let go and dropped.
did not light right away, but when
] did land the conclusion was some
thing awful. and as | rolled over and
over it seemed to me | must have gath
cred up about all the splinters there
were in that platform in different por-
tons OF my anatomy. | was still gy-
rating when the last car whizzed by,
but | heard the hind MANS timely
warning:
Look out young man, you'll tear
your clothes"
1t was rickety old station, the walls
frescoed with mashed tomatoes.
Empty chicken coops, fruit boxes,
berry chests and watermelon rinds
scattered about the platform exhaled
a faded and depressing o1or, and the
only visible indication of life or death
were the swarms of flies buzzing
drowsily in the hot sunshine. picked
my way TO the office and presented my
credentials to the agent, a tall, lank
man with long neck, careworn fea-
lures and stiff hat that looked out OF
place in the midst of such rural sur,
roundings. He was absorbed in g
newspaper and it was some time be
fore he noticed me. At length, how.
ever, he threw down the paper. read
my letter and invited me to make my
! self at home. Then he unbosome
himself
You're familiar with the interstat,
: tariffs and the Unconstitutional CLASH
iica'ion, SUPPOSED" he said.
, | was obligel to confess my ignor
ance.
That's bad" he replied. "Yol
better sit right down and familiariz
7 yourself with them. You'll find 'en
e all in those files. Besides the tariff
there's 724 supplements and l. "a
D amendments, in addition to 2 786 cir
culars that you should post up on
, rates and the modified rulings
there's 4S9 OF 'em-that have appears
since the last classification was issued
After you get all those down pat
would be well to devote a little time I
y the local classification and tariffs
, learn the terminal points and get tn
: routing instructions committed I
N emory. Hello! there's tina
L freight coming at last Tell EEL
= there's nothing for 'em. I've got {
:, go across the street and collect som
+, bills-you can check out any freigh
! they've got" And he withdrew.
The conductor walked in and sale
> ASK i'm if he's got anything for Nc
, 49,"
v put the question to the train dii
: patcher over the wire and he al
J. Bwered: No" very plainly and di,
Is inctly. After while the trai
: pulled out and / was looking for tn
II soup ticket to report them when tn
Il rain dispatcher began calling tn
i Mice.
lie answered and he said: Get NJ
n e3.n
is They're gone"
l. Stop emil"
y Il say they've gone"
.'Fetch an baekr
y They're gone Is"
B." shut TINT KEY and 90 and bring Tn;