Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-08-19
FLIGHT ON 4 WILD CABooSE.
How q Western Conductor Used to
Court His Girl

On the Southern Pacific railway in
California not far from MoiaNe, is a
little Statjou-a spur track" a Gox
car for 4 telegraph Office and sec
tion-house composing the whole, The
station-house is, or was, presided over
by handsome and hearty Irish
woman, who kept house for her hus-
band. The hands" being Chinese,
cooked for themselves.
The duties Of the agent consisted
of reporting the passage OF trains
(ncne of them stoppeO and feeding
himself
Two or three miles to the west was
what is termed in that section a milk
ranch This ranch contained Il widow.
fair, fat and forty. and three as huNom
girls, her daughters, rs the glorious
climate Of California could produce,
Many a sheep herder had walked the
black and droary hills for miles just
to catch a glimpse Of those bright eyes.
The railroad men talked milk ranch"
until 1t became tiresome to an uniu-
terested person. though they had but
few chances to cultivate the acquain-
tnce of the ladies,
One might have supposed that the
agent being Johnny on the spot" rs
is were stood better chance than the
rest of the ra'lroaders, but such was
not the case, There was n certain
conductor Hardy by name, who
leaned in the direction OF the widow
and he was equal to the occasion. His
Plan Of operations was at once unique
and daring. He would send his train
ahead, upon reaching the abode OF his
divinity leaving the cahoose standing
ut the station Thol. of course takirS
account Of other trains due, he would
wander over to the ranch and spend
| all his spare cash in milk and his
spare time In blarney. Returning, he
would station himself on the front
platform of the cahoose, like trolley
man, and let her go Gallagher" down
forty miles OF grade while he con-
trcllcd the car by means of the brake,
and catch his train at tho next sta
tion and proceed.
The agent didn't like this so we'll.
Unfortunately for him his duties were
such as to contine him to his box car
Cti1ce almost continually, so that he
had no chance to prosecute his suit OK
>ept when tho ladies paid q visit to
the seCtion-house After much brood
ing he decided to put n stop to further
proceedings on the part OF the CON
ductor, and awaited his opportunity.
II was bright day in June when the
tain pulled in, and MS the conductor
gave the engineer n joyful and signifl-
cant high ball" the latter pulled out,
leaving the Cahoose NJ the station
7 here was q short salute and hur-
ried departure rs the conductor left
tho agent, and the latter proceeded to
business, He first placed n "chocll"
against n wheel Of the car, and then
disconnected the brake chain. He
| placed the connecting chain in such n
| position that a touch would dsplacc
! it, and then awaited the return OF his
hated rival.
| Like n triumphant gladiator Hardy
returned. With scarce n look at the
| agent he assembled tho platform, kicked
off the dog that held the brake, and
with mingled 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-
itGnts Of Mojave tell to this day OF n
yellow streak which flashed through
their town. and was gone almost as
soon as 1t arrived That was Mr.. Har-
dy and his cahooso As luck would
have 1t, the train had gone into n
siding so that the track was clear,
and after II dovelike flight Of about
| fifty miles the wild caboose came to n
standstill
Unless Mr. Hardy reads this story he
| will, perhaps never know how II was
| done. At any rate he never came
back any more" 80 far as the widow
| was Concerned.