The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-02-12
THE GEORGIA HUMORIST
A TRIBUTE TO HIS OLD FRIEND. CON
DUcToR BILL.

The Various Kinds Of Manners-..Pnioso'
nher Hurries From Florida and Goes
west ON Another One Of His Lecturins
Tours.
Good, gentle old Sanford Bell, the
faithful veteran of the bell cord, Is
dead. He was the oldest conductor
in the state-perhaps the Oldest In
long and continuous service in the !
United States, and maybe in the
world. He was not great man, but
he was true man, honest and faith
full, and every traveller respected him.
I have known him and travelled with
him for forty years and always loved
him, for he was patient and kind. He
was firm and did his duty, but without
anger or rudeness. I never saw him
out of good temper or unduly excited,
but duty was his watchword. No
wonder he was kept in office from ad-
ministration to administration, for
railroad officials appreciate such men,
and even when he became too infrm
to swing around the curves, Mr..
Thomas, that prince of railroad kings,
gave him an easier berth, and saved
money by it. for who could settle dis
putes over killed and damaged stock
like Sanford. The people all along
the line respected him and in most
cases left the adjustment to his sole
Judgment. Small lawyers ceased to
fatten on small litigation. Stanford
Bell says so, was the law and the YER
dict. What record for an unpretend-
ing man. Ny regard for these true
and patient men increases with my
years-these tried conductors, these
engineers who day and night stand at
the throttle and realize the RESPONSE
bility that is upon them. Like the
pilots on the great steamships, they
are ever on the lookout for danger.
Their eyes seem to have grown nearer
together and more searching from the
strain of constant use in looking down
the ever changing track. I feel like
tipping my hat to them all and saying
God bless you and protect you, for my
life is in your hands when 1 travel.
| If danger or disaster comeS they re.
ceive the first shock, and oftentimes the
last to them. How thoughtiess and
unconcerned we travellers ride. with
never thought about the engineer il
whose hands we are. Sometimes weread
of a wreck and the telegram says: eEn
gineer and fireman killed; passengers
all escaped" To my mind there. il
something grandly heroic in the call
ings of these men who move the wheel
and stop them; these engineers ane
brakesmen who have no choice Of TIM
or weather. In the bleak and wintry
night they must breast the storm
"Goodby wife, goodby mother, M.
! time is out" He kisses the children
and is off. Not long ago I heard
poor, fond mother say: ''My Tom
running on the railroad now and help
us with his pay. He is q brakeman Of
a freight train, and it is pretty har'
, place in bad weather, but you kno'
: there are no easy places now"
There are many kinds of manners
| manners at the table and the firesid
and in the church and in stores, o
{ both sides of the counter, and Their
8 are railroad manners, both OF the OF
Q Gals and the travellers. Not long ag
( boarded the Alabama Great Southern
. of the Southern, at Chattanooga, an
!, before the train moved out an ofici
q came through the car and in quie
l. polite manner asked every one OF
n where we were going. He found OF
j. man who was going to Atlanta al
l. quickly hurried him off and on to Il
s. Atlanta train. I liked that; it W
is good railroad manners and was new
me. Railroad officials can hardly rel
j. ize how bewildered strangers feel
n a large union depot and how graz
ID full they are for information, especial
Or when it is kindly volunteered. POI
III timid women unaccustomed to trav
.. ing are SO afraid they will make
:. mistake. 1 came from Florida Il
: Monday and was impressed with
NJ kindness and attention of conduct
Al Mr.. Seabring, who runs from lam
n. to Waycross. No woman was
r humble or poorly clad to receive
id considerate care. He assisted tn
n. in and out and took their babies In
ii. arms and provided them comforta
seats and had his porter to take wa
to their little ones. He not only q
=, wered questions willingly and polite
but gave more information than Y
asked for. Most all conductors
y, civil and courteous, but some ans
- you in perfunctory manner and P
:. on. Mr.. Seabring's face seemed
=, invite you to ask for something,
:. that he might oblige you. He did
~ know me nor that I was observ
~ him, but I cannot refrain from say
he is the model conductor. Fl
er Waycross to Triton we were not G
Ill and serene. The night was cold, '
ted cold, and the car was colder,
i've there was no fire and
for porter did not seem
t q care whether we froze or not.
complained bitterly to the condu
and in an hour or SO he had the po
DIN to make one. He started sn
lca sickly blaze in the heater and left
De It soon went out and we never got
ac' fire until we got to Triton and char
one conductors and porters. Mr.. Fl
nov was as indignant Is We were