Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-10-21

living man or dead ghost. And when
l asked the engineer who he got his
orders from, he said, he'd like to see
anybody give him orders he'd run
that train to suit himself, or he'd run
her in the ditch. Now you see, sir,
I'm a railroad man, and don't care
to run on a road that has no time, or
makes no connections, runs nowhere,
and has no superintendent. 1t may
be all right but I've railroaded too
long to understand it.
Maybe you went to the Congre-
gational church ?"
Popular road, said the brakeman,
"an old road, too; one Of the very
oldest in this country. Good road
bed and comfortable cars. Well man
aged road, too; directors don't inter-
fere with division superintendents and
train orders. Roads mighty popular
but it's pretty Independent, too. Yes,
didn't one of the division superintend-
ents down East discontinue one Of the
oldest stations on this line two or three
years ago? But its a mighty pleasant
road to travel on. Always has such
a splendid class of passengers.
"Did you try the Methodist" l
said.
"Now you're shouting" he said with
some enthusiasm. Nice road, eh ?
Fast time and plenty of passengers.
Engines carry power of steam, and
don't you forget it; steam gauge shows
a hundred and enough all the time.
Lively road when the. conductor
shouts all aboard" you can hear him
to the next station. Every train light
shines like headlight. Stop-over
checks are given on all through tick
cts; passengers can drop off the train
as often as he likes, do the station two
or three times and hop on the next
revival train comes laundering along.
Good, whole-souled, companionable
conductors amt road in the coun-
try where the passengers feel more at
home. No passes; every passenger
pays full traffic rates for his ticket.
Wesleyan air brakes on all trains, too;
pretty safe road, but l didn't ride over
it yesterday"
Perhaps you tried the Baptist ?"
| guessed once more.
"Ah, ah, said the brakeman, shes
daisy, amt she? River road, beauti-
full curves sweeps around everything
to keep close to the river, but it's all
steel rail and rock ballast, single track
all the way and not side track from
the round-house to the terminus. 1t
takes heap of water to run it, though;
double tanks at every station, and
there isn't an engine in the shops that
can pull a pound or run mile with
less than two gauges But 1t runs
through lovely country; these river
roads always do; river on one side
and hills on the other, and it's steady
climb up the grade all the way till
the run ends where the fountain head
of the river begins Yes, sir, I'll take
the river road every time for lovely
trip, sure connections and good time,
and no prairie dust blowing in at the
windows. And yesterday, when the
conductor came around for the tickets
with little basket punch, l didn't
ask him to pass me by, l paid my fare
like a little man; twenty-five cents
for an hours run and a little concert
by the passengers assembled. l tell
you, Pilgrim, you take the river and
wien you want"
But just here the loud whistle from
the engine announced station and
the brakeman hurried to the door
shouting:
"Zionsville: This train makes no
stops between here and Indianapolis !"