The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-02-14
JUNGLE BILLYS" TALE.
The Lincoln Spectral Funeral Train
Frightened Him,
ErDgE threw UP HIS SITUATION.
uo saw tho Ghostly Vision aud Could
yot stand the narrowing Sight
which appears Year After Year
yopody Would Believe Him, but no
Vows the STORY is True.

Nobody Would BeI'eNo mum ""' ''S
Vows the Story is True.
cleago G'o1s,
Long before Chicago had achieved i'm
,r,,rce as commercial center, and
ro,rs before the Chicago & Alton rail-
y,y through tho heart OF Illinois was
,bourbt Of, Uncle Billy Mitchell lived
in me little village OF LockpoFt, thirty
,bree miles south OF Chicago. When
,ho Alton road was completed and the
p n (ioode! and Old Silver made their
INIT aying trip over the road, Uncle
Rllv was offered and accepted the posi-
ZION Of baggage master at the little way
station above upper town, lie soon
nroyed to be tho right man in the right
Mace. He becamea frst-class operator,
ticket agent and baggage master; Genial
slmost 10 the point OF tender-hearted'
Hcss he won many friends and made
iov enemies. Nobody seemed to know
wby he should be called "Old Uncle
EIivr with tho passing years, ior the
ioct Ia no never seemed to grow old,
Time carved no burrows IN his cheeks,
or dimmGd the iustre OF his EGoR gray
cycs and his stop was as spriCGtly ana
Josning ag Il youth OF aiXteen, Unlike
most railroad men, Billy contracted no
L,d habits, he neither smoked, chewed
tobacco, drank whisky or swore, but he
was superstitious,
HAD HIS IRREGULARITIES.
Nothing ouldinducc him to sit down
oatable Of thirteen, and ho would no
more have thought OF journey on Fri
daythana IIottontot would have fancied
a trip to America.
When Billy was good naturcdly guyed
about his peculiar ideas he generally re-
lapsed into silence, and further quizzlng
was abandoned. Many attempts were
made to draw the old baggage man out
m his superstitions but all to no pur-
nose. The years flew by into the dim
mists of the past, and every dav rain or
shine found Uncle Billy attendingstrlct-
" 10 business, and everybody supposed
be was a fixture. But one day to tho
surprise Of all no threw up his Job, sold
his little home and moved to Florida.
After the usual nine days wonderment,
he ceased to be subject OF conversation
although he was sadly missed, and with
the passing months and years he passed
from the memory OF those who were
once his close personal friends.
Last Thursday "Uncle Billy" now q
successful orange grower in Florida,
came here to visit his old friends.
BiIly's sudden and unexplained disap.
pearance was called TO mind, and after
much importuning he related the fol-
lowing remarkable story by way OF ex'
PLANTATION:
WAS A SAD SIGHT.
'You remember when the Lincoln
funeral train wound its way slowly
through Lockport for its final reception
at Springfield? No? Well, then lot
mo tell you it was the saddest event
that ever cast q gloom over this commu-
nitv, for here Lincoln was loved as
only a kindly great man could be loved.
remember fastening the great silken
United States flag over the front Of the
depot, while Bill johnson manned the
minute gun under the brow OF the hill,
Just beyond the depot, and the youth
full Wideawakos stood drawn up in line
blythe side OF the track with oakum
torches that lighted up the scche with a
broad glare.
with the first flash OF the headlight
as it rounded curve, the minute gun
pealed forth its brazen notes and vast
crowd back OF the torchlight bearers
stood with uncovered heads, though the
night was chill and raw. Slowly, al
most noiselessly, the long funeral cor
tego rolled into the depot and there
stood revealed the awe inspiring specta-
Gle OF Americas great president being
accompanied to his last resting place.
"In the center OF the large drawing
room car TINT followed the pilot so
closely, lay the body OF tho martyr
president in q large black ca5ket, while
on the front and rear platforms OF tho
long train stood, with uncovered heads,
statesmen, soldiers OF renown and cab
met officers,
MEN OF FAME.