The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1892-07-27
A BAGGAGE SMASHER


which runs from the Atlantic ocean to
''the middle of next week"
"Most astonishing thing, that hunt of
Sandy's for voice." said the conductor,
the other night.
"Umphr grunted Sandy, shat may
be yer way Of lookin at it, but call it
diggin for the devil, and flndin him."
care you going to tell this story in
qufred the conductor,
"Not by long chalk" McTougal an
swered.
Then Tom narrates, and very prettily
too, how he and Sandy were transferred
to night runs in August last, and how
lonely the baggage man became because
he was cut off from fellows to listen to
his stories and offer him cigars.
You alters smoked 'em, Tom," inter
rupted Sandy. 81 don't smoke, we
know
81 did get a good many puffs that
way, III admit" said the conductor.
"They were about the only thing Sandy
ever gave that could get any light out
Of"
"Are you telling this storyg" asked
McTougal. ''If so, tell it,"
"Sandy was lonely and miserable"
continued his friend. Nobody talked
to him or gave him a quarter for not
smashing their baggage, SO he took to
brown studies and maps between stations.
The night of his voice business
''Devil, / tell YOU" cries Sandy
abruptly.
"Was q crowded one" continues Pope,
without noticing Che interruption. ellis
car was jam full of luggage"
'And the more trunks Sandy has ON
board the erosser he gets. There was
camp meeting on switch-off track, and
at the junction picked up lot of mob
by passengers who were leaving for
other places of amusement, and there
was no end of trunks
"McTougal got things into shape
about II o'clock, l reckon, and as there's
part of the run where it's good hour
between stations he got ready for
snooze. He picked out the softest trunk
in the pile on which to pillow his head,
Tilted back his chair with his feet on the
rounds, pulled his hat over his face and
went to sleep. How's that, Mac?'
"Quite keerect,' responds the bag
gage master.
Very well; then you tell It for awhile.
wasn't there, you know"
ut didn't seem IS if I'd been asleep
more'n minute, begins Sandy, .'when
there was lively jump Of the car an
sort of come to life with jerk. At the
same time heerd, as if way off, noise
like some one a-talkin. But thought
twas brakeman outside, an was jes
a-dozin off again when right at my car,
in a thin, sharp voice. su'thin said, ooh,
Lordr
81 amt no fool, / amt ;" Sandy asserts,
throwing back his head defiantly, IAN
when that tin whisper comes into my
ear l jes half opened my eyes spectin
to see some of the boys around. But not
livin thing was visible. So l said to
myself, i snored; that's what's the mat
ter an Off goes a-noddin an dreanin.'
"Then agin hears thatvoice. Itsays
quite distinctly, I want to get outr
.sNow, / want bit mistaken This
time. Iheerd It, But fore could get
my wits together there was yell sound
in way off.
"'That's my death call, says | to my
self, instantly calling to mind fellows
who had heard like sounds an were dead
in lessn q week. Then says to myself,
Sandy, don't be foolt an jumps to my
feet as wide awake as / am now.
lit was woman's squawk, and /
could have sworn to it. Then it sung
out in tin trumpet style:
'Helpi helpr
~ hauled over the tool chest, an the
water barrel, and the cupboard in the
corner, an looked out ON the platforms
an did everythin man could do under
the circumstances, to find out what was
a-makin of that fuss. / went to the
side door to cool myself, an was a-fannin
my face when. blame mel if I didn't
hear cornet start off with the 'Rogues'
March, and gruff voice foller it with:
" In the midst Of life we are In
death
II yanked my head round, an didn't
see nuthin that wasn't there before.
That threw me off my pins. Then
rooster crowed, an Teller with cold
In his nose counted ten forward and
then backward, an another cuss, with
bullfrog voice, ordered me: Wake up!
the devil wants your You needn't
laugh, gentlemen. when ! tell you l run;
an sod you If you'd been thar. was
certain the devil had come for me-late
but sure-an didn't wait for him to
ask for my ticket"
Tom Pope at this point broke into
stentorian laugh.
"If, gentlemen, you'd seen Sandy
come flying into the car where was
sitting, you would never stop laughing
You may not believe 1t, but his brown
face was as white as your shirt fronts,
and his eyes were as big as billiard
balls. He dashed down the aisle and
whispers in my ear:
"sTomi Toni Come with mep"
"'Whats the matter, Macr ] said.
"swhat sils your
"sTom, the DEVILS In my car. He's
been a-cuttin up for half an hour, an
I'm most crazy. II you're my friend
come with mel
"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 q hurry and followed him.
II hadn't more than got inside the
baggage car when from among the
trunks something sung out, Shut that
door and pull down your vsstp
Sandy wanted to fght, then" con-
tinued Tom. HE danced around that
car like prize fighter In the ring. until
the Yoies cried out qt1ita Iond;. pamne-