Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-03-08
ELI PERKINS RIDE.

ELI PERKINS, RIDE.
HOW AND WHEN HE LOST HIS REP
UTATION FOR vERACITY.
A Thrilling Experience on One of the Cold
est Nights of Cold Winter In Iowa-A
Telegram That Was Inspired by the Am
bition of q Candidate For Congress.
I have travelled over the Alps when
we started OH wheels in Italy. were put
on runners at the monasteries of st. Ber-
nard and the next day came tumbling
down into the wheatfelds of Switzer-
land and the Rhone. Then I 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 a cold winter. I lectured
for the college at Usage City. northeast
from Cedar Rapids, one night, and the
next night was to be at Grinnell COL
lege, near Des Moines. I had to ride
down Through the central part of Iowa,
on the old Iowa Central road. To do
this was compelled to drive 80 miles
across the prairie, from Usage City to-
Mason City, in order to strike 5 o'clock:
morning train for Grinnell
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. It was hurricane, and
even our hot soapstone took to the wind
Once we got to circling around on that
80 mile prairie, and the driver threw up
his frozen hands and screamed:
"We's lost!''
But the stars came out, and we
whir1ed around toward the north star
and struggled on.
In the gray Of the morning with what
joy we saw the struggling lights of the
little station of Mason City, now place
Of s, 900 people! remember we'll how I
rolled out of the sleigh and tottered up
to the station door. It was all dark
within. knew the morning train hadn It
gone. We had won, but, oh, with what
costl
Knocking on the door, then pounding
louder, the agent finally opened it.
Has the 5 o'clock train gone south
to Grinnell?' asked, with tremulous
voice.
''What?''
elias the train gone south?"
He looked at me in amazement and
said:
"Gone, mani Gone? Why, she went
last September. She is summer train.
But" and he looked kindly at me, "she
will go again in June. If you must go
on her, you can sit around here in the
depot and wait. :"
What did do?
Why, Invent right over to log hotel
and went to bed, and sleep smothered
my sorrows.
Sleep! Sleepl
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 Ego west. !" Grin
nell went west, and It was be who
founded the city Of Grinnell, where
was to lecture. He built the college
there. The railroad, the town, the col
lege and the lecture course were all his.
And / threw myself into his arms with
this telegram:
ssPlease give me an engine. Get me
~ = l.. ~ = Is T.
"Any engines needing repairs at Ma
son City? If SO, send Perkins down, .
came. over the wire from GrinnelL
tsNo. wants a new firebox. ,, went
the answer.
30. Il. Send with Perkins. Get
him here or kill him. - replied Grinnell.
In 30 minutes we were off. We went
bounding over the old iron rails between
Ackley and Marshalltoyn. and how we
f]ewl Villages became splotches Of ma
room paint. Telegraph poles blurred like
wagon spokes in the sun.
We blew the whistle. but the train
beat the sound into Marshalltown, and
the agent came out and looked the
wrong way. We had passed the town,
and the whistle was still behind.
Well, we got to Grinnell and struck
the audience on the stroke of 8. Presi-
dent Grinnell hadn't told them about
the ride. The audience thought came
on a regular train or drove over from
the next station. When I tried to tell
them about nv trip, they only laughed.
They didn't believe me- Alasl that was
the day, that was the night, that lost
my reputation for veracity, and all these
years have struggled to get it back. l
am a vestryman now and member of
the Young Mems Christian association,
but nothing will get back my lost We
fass;o,, ,,o.g for tbo fret tinoe made
When asked the venerable President
cr;nne1l Years afterward how he came
- +o1ooranh "Get Perkins to Grinnell
~ Lii him ;, be sold.
"Well, nv son, you see I was run
MING for oonoress then and I didn't
s*"S ~ oeo.S