The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-19
A STRANGE VOICE.
Why Two Railroad Men Broke
Open Trunk.

between the stories OF Conductor
Tom Pope and Sandy McTongal
backed by Sandy McTougal's friends,
one gets a pretty good idea Of sandy's
remarkable adventure with voice. or,
as Sandy terms II, with the devil in d
box.
Tom Pope Is conductor and Nc
Tougal Is baggagemnster on the Air
line, which runs from the Atlantic
ocean TO 1.-THE middle Of next week. !"
Most astonishing thing: that hunt
OF Sandy's for voice" said the con.
ductor the other night
Then Tom narrates, and very pref
tily, too, how he and Sandy were trans.
ferred to night runs in August last, and
how lonely the baggageman became
because he was cut OF from fellows
10 listen to his stories and offer him
cigars.
s.you alters smoked EN-, TOM In.
terrupted Sandy. Il don't smoke, va
know"
~ did get d good many puffs that
way, I'll admit, said the conductor.
They were about thaonly thing Sandy
ever gave tnat could get any light out
Of.
.Are you telling this story7" asks
McTougal. III so, tell it
SANDY was lonely and miserable, =
continued his friend Nobody talked
to him or gave him quarter for not
smashing their baggage, so he took to
brown studies and maps between sta
tions The night of his voice bust
ness"
Devil, tell you.' cries Sandy
abruptly.
Was crowded one" continues
Pope, without noticing the Interrupt
ton. Ills. car was jam full Of luggage.
And the more trunks Sandy has on
board the crosser he gets. There was
camp meeting on switch-off track,
and at the junction Ipicked up lot OF
nobby passengers who were leaving
for other places Of amusement, and
there was no end Of trunks.
.McTougal, got things into shape
about eleven o'clock, reckon, and an
there's part Of the run where It's q
good hour between stations, he got
ready for q snooze.
''.IIe picked out the softest truck 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
gagemaster.
VERY well: then you tell 1t for
awhile. wasn't there, you know"
ut didn't seem 'sif I'd been asleep
more'n n minute begins Sandy. when
there was a lively jump Of the car an
sort of come to life with jerk. At the
same time heerd, as il way off, a
noise like some one a-talking.
But ! thought twas brakeman
outside, an was jes' a-dozin' OF again
when right at my ear. in thin, sharp
voice, su'thin' said: oh, Lordr
II amt no fool. I ain't," Sandy as
serts, throwing back his head, defiant
ly, Tan when that tin whisper comes
into my ear ! jest half opened my eyes.
'spectin' TO see some OF the boys around
4 But not Twin thing was visible.
80 said to myself ! snored; that's
what's the matter, an on goes .
noddin' an dreamin'.
.sThen agin hears that voice. 1t
says, quite distinctly: 4 want to get
QUIT
Now want bit mistaken this
time. heard 1t; but fore could get
my wits together there was q yell
soundin' way Off
That's my death-call, says tony
self, instantly calling TO mind fellows
who had heard like sounds an were
dead in less'n week Then says to
myself: SANDY, don't be foolr an
jumps to my feet as wide awake as
am now.
1T was . yyofnan's squawk, aud
could have sworn to it. Then it sung
outin tin-trumpet style:
Help help
II hauled over the tooi-chest an the
watey barrel, and the cupboard in the
corner, an looked out on the platforms,
an did eVerythin. a man couM do nm
der the circumstances to find out what
was a-malSin Of that fess.
II went To the side door to cool my
self. an was a-fanniu my face when,
blame me, II didn't hear a cornet
start off with the .Ro,sie's March, and
a grufg VOICE foller i with:
In the midst Of l.ie we are in
icatll'
u yanlsed my head round, an Didn't
sec nothin' that wasn't there Lef re.
That threw me Of my pins
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