The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-24
CHARTERS A SPECIAL TRAIN.
Section Boss Who Inherits a Fortune
Will Celebrate.

Duluth, Mimi, June 24.-"I want to
get train to take me an my friends
around the country This was the de-
sire expressed to the local representa-
tive of the Wisconsin Central railway
by a queer character, John Haney, who
is more generally known by the nom
de guerre of Little Humpy."
Mr. Haney was made rich few days
ago by the bequest of a miserly old
uncle, who shuff1ed off this mortal coil
quite suddenly at Philadelphia, after
willing to his far away nephew the
bulk of an estate valued at $3.50, OOO
Little Humpy" is now % years of age
Both his parents having been killed in
railroad wreck when Johnny was but
a little fellow, the rich uncle adopted
him and brought him up to bOyhOOd
But John got tired of living with his &c
centric and penuriOus relative, and one
day. ten years ago, he failed to report
at bed time as usual and the uncle
never saw him again.
He came west, secured a job on a
railroad section and drudged away at
that kind of work for eight years, until
finally promoted to the important and
exalted position of section foreman
His shoulders are rounded to an extent
bordering on deformity, this being
caused, so Johnny says, by constant
application to the hardest kind of rail-
road work. On account of that little
physical defect all his railroad ac-
qua1ntanceS call him Little Humpy."
but hereafter they will probably ad-
dress him as Mr. Haney."
The uncle, it seems, had learned Ha-
ney's address before his death, through
correspondence with the Duluth most
master, so that the executor of the will
had only to send a notice of the
bequest by mail to the legatee. When
Johnny received a telegram announcing
his uncle's death he wondered how the
friends of the deceased had obtained
his address, and why they had troubled
themselves to notify him of the de-
mise.
He had no idea his uncle would make
him beneficiary of his will. He had
no right to expect such a thing be-
cause he knew the old gentleman had
a sister and two or three nieces with
whom he had been on good terms. But
when letter came from a Philadelphia
lawyer containing the information that
Alfred Haney, his uncle, had died in
testate, bequeathing to his beloved
nephew the sum of $50, 900 in cash and
real estate valued at $4,000, situate in
the city of Philadelphia, then the hard
working little man jumped several feet
into the air and ran like a frightened
deer to tell the good news to his wife
The cOmely little woman of the Sec
ton house was incredulous at first in
Ginning to the belief that some of their
friends were perpetrating a huge Joke
upon them, but two days later a copy
of the will came along and then the
happy couple realized their good for
tune.
After reading the will Little Humpy''
ran his handcar into the shed, after
which he sent a telegram to the road
master asking that official to relieve
him at once. The message had no
sooner been licked to its destination
than Mr.. Haney recOnsidered the action
and sent another message canceIling
the first.
IN stay where I am he said to the
telegraph operator, and I'll be the
richest section boss in the world. but
I'm gOin' to ask the roadmaster for
leave of absence and I'll take a run
around the country
A reception was held at the section
house that night and the lucky boss
received the congratulations of many
friends. Upon this occasion someone
Jokingly suggested that Mr. Haney
should celebrate his good fortune by
giving his friends an excursion on a
special railroad train The little sec
ton boss took the suggestion seriously
and the next day went to the office of
the Wisconsin Central railroad to ar
range for a chartered train for a pleas
ure jaunt
What's got through your head now.
Humpy?" smilingly inquired the ra1I-
road agent.
Il mean what I say. I want to hire
a passenger train to take a ride around