The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-04-16

known as the Pumpkin Vine be-
cause some one had once said that
the train went about as fast as q
pumpkin vine grows in wet weather
The rolling stock consists Of an en-
CINE, a passenger coach, a mail and
expresI car and four freight cars.
Early each morning the train leaves
Dayisville, saunters across the fields
TO Nankitt, then back in time for din
nor; in the afternoon the same pro-
gram Is gone through With, the Pump
kin Vine getting back to Dayisvilie
like a schoolboy afraid of the dark.
II 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; it
increases his pay and gives him exer-
else.
The N. & D. is paralleled almost it's
entire length by the old State road,
and boastlul 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 a 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 a
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 q 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-
cling their yellow boards over the
misdoings of one Peter OIeson of their
people. Several Nankitt lawyers
were on their way to Circuit Court
and Tom HGrgrove sat on the arm OF
a seat, swinging his feet and talking
to old Squire Phinney, a local J. P.
A travelling man came in, tugging at
two yalises. He sunk into seat and
wiped his forehead. lawful wealth
err" he sighed.
The conductor helped lift cultiva-
tor into the baggage car, thon he went
to the door of the waiting room and
shouted "Allabud" to the cannons 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 10 slide slowly backward,
A young man and woman ran
around the corner of the station.
"Stop that train - the man yelled to
the conductor. They ran down the
track and before the conductor haC
uOu6 All luluB tuo BAIl uSd swung u0L
self up on the rear platform and the
man had followed. They stood look
ing at each other with palpable relief.
'It's dangerous getting on car il
motion" 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 breatl
to spare. "We thought you WASH
going to stop it," He had an hon
est, sunburned face, his clothes were
of broadcloth, his new boots creaket
and his paper collar was somewhat thu
worse for the heat.
The girl had the beauty of seven
teen color, without feature or soul
She had adorned herself in a multitude
of bows and bangles and saw the worl(
from under the caves of a huge whit
hat.
They entered the car with the con
seriousness born of being in love.
Clocks like a bride and groom
doesn't it?" Tom said carelessly t