Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-11-10

ing ~ Ine DrlEnt due UNIFORM t1e
captain wore.
Tom smiled. What are you driy.
ing at, Gene"
"Readin' law"
Well said Tom, 81 guess that'll
beat brakin on freight"
And so the two men talked on Ia
the end of the run. and the conductor
dropped off, and the law student went
on 10 Chicago.
In the jam and crowd about the
gates of the Burlington station al
Chicago men often bump up against
old comrades unexpectedly: and SO
it fell out that as Gene was sweep
ing through narrow gate he ran
bank into man.
Hello, Gene" said the man. wait
a moment"
Gene waited impatient'ly for five
minutes, it seemed to him. ne was
glad enough to meet an old friend
but the diagram had gone to the
sletpiDg-car conductor. and Gene
wanted to secure "a place. Finally,
as the train was about to pull out
in fact. the time was up by the big
clock on the wall-the waiting trav-
eler was gladdened by the reappear-
ance Of the busy man.
whats the matter with you, Tom?
DO you want me to get left?"
Tom smiled. "44y dear Gene, don't
you know this train would not pull
out and leave you"
That's all very funny" Gene re-
piled; "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 by
4 smart black porter, who, at faint
signal from his master, took the hand
baggage from the over-anxious trav-
eler and ram up the rear steps of the
rear-most car.
us this my carp" asked Gene, stop
ping and glancing along the platform.
No, its mine; but you cam ride.
Come, hand yourself aboard; | shan't
make YOU put up this trip"
The train conductor, ever alert, saw
the two men enter the car, Lifted his
white hight, and the big engine
breathed softly, and moved out of the
station shed.
Gene, following the trail OF the
black boy, stood upon the platform
Of a car that seemed to be all plate
glass, and stepping hesitatingly into
Q luxurious drawing-room.
."Now what's all this folderol,
Tom?' asked Gene, for he had been
abroad and had lost track of his old
pal" 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 car that the COM
pany had given over for his comfort
and convenience. We may suppose 1T
was a pleasant evening the two cap
tains passed as the train carried them
away to the west.
A few years later Tom left the Bur-
ington and went over to take charge
of the Union Pacific. He had an
agreement that gave aim a 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 anyone else, and,
above all, that he should not be COM
PEELED to take signals from the sea-
board, given by men who were in the
habit Of putting day coach in the
shops to have the stove changed to
"the front end" instead of turning
the car ON the table or running it
round "Y.'
This good and useful man had been
at his new post but one short 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
puonsanus or PARKWAY e1npvyes uri
over this continent, for he was, with
out question, ONE of the most humane
that has ever lived.
All night long, from North to South,
from East to West, as the conductor
swung down from coach or way
car the operator would meet him and
say in a low tone, "Hom rotter'a
dead In most cases the conductor
would make no reply, but when he
handed the order up ito the engineer
he would say, as the operator SAID TO
him, "Tom Potter's dead
"No!' the engineer would say. turn.
ing to watch the conductor, who was
already taking his way sadly back to
the caboose to break the news to the
brakeman.
"What's THAT" asks the fireman.
"Tom Potter's dead" And then the
engineer would open the throttle
slowly, and If she slipped, he gave her
sand and hum0red her, and he 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 the prosperous law firm of Gleed,
Ware and Gleed, of Topeka. He is
the wholesome, happy, two-hmdred
pound poet of the Kansas capital,
whose nom de-plume is "Ironquill;