The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-01-03
A STRANGE VOICE.
Why Two Railroad Mon Broke
Open a Trunk.

Opsi1 IL IrunK.
Between the stories of Conductor
Tom Pope and Sandy NcTougal
backed by Sandy McTougal's friends,
one gets q pretty good idea Of Sandy's
remarkable adventure with voice, or,
as Sandy terms it, with the devil in a
box.
Tom Pope is conductor and Nc
Tougal is baggagcmaster 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 narratcs, and very pref
tily, too how he and Sandy were trans
fcrred to night runs in August last, and
how lonely the baggarcman became
because he was cut off from fellows
to listen to his stories and offer him
cigars.
you alters smoked 'cn, Tom" in
tcrruptcd Sandy. 81 don't smoke, We
know"
81 did get good many pufs that
way, I'll admit" said the conductor.
They were about the only thing Sandy
ever gave that could get anv light out
Of"
Are you telling this story?" asks
McTougal. 'If 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
tons. The night of his voice bust
ness"
Devil. 1 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
a camp meeting on switch-off track,
and at the junction picked up lot of
hobby passengers who were leaving
for other places of amusement, and
there was no end of trunks.
"McTougal got things into shane
about eleven O'Clock. l reckon, and rs
there's part of the run where it's
good hour between stations, he got
ready for Il 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 Mace"
Quite kecrect," responds the bag
gagcmaster.
Very we'll; then you tell it for
awhile. l wasn't there, you know"
at didn't seem 'sif I'd been aslecp
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 l hecrd, as if way off, a
noise like some one attacking.
But thought twas a brakeman
outside, an was jes' a-dozin' off again
when right at my ear, in thin, sharp
voice, suthin said: oh, Lordr
II amt no fool, ! amt" Sandy as
serts, throwing back his head, defiant
ly, IAN when that tin whisper comes
into my ear jest half opened my eyes,
spectin' to sec some of the boys around
But not q Twin thing was visible.
$50 l said to myself: 4 snored that's
what's the matter an off | goes a.
noddin' an dreamin'
Then agin l hears that voice. It
says, quite distinctly; I want to get
outn
Now I want bit mistaken this
time. heard it; but fore could get
my wits together there was a yell
soundin' 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 less'n a week. Then says to
myself: Sandy, don't be fool! an
jumps to my feet as wide awake as l
am now.
ut was woman's squawk, and /
could have sworn to it. Then it sung
out in tin-trumpct style:
"'Help! hclpp
II hauled over the tool-chest an the
water barrel, and the cupboard in the
corner, an looked out on the platforms,
an did everythia' man could do I'M
der the circumstances to find out what
was a-makin' of that fuss.
81 went to the side door to cool my
self, an was afannin' my face when,
blame me, if didn't hear cornet
start off with the 'Rogue's March, and
q gruf voice foller it with:
=" In the midst OF life we are in
death
II yanlled my head round, an didn't
sec nothin' that wasn't there before.
That threw me off my pins.