The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-01-11

race against time and Santa Claus. for |
mad promised TO be at home on Christ
mas eve to preside at the Christmas tree
but | failed. | was 500 miles away in
Texas and could have made it, out our
train was belated and old not connect.
and | had to spend n long, long weary
day in Shreveport. There is only one
train was belated and would not connect.
| WAS sick and lonesome and lon.ed for
the rest and comfort of home and kim
dred. Eight days in Texas and never
saw the sun. 1t rained or it sleeted ev-
cry day. But they told me they had n
sun sometimes and invited me to come
back IN August. Everything was out 81
joint Al my travel from town to town
was BY night in broken doses. for TIL,
trains were never on time and | had to
sit UP and nod in cold depots from one to
three hours at almost every departure
and at the very last, when my hopes
We're buoyant and | was homcward bound
| went to the depot at Naca glochcs at >
O'Clock IN a cold rainy night and the
train never cot there until 8. | knev
then that we would be left bat the con
ductor said they would wait for us lie
was a hilarious individual \ friend
introduced me to him rs Bill Arp "B.n
who?' said he. Pill Arp. You have
Ic+iu til lSl liIl L lIOh'4l' tS, Sst4d
he. 4 have, and he don't cut no figure
with me-" OF course l was mortified
He passed on. but came back in min
ute and said to my friend. II don't take
any stock in these infdels. | wasn't
raised that way. l believe there is
heaven and a hell and Bob Ingersou nor
Tin Arp can't fool me about it." My
friend was mortified and said: What
has Bill Arp got to do with Bob 1nser-
sou?' 'Weh. said the conductor, I've
been told that they are the same man
and they don't cut and figure with me"
l-o nrried on and told another man that
he reckoned | was Bob Ingersoll. for If
| wasn't | would have ht him. for said
he Il would hit any man who called me
Bob Ingersoll." OF course | was not
calm and serene, for while going from
Vicksburg to Monroe on my outward trip
man asked me where | preached. and
I felt complimented. The car was full
Of preachers going to the synod and he
supposed | was one Of them. And again
| was mistaken for preacher at Jack
sonyile by the barber. | gave him
quarter and he was about to hand me
back - cents and said. "You are 2
preacher, amt yon?" NO" said I.
what made you think I was a preach
err you look ike one said he. an1
y
was comforting myself on rly reverend
appearance. when all Of Il sudden | was
o1enIy snubbed for being an inidel.
But my greatest misfortune is losing
day was in having to travel on Christ
mas eve and night. All along the line
the boys We're on 2 spree and by the
time we reached Eicksburg Mr. Chap
man. the CONDUCTOR. was tired out. lie
is n patient considerate man and I sym
patuzed with his efforts to keep tie
neacr. We parted company at Eicl1e
burg and he remarked that it was the
hardest days work be had had il
years
Then came the tug Of war Christmas
eve and night at Nicksburs and on to
Meridian was pandemonium. The ne
groes sWarmed in at both ends OF the
carat least a hundred, and nearly al
We're drunk and had bottles and jug
without number. They were from tn
neighhOring country and had been "a
way down to Vichs5urg town" to get
supplies for Christmas. About a dozen
OF us found ourselves suddenly pennej
in the middle Of the car by the odorifer
Gus compound and resolved to make
break for liberty and fresh air. One big.
bold man said he would make a way
and we must follow, and we did. We
SCiASA o&1i Il IitS clIu SOt OuC eOAIC1hJN (
The next ear was full, too, and % we
skinned round to the ladies' car and
took refuge and standing room only, |
for it was crowded to overfowing with !.
women and children and Christmas do
ings OF all kinds. Doll carriages and
boys wa CONS and boxes and paper sacks !
and toys and tin horns and baskets full
OF all sorts Of tricks and presents. Onei
whole seat was occupied with an e1
press wagon and it was full Of bananas.
Small boys were footing horns all along !
the Ene-toot! toot!-toot! toot! "Stop /
that, Bob" said a fond parent, "now
stop it!' Bob stopped moment, til /
the fond parent resumed his conversa-
ei"n with a friend. Then he began low
and m soIt' b1+ ~oon got louder and louder |
BOD l told you ~ stop that racket, IL /
you don't 1 will throw 49, bo-r ont
Of the window" Bob stopped about Nv .
minutes and whispered to his mother
that the window wasn't up. She, too
was talking to a friend. Toot toot.' | .
heard the horn-a kind of pianisimoI
muituous furissimo fortissimo, when
suddenly the fond parent seized it aal
stuck 1t in his overcoat pocket. They
got off at the next station and their
seats were taken before | could say
Jack Robinson. By and by enough had
cot off for me to get a corner next to a
not stove. 1t was close by the water
,ank, but there was no water It was
Empty when we left Vicksburg and stay
d empty. Every minute or two some
woman or child or man came and work
ed on that faucet in vain. Then the
men took the top off and reached down
or water, but found none The porter
1assed through and his attention was
called to it, but he made no sign. and
)rouSht no water. Children began to
ny for It, and [ would have given half
dollar for bucket full for them. but
he train wouldn't stop long enough att
station for me to step out and buy it.
+ was raining outside,
water, Batar eresywhera BOD noeI