The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-19
TOLD BY THE CONDUCTOR.
Money Couldn't Stop the Train, But 1t
Stopped, All the Same.


I never read or hear of the mountains
that l do not recall a story told by a
conductor OF train on the Great North
ern road. We were going to Butte. The
train had just crossed the river at Great
Falls. From that point he road begins
it's eastern ascent of the range whose
tops are whitened with the snow all the
year round. wide plain spreads out
between the line of the road and the
range. AS the train was getting "a fresh
hold on the rails" as one OF the party
expressed II, the conductor stood on the
rear platform of the coach and looked
steadfastly at one spot until 1t was lost.
Got a claim anywhere around there?"
asked a traveller who had noticed the
conductors longing look
"A kinder of a claim" he replied, but
not the kind you're thinking Of"
How he came TO tell US makes no diff
ference now. Here is what he told:
bout year ago, l think it was,
young man was put on my train by the
conductor who had brought him to where
l take 1t. He had been East. His folks
lived down there, | believe. He had
been West a good many years, was a
cowboy then u deputy marshal. then a
boss of ranch, and then he got specu-
latin in Anaconda. He had lived the
sort of a lie out here that man was
expected to live in them days. He was
hard citizen, and then a good one.
Blest If | know just where he quit of.
but he did. He finally got to lovin'
girl, and Just when ne was hayin II the
wust way, she ups and marries a good
for-nothng dude that came out here and
got to clerkin' In rag house. Then the
young man that / am taikin about he
goes East to wear cut his feain's.
reckon. And he was gone all summer.
They said he was at the seaside. l
thought when ! heard that as how he
would not last long. When man quits
this climate to go TO the seaside there
must be something mighty bad about his
case. If man can't git cured here he
needn't 80 anywhere else.
We'll, when he was put In my care
there was four or five Of the boys with
him. They had heerd he was comm
back and they met him away down this
side of st. Paul. And they nursed him
all the way. and fed him jest as If he
had been sick girl. He was ookin'
out of the window of the car all the
time day AID night, but wasn't sayin'
nothin'. When We got to Great Falls
he looked out of the car winder and
smiled 1t was the first time that the boys
had seen him do that since they met
him. and they thought he was gettin'
we'll. He asked EN- to set him up in
his berth so he could see And he
looked at the mountain tops out there,
covered with the whiteness of God, and
The foot Of the mountains that is washed
by The purest water this side of the d.
vide. The train was just getting a good
holt on the rails when TIE poor fellow
rank back, and the next thing I see the
boys was takin' the piller out from I'M
der his head. Then | knowed II was all
over. Thin one of the boys come TO me
and asked me IL / would take 81 800 to
stop the train. l told 'em | couldn't do
anything Of the sort. They said money
as 40 object. Then / asked EN- whar
was up. and one of EN- told me that
he (meaning the dead nam had made a
last request that he be taken from the
tain and buried in sight OF the noun
tain that had the snow on 1.-THE one
that caught his eyes first after we had
come over the river. They said they
rad promised they would / asked 'em
where they would get a box, and they
said man as good as he was didn't
need no box; that the angels would take
care OF him as soon as he was laid away
| asked EN- what they would do IL the
train wasn't stopped. rhey held a short
parley, and said in a most respectful
way, which I understood, that they had
to carry out the wi1hes of the deceased
at ali hazards; that they could stop the
train If | didn't I understood ON
RULED the cord and went for'ard. ard
while the engineer was mendn' tn, locc-
motive. which got out OF sorts jest then.
ne funeral PROCESSION n.Ossu ou., a..l
the dead was buried out there In flll
sight. II so happened that we got the
locomotive fixed Just as the funeral was
over, and we took the pall-bearers into
Butte that night
And ! never pass that spot that I
don't look out there whore they .laid
him. l amt never seen any OF the
pall-bearers since. and | don't know TIE
name Of the young man that they
hurled. 10 you know, gents. that his
grave is green all the year round? |
once thought Of putin up gravsstorc
at the head. but, thinks I, It's none Of
my business. and. besides the boys said
the angels was goin to take care of his
body. so / thought I wouldn't he in
trudln' on any angels business. II was
the only time though. that my locomo-
tive ever got anything the matter with
it."-Chicago Daily Tribune.