The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-12-12
"A half Q dollarl What do you went

1870 w too VCI
a half a dollar fort"
For d~eliverin' that message; I'm
/ special messenger" said Swipes,
Strengthening up to his full height.
"a half dollar for walkin' from the
deepo with a message, when 1 didn't
give you that much for a months work!
1 won't pay it," and the deacon shook
his fist at Swipes in a menacing man.
ner.
"All right, oil man; the teller that
sent it will have to pay it, then," re-
torted Swipes, as he started off.
The deacon turned his team; gave his
trousers a hitch; took off his shoe and
knocked the dirt out of it by striking
it against the pillow beam; replaced it;
took a chew of tobacco; slapped the old
sorrel mare on the rump with the lines,
and resumed blowing corn.
He had not gone over half way across
the 4O-acre field ere he regretted that
he had not paid for the delivery of the
message. If his nephew were compelled
to pay for it, he would be notified that
the deacon had refused payment, which
would be the means of knocking the
deacon out OF the 500 which he so much
coveted.
By the time he had returned to the
side of the field where Swipes had
given him the message he had concluded
to hail the boy and pay him the so cents,
if he could not jew him down to 25.
S'vipes was nearly a mile away, and the
deacon could not get his attention, al
though he called Justify. He finally I'M
hitched his team, and, mounting the old
sorrel marc, started her toward town at
her best gait. When he had overtaken
Swipes the deacon said:
"Ill give you 25 cents for fetchin'
out that air message, an not another
cent"
81 amt carryin' messages three miles
for 25 cents" answered Swipes, in a
sarcastic tone. can since you're so
anxious to settle, it'll take jist a dollar
an a half to square it." he added.
The agent had told Swipes that the
telegraph company would allow a mes
senger to collect so cents per mile 'in
some cases"
The deacon foamed and ragged, threat
ening a whipping and arrest, but to no
avail. Swipes stuck to his price.
After making the boy promise that
nothing would be said to his nephew
about refusing payment for the deliy-
cry of the message, the deacon grudg-
ingly paid the S1.5O.
When Swipes related the circumstance
to the agent it so amused him that the
little fellow was Immediately engaged
as messenger boy, which position was
vacant ut the time. The salary was
small, though more than enough to pay
his board, and by sleeping in the office
he was able to economic closely
enough to clothe himself fairly well.
He also had the privilege of learning
telegraphy and station work.
Thus it was that, at the end of ter
years, Swipes had charge of the bag
gage department of the station at a sal
airy of SIS a month.
The name of "Swipes" still chung to
him, though he had proven himself not
only an honest young man, but a gen
tleman in every sense of the word. Al
though he worked hard and faithfully
for the company, there appeared to be
no show for promotion for him.
There is no hope for me-" he would
say. How can 1, who have not even 4
name for sure, ever expect promotion,
when I must compete with young men
who have respectable parents and nice
homes! If they want promotion, some
one of their influential friends who has
a 'stand-in' with the superintendent or
some other official OF the road, speaks 4
good word for them and they go right
past mel"
He would not even unburden himself
to his closest friend-the agent-as he
had arrived at that point in 4 young
mans life where the conviction is forced
upon him that no n cares whether he
or dies. He plodded along during
the day. and attended a night school in
the evening. He had mastered station
work, and was capable of taking charge
of and running a small station-with
the exception of telegraphing; in this
he appeared to be rather obtuse, al
he could telegraph, after a
fashion.
The only recreation he took vas with
bicycle. He had become an expert
a wheel and was considered author
ity on anything pertaining to cycling.
Swipes still slept in the office. sec
ton of the wainscoting partition be-
tween the baggage-room and the Office
had been cut out and the lower side
hung on hinges, and 4 stationary box
bunk had been made in the opening in
the baggage-room, which had a drop
door on the baggage-room side. so there
would be a chance for a draught in the
weather when both doors were
open, and could be closed when not in
use.
One night in the fall he crawled into
his bunk from TIE baggage-room, and,
IS the night was rather chilly, he did
Tot drop the door on the office side. He
soon fell asleep. How long he had
he could not say, but suddenly he
iound himself wide awake.
Presently he heard someone convers-
ng in a low tone in the office, directly
front of his bunk. He recognized in
,ne of the speakers the new night oper-