The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-12-07

"Say, Gene,n said the tieket-taker
~ was 50 elated over this unexpected
pleasure that forgot 10 get your ticket.
Iol ought TO be ashamed TO make me
ask the third time for it."
"Well, you can keep right on, for
I've got no ticket. had barely time
to throw myself aboard as the train
pulled out"
"Well, you've got money, haven'I
you? Cause if you haven't, / know
where you can borrow"
Gene smiled and gave up, and then
the two ex-captains of cavalry sat and
talked Of the old days, when there
were no railroads there.
"Well. Tom, you've made a great
success Of this railroad business aud
I'm proud of you,r said Gene, gIanc-
ing at the bright blue uniform the Cap
tain wore.
Tom smiled. "whai are you driving
At, Gene"
''Readin' law"
"Well," said Tom, 81 guess that'll
beat brakin' on freight
And so the two men talked to the
end of the run, the conductor dropped
off, and the law student went on to
Chicago.
In the jam and crowd about the
gates of the Burlington station at Chi
cago men often bump up against old
comrades Unexpectedly, and so it fell
out that as Gene was sweeping through
a narrow gate he ran bang into a man.
"HeIlo Gene,n said the man, swat a
moment"
Gene waited impatiently for five min
utes, it seemed to him. lie was glad
enough to meet an old friend, but the
diagram had gone TO the sleeping-car
conductor, and Gene wanted 10 secure
place. Finally, AS the train was about
to pull out-in fact, the time was up 10y
the big clock on the wall-the waiting
traveller was gladdened by the reap
pearance OF the busy man.
whats the matter with you, Tom
Do you want me to get left?'
Tom smiled. "My dear Gene, don't
you know this train would not pull out
without you ~
That's all very funny" Gene repli-
ed, "but I've got no place TO Sleep.
"Well. you won't sleep much to-
night, for you are going to sit up and
visit With me-"
BY this time Tom had been met 3y a
smart black porter, who, at faint sig
nal from the master, took the hand bag
gage from the over anxious traveller and
ran up the rear steps OF the rearmost
ear.
rs this my car?" asked Gene, stop
ping and glancing along the platform.
"No, it's mine but yon can ride.
Come, hand yourself aboard / shan't
make you put up this trip"
The train conductor, ever alert, saw
the two men enter the ear, lifted his
white light, and the big engine breath
ed softly, and moved out of the station
shed.
Gene, following the trail of the black
boy, stood upon the platform of car
that seemed to be all plate-glass, and
stepped hesitatingly into a luxurious
drawingrOom.
"Now what's all this foIderol, Tom %
asked Gene, for he had been abroad
and had lost track Of his old ''pal'i OF
the plains.
Tom was a modest man, and so told
his friend in a modest way that he was
the General Manager and that this was
the private ear that the company had
given over for his comfort and conve-
nience. We may suppose it was pleas
ant evening that the two captains pass
ed as the train carried them away TO
the West
\ few years later Tom left the Bur-
lington and went over to take charge of
the Union Pacific. He had an agree
ment that gave him fabulous salary,
and the written promise OF the owners
of the property that the road should be
run by him from Omaha and not by
any one else, and, above all, that he
should not be compelled to take signals
from the seaboard, given by men who
were in the habit Of putting a day coach
in the shops to have the stove changed
TO ''the front end,n instead of turning
the car on the table, or running il
round a "Y.p
This good and useful man had been
at his new post but one shert year when
he was called in by the Great Manager
Of the Universe, and when the news OF
his death went over the wire it made
heavy the hearts Of thousands of rail
way employees all over this Continent,
for he was, without question, one OF the
most humane managers that has ever
lived.
All night long, from North to South,
from East to West, as the conductor
swung down from coach or a way eaI
the operator would meet him and say
in low tone, TON Potter's dead" In
most cases the conductor would make
no reply, but when be handed the or.
der up to the engineer he would say, as
the operator had said to him, TON
POtter's dead"
"No" the engineman would say,
turning to watch the conductor, who
was already taking his way sadly back
10 the eaboose to break the sad news to
the brakemen.
What's that ?r asks the fireman.
Tom Potter's dead" And then the
engineer would open the throttle slow.
ly, aud if she slipped. he gave her sand
and humored her, and didn't swear.
The other captain, who has also made
a name and place for himself, is still
with US. He IS the ''split-trick' in ths
prosperous law firm of Gleed. Ware
and Gleed, of Topeka. Kan. He is tbs
Wholesome, happy two-hundred-pounc
poet Of the Kansas capital, whose ncn
de plume is "Ironquill :" aud il yoS
doubt this story, it Is probably beeaus'
you have been reading romaness ant
have lost confidence in the simple, tEu'
tales that from time to time spI,ear Ii
print -Cy Warman, in Mcclure
Magazine.