Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-03-13
Ell PERKINS, RIDE.
HOW AND WHEN HE LOST HIS REP
UTATiON FOR vERAClTY.

A Thrilling Experience ON One Of the Cold
est Nights Of . Cold Winter In Iowa.
Telegram That was Inspired BY the Am
bition OF Candidate For Congress.
I havo travelled over the Alps when
we started OH wheels in Italy. wero put
ON runners at the monasterics Of st. Ber.
nard and tho next day camo tumblina
down into tho wheatfields Of Switzer.
land and tho Rhone. Then I have jim.
rikishad through Japan and wheelbar-
, rowed in China. But tho most exciting
| trip of my life was taken in our own
country, out in Iowa It was ono OF the
coldost night of cold winter. Ilectured
for tho college at Osage City. northeast
from Cedar Rapids, one night. and tho
next night was to be- mt Grinnell col
lego. near Dcs Moincs. l had to ride
down through tho central part Of Iowa.
ON tho old Iowa Central road. To do
this l was compelled to drive 80 miles,
across the prairie. from Osago City to
Mason City. III order to strike n 8 o'clock
morning train for GrinnelL
thirty miles over the prairie in a
,.thwest storm, with the thermometer
i5 degrees below zero. was test Of
strength, nerve and bodily caloric. But
we made the trip Onco our sleigh tip
ped over, and our blankets and robes
blew away. It was hurricane, and
even our hot soapstone took to tho wind.
Once we got to circlipg around on that
30 mile prairie, and the driver threw up
his frozen hands and screamed:
"We's lost"
But tho stars came out, and We
whirlcd around toward the north star
and struggled OH.
In the gray of tho morning with what
joy We saw tho struggling lights of the
littlo station of Mason City, now \ place
of 8, 600 people!, remember we'll how
rolled ont of the sleigh and tottered up
to tho station door. 1t was all dark
within. knew tho morning train hadn't
gone. Wo had won, but. oh. with what
cost!
Knocking OH tho door, then pounding
louder, tho agent finally opened it.
Has tho o'clock train gono south
to Grinncll?" I asked, with trcmulous
voice.
WHAT go. e..
"Has tho train gonc south?"
He looked at no il amazement and
said:
"Gone, man! Conc? Why. she went
last September. She is . summer train
But" and he looked kindly at me. she
will go again in juno. If you must 60
OH her. you can sit around hero in the
depot and wait"
What did do? 81,
Why, Iwcnt right over to log hotel
and went to bed, and sleep smothcred
my sorrows. e.
Sleepi Sleep!
At 10 o'clock I crawled over to the
depot and opened the wires on Presi-
dent j. B. Grinnell of the Iowa Central
This, by the way, was the original man
whom Greeley told to "So west" Grin
nell went west, and it was no who
founded the city of Grinncll, where L
was to lecture. He built tho college
there The railroad, the town, tho COL
lege and the lecture course Were all his.
And throw myself into his arms with
this telegram:
please give mo an engine. Get me
to Grinncll tonight =,
ANY engines needing repairs at Ma
son City: IF so. send Perkins down."
came over tho wire from Grinncll.
mo. & wants o new fireboX, went
tho answer.
go. X. Send G with Perkins. Get
him here or kill him, replied GrinnelL
In 80 minutes we were off. We went
bounding over tho old iron rails between
Ackley and Marshalltown, and how we
flew! Villages became splotches of ma
room paint. Telegraph poles blurred like
wagon spoles in the sun.
We blew the whistle, but the train
beat the sound into Marshalltown, md
tho agent came ont aud looked the
wrong way. We had passed the town.
md the whistle was still behind.
Well, we got to Grinncll and struck
dent Grinnell hadn't told them about
the ride The audience thought came
OH q regular train or drove over from
the next station. When l tried to tell
them about my trip they only laughed.
They didn't believe Ale. Alasl that was
tho day. that was the night, that lost
my reputation for veracity, and all these
years have struggled To get 1t back. /, =,
am n vestryman now and \ member OF
tho Young Mems Christian association,
but nothing viii get back my lost We
racity, except perhaps this open con-
fession, now for the first time made.
When asked the venerable President
Grinnell years afterward how he came
to telegraph. "Get Perkins to Grfnneh
or kill him." ne said:
"Well, my son. you see was run,
ming for congress then. and l didn't
have any record to run on. All had
done was to condemn land for right of
way and kill immigrants on our trains.
l was dying for q record to run on-one
that would bring me the sympathy Of
the people. and it occurred-mind me-"
he said it slowly, lit simply occurred
to me rs business mani beg pardon
for saying it" and the tears came to
his eyes-''but it occurred to me il you
could bo killed ON our train then, and
the people should find 1t out, why, /
would he nominated and unanimously
elected"
Then he added, with q long sigh,
Your coming and the lecture you de-
livercd settled me with the people-1
was d-e-f-e-a-t-e-dr'-Ei Perkins in
Magazine Of Travel
In the Slums.
Country Boy-Where do you liver
Street Gamin-I live In . tenement