Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1895-04-29
ELI PERKINS RIDE.
HOW AND WHEN HE LOST HIS REP
UTATION FOR VERACITY


Telegram That Was Inspired by the Am.
bition of n Candidate For Congress.
have travelled over tho Alps when
we started on wheels i'll Italy, were put
on runners at tho inconsistencies of st. Der
nard and tho ucxt day came tumhline
down into the whcattiolds of SwitH>r-
land and the Rhono Then have jim
rikishad through Japan and wheelbar'
rowed in China. But the most exciting
trip of my life was taken in our own
country, out in Iowa. 1t was one of the
coolest night of cold winter, Ilectured
for tho college ut Usage City, northeast
from Cedar Rapids ono night, and the
next night was to be at GTinnell col
lege, near Des MoineS. | had to ride
down through the central part of Iowa.
ON tho old Iowa Central road. To do
this | was compelled to drive 80 miles
across tho prairie, from Usage City to
Mason City. i'll order to strike 8 o'clock
morning train for Grinnen
Thirty miles over the prairie in a
northwest storm, with the thermometer
is degrees below zero, was test of
strength, nerve and bodily caloric. But
we made the trip Once our sleigh tip
ped over and our blankets and robes
blew away. 1t was hurricane, and
oven our hot soapstone took to the wind.
Once we got to circling around on that
so milo prairie, and the driver threw up
his frozen hands and screamed:
"We's loSt!"
But the stars came out and we
whirled around toward the north star
and struggled on.
In tho gray of tho morning with what
JOY we saw tho struggling lights of the
little station of Mason City, now place
of s, 900 people! l remember we'll how
rolled out of the sleigh and tottered up
to tho station door. 1t was all dark
within. Iknew the morning train hadn t
gone. We had won, but. oh. with what
coStl
Knocking on the door, then pounding
louder the agent finally opened it
Has the O'Clock train gone south
to Grinnell?" asked, with tremulous
voice.
WHAT"
Has tho train Como south?"
He looked Mt mo in amazcment and
said;
GONE, man! Como? Why, she went
last September. She is n summer train.
But, " and he looked kindly at me, she
will go again i'll Juno. If you must go
on her, you can sit around hero i'll the
depot and wait. -"
What did do?
Why, went right over to n log hotel
and went to bed, and sleep smothered
my sorrows.
Sleep! Sleep!
At 10 o'clock l crawled over to the
depot and opened the wires on Presi-
dent J. B. Grinnell of the Iowa Central.
| This, by tho way, was the original man
whom Greeley told to ''go west. Grin
nell went west, and it was he who
founded tho city of Grinnell, where
was to lecture He built the college
| there The railroad, the town, the col
legc and the lecture course were all his.
| And | threw myself into his arms with
this telegram:
please give mo an engine. Get me
to Griuncll tonight"
Any engines needing repairs at Ma
son City? If So send Perkins down, y
| camo over the wire from Grinnell.
| "No wants new fireboX, went
the answer
| 80. X Send with Perkins. Get
| him hero Or kill him, replied GrinnelL
In 80 minutes we were off. We went
| bounding over tho old iron rails between
Acklev and Marshalltown, and how We
f1ewl Villages became splotches OF ma
room paint. Telegraph poles blurred like
wagon spOkcS in the sun.
We blew the whistle, but the traiI
beat tho sound into Marshalltown, ant
tho agent came ont and looked thu
wrong way We had passed tho town
and tho whistle was still behind.
Well, we got to Grinnoll and strucl
tho audience ON tho stroke of s. Presi
dent Grinncll hadn't told them abou
the ride. The audience thought l cam
on n regular train or drove over from
the next station. When | tried to tel
them about my trip they only laughed
They didn't believe mo. Alasl that wa
the day, that was the night, that l los
nv reputation for vcracity, and all thes
years | have struggled to get 1t back.
am voStryman now and member O
tho Young Mems Christian association
but nothing will get back my lost We
racity, except perhaps this open con
fesSion, now for tho first time made.
When asked the venerable PreSiden
Grinncll years aftorward how he cam
to telegraph, Get Perkins to Grinnel
or kill him." he said:
We'll, my son, you see was run
, ming for congress thcn, and l didn'
have any record to run on. All l ha
. done WAS to condemn land for right {
way and kill immigrants on our trains
Twas dying for record to run on-on
that would bring mo the sympathy {
the people, and it occurred-mind me,
he said it slowly. lit simply occurre
to me rs business mani beg pardo
for saying it, and the tears came
his ovcs-"but 1t occurred to me If 20
could be killed on our train then. al
=. the people should find it out. why.
would be nominated and unanimousl
elected.
Then he added. with o long sigl
Your coming and the lecture You d
ivered settled me with the people
!. was def -e-a-t-e-dr'-Eh Perkins
= Magazine of Travel
- In the SIums.
< COuutrv R0y-Where do Won live?