Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-01-12
A STRANGE VOICE.
Why Two Railroad Men Broke
Cpon a Trunk

Between the stories OF Conductor
Tom Pope and Sandy McTougal
backed by Sandy McTougals friends,
one gets a pretty good idea Of Sandy's
remarkable adventure with voice. or.
81 Sandy terms il, with the devil in .
box
Tom Pope is conductor and Nc
Torgal Is baggagemsster on the Air
line, which runs from the Atlantic
ocean 20 the middle of next week"
Most astonishing thing. that hunt
~ Sandy's for voice." said the con-
6uetor tAe other night
Then Tom narrates. and very prot
lily. too, how he and Sandy were trans
ferrcd to night runs in August last. and
how lonely the bsggageman became
because he was cut of from fellows
70 listen TO his stories and offer him
cigars.
.'You alters smoked 'cm, Tom" in
terrupted Sandy II don't smoke, 20
know"
"Idid get . good many puts that
way, I'll admit" said tho conductor.
sSThey were about the only thing Sandy
ever g.po that could get any light out
Of"
"Are you telling this story?" asks
NcToucsl IF SO. tell it."
SANDY was lonely and miserable"
continued his friend Nobody talked
TO hizn or gave him a quarter for not
smashing their baggage, so he took TO
brown studies and maps between sta
tons The night OF his voice bust
pess-"
''Devil r~teit you" cries Sandy
abruptly.
ssWas = crowded one" continues
Pope. without noticing tho interrupt
tiDa ''His or wss Jana full of luggage.
'.And the moro trunks Sandy has on
6unrd NE xoaser he gets. There was
\ emp meeting on . switch-of track.
and ct shs Junction picked up lot Of
nobby passengers who were leaving
1or other places Of amusement and
there was no end Of trunks
ssNcTougal got things into shape
about eleven o'clock, reckon. and as
there's part of the run where it's q
good hour between stations he got
ready for q snooze-
sHe picked out the softest truck in
en-, pile on which TO pillow his head,
tilted back bis chair with his feet on
the rounds. pulled his hat over his face
and went to sleep How's that, Mac?"
''Quite keercct." responds the bag
gagcDastcr.
''very wall; then you tell II for
awhile / wasn't there. you know"
1T didn't seem 'sif I'd been asleep
more'n a minute" begins Sandy. when
there was a lively jump of the car an
cert OF come 70 life with jerk. At the
same time I heerd. as IL way of. a
noip like some one a-sslking.
"But I thought twas brakeman
outside. an was jcs' a-dozin' OF again
when right at my ear. in a thin, sharp
voice, sa'thin' said: oh. Lordr
az amt no fool 1 amt" Sandy as
serts. throwing back his head. defiant
". '.an' when that tin whisper comes
/. into NY ear Jest half opened my eyes,
'>rec.i1s' 20 sec some Of the boys around
Ent not livin' thing vas visible.
$50 I said % myself. L snored; that's
wbef'8 The matter. an of I goes n
solidin' an d-eanin'.
Then azin I hears that voice. II
ssys. quite distinctly: I want TO get
eutF
Vow want biz mistaken this
tir1e. heard is: bot fore could get
usy wits together there was q yell
soundin' way OF.
"srllss's my desth-calf' says 20 my
81. Instantly calling TO mind fellows
who had heard hke sounds an were
dead In isss'n week. Then says 70
myself. Sandy. don't be foolr an
Jumps 70 my feet ~ wide awake IS
an now-
s4t was . vouan's squswk. and I
ronId have sworn - n. Then 10 sung
Out in tin-trunpet styles
"'Helpi helpr
al hauicd over the scohchest an che
water baSrcl. and Tho cupboard ia the
corner. al looked cut on the platforms.
an I'D everythin' a man conld do IN
der the circumstances to find out whss
was s-msi<in' % that fuss.
II went ~ the side door 60 cool my
self. an wa a-fanniH my face when.
blame u1e. y didnT hear cornet
stzrt OF With th> 'Ror-,>'s March, and
zaruT voice tofler l. wish: