The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-18
HOW HE FLAGGED THE TRAIN
The ParsOn Has Learned at Least One
Thing About RailrOading.
New York Tribune.

new YORK Tribune.
There is clergyman in this city who has
recently come to believe more firmly than
ever that he knows little of the, ways of
the world, and especially of that part per-
tanning to the management of railroad. This
clergyman is well known all over the coun-
try, and ne has frequent calls from West
ern cities for his services. Recently he con.
scented to visit a small city in the West,
near Columbus, o., and dedicate a new
church that had just been built Accord
ingly, he took a night train, and about TWEEN
ty-four hours later he reached the city. He
was met by a delegation from the church and
was taken at once to the best hotel in the
little place and made as comfortable as pos
sible.
The duty that he came to the town to
perform was promptly carried out, and he
began to speculate upon the best way to
get home. He found that by catching a train
that went through the town at o'clock in
the morning he could get home in time to
fulfill an engagement of Importance, so he
decided to take that train. He refused the
kind offers of several persons to come
around and take him to the station. He said
he would awaken himself, and that he would
not bother any one. but would slip out
quietly early in the morning. The train he
was to take did not stop at the town unless
tagged. He visited the station agent and
asked him if he would flag the train. The
agent said, regretfully, that he went home
at 8 o'clock at night and did not come
back until o'clock the next morning, but
he would come down to oblige the minister
The clergyman declined this kind offer and
said that if the agent would leave a lantern
out where he could find it he would light
it and flag the train himself.
This agreement was made, and the clergy
man went home and retired early. About 4
o'clock he was astir, and after packing up he
walked down to the station, short dis
lance away. He reached there about 4:55
o'clock by his watch. He found the lantern
and lighted it and sat down to wait for the
train. Now everything was all right except
that this minister was an absent-mlnded
one, and had never realized that there was
an hours difference in time between New
York and the Ohio town. 1t was O'Clock
by his watch, New York time, but only 4
o'clock Western time, and so he was an hour
ahead of time. 1t was o O'Clock by ms
time when the train was DUE He had waited
only a few moments when big train came
rafting along, He saw the headlight flare
up through the, darkness, and ne, stepped
out and swung his lantern. The train drew
nearer and nearer and slowed up, and finally
came to a full stop. Then the clergyman
discovered that he had pulled down long
freight. He was speechless with surprise,
but the engineer wasn't. When he learned
the condition of affairs he broke loose with
a torrent of abuse, to which the minister
made no reply. The engineer finally climbed
back on his engine and opened the throttle.
1t was cold winter morning, and the en-,
CINE creaked, puffed, Snorted. WheeHed, ana
the wheels spun frantically in getting the
big train started. Finally he got under way
and left the clergyman behind. but still lg-
norant of his time schedule being aWry.
He pondered over the situation and
finally came to the conclusion that the pas
senger train was-late, and that TINS Ire1ght
was put in ahead on special schedule
About ten minutes later he saw another
headlight blaze up in the distance, and felt
confident that this was the passenger. so lie
stepred out and swung his lantern The re-
suit was that the train slowed up and
stopped and when he discerned It's outline
stunned to see that he had pulled down an
other big freight-as he soon learned, the
second section of the one that he bad first
stopped. There was nothing 10 90 put 10
apologize and stand the abuse. This eng1-
neer also got his train under way with DIM
Guilty and failed to comment on the time
After this the minister said grimly that
he would stop everything that went through
there until he got his train, and a lew mo
ments later when he saw another headlight
careening along toward the station ne man
fully, although with q sinking sensation at
his heart stepped out and Tagged It, This
time he pulled down a heavy construction
train, and when he saw the result ne threw
up his hands in despair The conductor of
THIS tram proved TO ne ii COIdAehi VI
citizen. who wasn't greatly put out. He ca
planned where all the trouble was, after
hearing the elergyman's story, and then
said:
Here, you had better get on this train
with me and l will take you up to Colum-
bus. That will put stop to your naSglng
everything that comes along.
This suggestion was accepted, and Wnen
the passenger train rolled into the station
at Columbus the minister climbed on board
When the conductor came through for his
ticket the minister said, genially:
II saved you a lot OF trouble this morn
ing"
"How was that?" said the conductor.
Il was going to get on down at c.. said
the minister, "and / was to flag you, but in
stead / happened to flag a construction train
and the conductor brought me up mere 10
save the trouble of stopping YOU"
An omnouS look came into the conductors
eye as he said. in a forbidding way:
What did you flag him WITH?
why a lantern of course" said the
clergyman.
said the conductor, and the lines around his
mouth hardened.
why" said the minister instinctively
feeling that there was something wrong, II
put it down on the platform. where the
agent could get 1t when he came along.
Yes" said the conductor. YEARLY. Just
where il would flag anything that came
along. Next time you want to flag q train,
parscn. you set an agent to do it for you.
You stopped me al right down there. and
lantern away you would have stopped
everything that came along there until the
agent got down.