The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-05
GAVE HIS RIVAL A FAST RIDE.
COurtship of a California Conductors
Brought to a Sudden Termination.

COurtsh1p OK n California Conductors
Brought to "A Sudden Termination,
From the Anaconda Standard.
On the Southern Pacific railway in CAL
ifornia, not far from Mojave, is a little
station, a spur track a box car for a
telegraph office and section-house com
posing the whole. The station house Is
or was, presided over by a handsome and
hearty Irish woman, who kept house for
her husband The hands being Chinese
cooked for themselves. The duties of the
agent consisted of reporting the passage
of trains none of them stopped) and feed
ing himself. Two or three miles to the
west was what is termed in that section
a milk ranch. This ranch contained
widow and three buxom girls, her daugh-
ters.
One might have supposed that the agent,
being Johnny on the spot" as it were,
stood a better chance than the rest of
the railroaders, but such was not the case.
There was a certain conductor Hardy by
name, who leaned in the direction of the
widow, and he was equal to the occasion.
His plan of operation was unique and
daring. He would send his train ahead,
leaving the caboose at the station. Then,
of course taking account of other trains
due, he would wander over to the ranch
and spend all his spare cash in milk and
barney.
would station himself on the front plat
form of the caboose, like a trolley man
| and "let her go, Gallagher" down forty
miles of grade, while he controlled the
| car by means of the brake. catch his train
at the next station and proceed.
The agent didn't like this very well I'M
| fortunately for him his duties were such
as to confne him to his box car office al
most continually, so that he had no chance
| to prosecute his suit, except when the Ia
| dies paid a visit to the station house. Al
| ter much brooding he decided to put
| stop to further proceedings on the part of
| the conductor and awaited his opportuni-
| ty. 1t was a bright day in June when the
| train pulled in, and as the conductor gave
the engineer a joyful and significant high
| BALI the latter pulled out, leaving a Ca
! boose at the station. There was short
| salute and a hurried departure as the
| conductor left the agent and the latter
| proceeded to business. He first placed a
| ''chock" against the wheel of the car and
then disconnected the break chain. He
| placed the connecting chain in such po-
| sition that a touch would displace 1t and
| then awaited the return OF his hated rival.
! Like a triumphant gladiator Hardy re-
| turned With scarce a look at the agent
| he assembled the platform, kicked Oft the
| dog that held the brake, and with min
| gled feelings of security and pleasure felt
| the car move down the grade. That car
| certainly moved Conductor Hardy was
| heard to say afterward that nothing could
| have passed it but lightning. The inhab-
| itantS of Mojave tell to this day OF yei-
| low streak which flashed through their
| town and was gone almost as soon as lt
arrived. That was Mr.. Hardy and the
| caboose As luck would have it the train
| had gone into siding, so that the track
was clear, and after dove-like flight OF
| about fifty miles the wild caboose came 10
| a stand. Mr.. Hardy never came back
any more" so far as the widow was con-
| cerned
| An Apt Iliustration.-He was an IN
! quisitive boy. much interested in business
methods, and had just been reading about
| the New York Stock Exchange. Father
he said, Sin order to buy and sell stocks
have you actually got to be in NaH
| street,"
mot at ALL" replied his father, you
can live anywhere. In Washington, Tor
instance. Life.