The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-10-04
I'm most crazy. If you're my friend

i LII LuOob CI8LJs ~ gON AAACAA8
come with meP
HE wasn't drunk, because he doesn't
drink. 1t wasn't religious enthusiasm,
because Sandy had no religion. l al
most believed he meant what he said
and that he had been called for. got
up in hurry and followed him.
81 hadn't more than got inside the
baggage car when from among the
trunks something sung out, Shut that
door and pull down your vestr
SANDY wanted TO fight. then" con-
tinued Tom. lie danced around that
car like a prize fighter in the ring until
the voice cried ont quite loud: -Da1nna-
toni 'Pshawr l said to Sandy, That's
a boxed up parrot"
''An then the parrot told you you
lied, asserted McTougal
Eyes" says Tom, cheerfully.
And then you said-do you remem-
Der what you said:'
mo. Mack; but wasn't at your side
when we got into the next coach sec
ond Later
1--WE came back with two brakemen,"
McTougal remarks, continuing. 'One
of them brakemen looked on top of the
car an under it an in it. He stuck to il
that there was a ventriloquist about,
but gave that idee up when he couldn't
find nobody"
1--WE flung those trunks right and left
in a lively STYLE" observed Pope, but
not a thing did we Giscover-no human
living or dead thing-not place from
which the noise came We were puz-
zled, you may believe; and if the search
1, 4 h1 fCrbf have
warehoused that coach, for no railroad
man would have Travelled in a car that
was haunted But the end came. While
we were looking in each others faces
and frightened in being blocked in that
sort of way, the voice spoke again. 1t
said very distinctly: Let me out! am
dyiDg-dying!
1T was under my arm, the voice was,
Sandy exclaims, "in a big trunk that
had come from camp meeting. l sung
out for Jake to run for doctor, if there
was one on the train, an Tom an Inc put
| that trunk ON the floor as gently as if
! twas glass. Twas light enough. We
thought the poor thing must be almost
a skeleton. l got hold of the sledge-
| hammer. Keep up your courage,
ma'amr l shouted, IAN We'll have you
out in a jiffy.'
You should have seen Sandy at that
moment" says Pope enthusiastically.
HE looked a hero, every inch Of him.
He gave that hammer four sweeping
swings. Crashl crash! Rip! tear. Of
came the top, and it was flung clean
across the car. A pile of light, feecy
| stuff followed. a dozen faces looked
l. 70,
see the body of dying or dead woman.
Sandy seemed beside himself with anx-
iety.
1--WE crowded around the trunk and the
doctor knelt down beside it. He pulled
out lot of rags very carefully, run his
arm down on q prospecting tour. lifted
up a great wad of cotton, took good
long look under it, rose to his feet and
began to curse everybody and call EN-
a pack of fools. Then he changed his
4 tune and began to laugh. asked him
a little angrily what he was making such
a fuss about, and if he proposed to take
out the body.
"'Body! body! ha, ha, ha, ha! See
here, gentlemen and he tossed out the
cotton from the trunk, showing a funny
looking machine at the bottom. This Is
Stringfellow's phonograph that he's had
down to camp meeting the doctor said.
He took one of Edison's concerns and
rugged it up so as to go by clockwork.
The shaking of the car set it in motion
It's been repeating, parrotlike. only what
was told to it by the saints and sinners.
Very simple, you see. won't charge
YOU anything for my visit, conductor.
Good night, and off he went.
SANDY. our friends here want to know
how that dream Of yours over that trunk
/ ended"
, ..Oh, they do-do they? Wal, gentle
men, 1 had to pay the cost Of that trunk
an trunks cost in these times. 1t took a
: months salary to do it, which isn't com
rlimentary to the road. l learned one
: lesson. If l ever want ter open any
+ mans luggage in future I'll smash it IL
professional style."-E. D. NJ. in New
| York News