The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-03-24

known as the Pumpkin Vine" be
cause some one had once said tha
the train went about as fast as
pumpkin vine grows in wet weather.
The rolling stock consists of an en-
Rine, q passenger coach, a mail ant
expresE car and four freight cars
Early each morning the train leaves
Davisville, saunters across the fields
to Nankitt, then back in time for din
ner; in the afternoon the same pro
gram is gone through with, the Pump
kin Vine getting back to Davisville
like schoolboy afraid of the dark.
1t is some nineteen miles between
the towns and by strict attention to
business the four trips are generally
made in twelve hours. The conductor,
Abe Rogers, acts as a brakeman il
increases his pay and gives him exer.
cise.
The N. &c d. is paralleled almost its
entire length by the ola State road,
and boastGul young men are wont to
match their colts against the battered
pony engine as it puffs along on the
other side of the fence. Truth to say,
any plug can distance the locomotive
as it bumps over its grass grown
track. There is q story told of hun
ter who once got aboard the Pumpkin
Vine with his gun and his dog. When
he saw quail or prairie chicken he
aimed from the window; if he brought
down his bird the dog would leap of,
find it and jump on the rear platform.
People who are fond of flowers step
of, gather a bouquet of Flora's paint
brush and prairie pointers, take q
short squirt after the crawling train
and Chamber on again.
On May day the Pumpkin Vine
stood at the Nankitt station, build
ing of about the size and architectural
pretensions of a cigar box. 1t was
warm for the time of the year, the
perfume of crab blossoms drifted in
through the open windows of the
coach and the passengers sprawled
about in the lassitude brought on by
the first heat. A group of Swedes
jabbered together in a corner, wag-
ging their yellow boards over the
misdoings of one Peter Oleson of their
people. Several Nankitt lawyers
were on their way to Circuit Court
and Tom Hargrove ssat on the Orm of
a seat, swinging his feet and talking
to old Squire Phinney, local j. p.
A travelling man came in, tugging at
two valises. He sunk into seat and
wiped his forehead. lawful wealth
er," he sighed.
The conductor helped lift cultiva.
tor into the baggage car, then he went
to the door of the waiting room and
shouted "Allabud'' to the cannon stove.
"Allebud," he said again on the plat
form, waved his arm to the engineer
and hoped on to the rear platform.
The whistle blew and the trees and
barns began TO slide slowly backward.
A young man and woman ran
around the corner of the station.
"Stop that train r. the man yelled to
the conductor. They ran down tho
track and before the conductor had |
done anything the girl had swung her
self up on tue rear platform and the |
man had followed. They stood look.
ing at each other with palpable relief.
'It's dangerous getting on car in
notion" the conductor said, sternly. !
"You don't get no damages if you're
killed"
81 know, but we had to make it,
the man said when he had the breath |
to spare. "We thought you wasn't |
going to stop it," He had an hon
est, sunburned face, his clothes were
of broadclotb, his new boots creaked |
and his paper collar was somewhat the |
worse for the heat.
The girl had the beauty of seven
teen color, without feature or soul. |
She had adorned herself in multitude
of bows and bangles and saw the wo- i |
from under the caves of huge white /
hat.
They entered the car with the oon-
Eciousness born of being in love.
Clocks like a bride and groom,
doesn't it?" Tom said carelessly to
The squire. "Hullo, that's Hink Bar
low"
Thought he went to I.oway," the
squire answered. "All the Barlow
boys sold out here"
az guess he'n back visiting; I'll go
lnl speak to him" Tom walked back
to where Hink and the girl had found
a seat. "dowdy do? Won't you in
Iroduce me to your wife,"
Kinks face turned deeper red
than ever the sun had painted il. "She
amt my wlfe-exactly-yet, " he STAN
mered.
The train was running along side
The stnte road. Hipk suddenly started !