The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-26
A BOYS DESIRE.
season.

In the dim recess of every mans heart,
put away, perhaps, with other childish
things, there dwells the memory of period
in his life when the desire to be railroad
man was the dominating feature of his ex-
istence. An ambition of this sort first man
ifeStS itself in the nursery, where the chairs
ranged in long rows, with a rocker for
the engine. Here the youngster is the whole
train crew, ruling things with an iron hand,
and woe to the luckless individual who dis
turbs his train or runs away with any of
the cars. Presently he is no longer content
with such rude models for his imaginary
railway system, and must needs have a train
of tin cars, painted an impossible green and
red, or an automatic locomotive that runs
frantically around in circle until it's inner
functions become disarranged. By the time
these toys, having suffered from the depre-
dations of careless comrades and sundry
boot heels, are consigned to the junk pile
the child has usually outgrown his ambition
along with his skirts. Otherwise the at
tack becomes acute at the age of nine or
ten years, and the lad frequents the railroad
yards and, in Drawer moments, climbs on
car and runs to and fro over its top. He
soon learns to jump from one car to an
other, and is frequently late to school, so
fascinated is he with the delights of his adj
ventures. Then the browning event of his
life comes when some kind-hearted freight
engineer in memory Of his own children,
assists him with grimy hands into the cab
of his locomotive, where he stands in awe
and observes the inner workings Of the stew
ing, suffering monster with no little fear.
On the whole he is quite relieved when
he is safe on terra firma again. This eX-
perience is of considerable advantage to him
among his boy friends. 1t gives him bet
ter standing, and some OF the exclusive ones
who have not hitherto noticed him, hear
of it and deign to ask him few questions
or to boast of similar achievements. One
fellow comes with relative of some sort
on the road who has actually permitted him
to ride in an engine. In the presence of
such great renewn our heros popularity
WaneS, but the fever is upon him stronger
than ever. He loiterS along the tracks and
gets coupling pins for the brakeman, or is
sent on an errand by the conductor. For
his troubles he is allowed to visit the ca
booSe, where he roams about and nnally
chambers into the cupo.a, looking along over
the tops of the cars and trying to imagine
himself a real, for-sure brakeman. A sud
den jar and rumble of moving wheels re-
minds him of his position, and he scram-
bleS down and off the steps, feeling as If he
had been in fairyland.
Embodened by his rapidly gained expert
ences, he now begins Jumping on and OFF
moving trains, to the horror of the more
timid of his associates, until he is discov-
cred by his older brother who has himself
passed through the same stages of the dis
| ease and recovered. This brother promptly
| informs his parents, and the boy receives a
| fiogging that makes him more discreet in
| his railroading. AT last he presumeS on his
| acquaintance and is put Oft the train and
| admonished, with a heartleSS disregard of
| his feelings to keep off on pain of a Vigor-
Gus application of the boot. In some mys-
| FERROUS manner his comrades soon learn of
| his discontinue, and for some time he be-
| comes the target of their sarcasm, having,
/ ~10r Tn fiCrhf nTf1a Of T.
| ent OF his tormentors. Unless the trouble
| is quite deep-rooted, this humiliation, to-
| gether with the logging, cures him of his
| railway ambition for the time being. Later
| Oh he takes a car ride, and with It his long
| ing returns in all its old-time intensity. He
| admires the blue and gilt uniforms of the
| train crew, and contemplateS the pompouS
conductor in reverential awe. There is a
| news butcher aboard who is about his own
age, and, with an evident disregard of their
positions, the boy addresses him in depre-
| catory manner. In return, he is made the
recipient of calm stare, and is called kid
| for his pains. This convinces him that the
| glOrieS of railway career are not for such
| as he. and, with q sigh, he turns his atten-
| ton to other less inviting walks of life. Yet
| whenever he sees a train he cannot help
4 but envy every one on board, and is in high
| glee of any one salutes him from the flying
cars.
| AS manhood comes upon him the same
| feeling is present in a modified form, and
| thus it is impossible not to look with envi-
| Gus eye on the travelling man, whose fire.
| Quent journeys have placed him on semi
| intimate terms with the train crew, and en-
| titled him to have a. civil answer TO all
| questions, and to even enjoy chat with
| the brakeman between stations.