The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-08-11
A COMMONPLACE MAN
By q. II. DsERhOLD.
THERE was nothing brilliant about
nor Russel1 any more than there

built engine, or about the big sleek,
rrass-fed steers that generally formed
the greater par. Of the load on the
trains that he pulled. He was consid-
cred one of the most faithful men on
the Denver road, but somehow his very
faithfulness was of a kind which IS
generally associated with dullness In
many respects his character was strik-
ingly like that of the road on which he
ran. The Denver is a long, monotonous
road that stretches up into the Pan
handle of Texas over almost endless
reaches Of seemingly dead level prairie;
but all the time is gradually rising to-
ward the lava beds Of the foothills OF
New Mexico, and eventually finds It's
way across the mountains and into the
city of Denver. IN much the same way
there was kind OF monotony about
Dan Russell, but It was o nonotony Of
vastness. It rose by imperceptible
grodations TO the heights Of heroism.
and It is barely possible that in the end
It also may have found its way into
some continuing city"
Dan never achieved even the distinc-
tion of being given q passenger run. In
spite Of his faithfulness, men Of diff
ferent turn of mind always seemed
TO GET the promotions Ben stikes, his
fireman, was much younger man. and
much less experienced in railroad mat
ters, but It was frequently remarked
among their friends that Ben vas al
ready better liked In official circles than
Dan, and that the fireman was likely TO
get passenger run first.
There was certain town ON Dams
run known es the Chicken and Breed"
town. II was so called because Of the
swarm of semicivilized and totally de-
praved small boys who always met
trains there and tried to beguile passen.
gers into buying alleged samples OF
those two articles Of diet The town is
still known by this name from one end
Of the "Denver" to the other. ltfs hard
ly worth while TO mention it's other
name, as this one really lends all the
dignity to the town which the facts IN
the case will justify. The town con-
ksts principally Of sand hills and IA
looms, but as it Is at the Junction Of two
railroads IL has been made the eating
station for the crews Of several trains.
1t has several inhabitants, but the ono
most nearly connected with this story.
and decidedly the most important one
In Dan Russell's eyes was Grace Az
kins.
Grace was the daughter OF saloon
keeper, whose place was near the Den.
YER depot. = More than that, ahe was
Dams sweetheart. This is the best
thing know TO say about her. The
woman whom Dan Russell loved cannot
have been all bad. How Dan managed
to become engaged to her, or even to
make love TO her, cannot pretend to
say. How he managed 1t, even his most
intimate friends never could imagine.
It Is q matter OF record, though, that a
brakeman once punched him In the ribs
and asked him what the date was, and
that Dan blushed violently and stam-
mered something about promotion" ="
Everything went well with the affair
until the unfortunate day when Ben
Stikes was tsaasferred to . saaA In the
cab Of No. 10, snd TO tAs poxsGon OF
fireman to Daa Russell Bs1sge this
happened os1ss made u 9s1AN meet
Danb - Way O{F1z0&,passed
Ithroa6A - sxAiS1A - Bread"
| tow.s ~ G1ssUgo - slway.
met -
~eonslna1 - vsAsr - -" re.
marked - q the habitsal Ioungers
around the depot one day, Just after No
10 he'd pulled out.
"What Is it?" inquired another.
'Graoe StilDea"
"Yes9 Well, she Is tol'ble new. She
ain't met No. 10 but about 40 times tlds
last month"
"She aint never met It ON the righ'
side OF the cab before. Did you notice
h9 she alters stood on the left side
tin to-dhy."
Al this there were several siguiAcau
grtns In the crowd, and several shoul
ders were shrugged. After several mo
ments OF silence spent In looking site
the disappearing train, one OF the loaf
ers remarked. sententiously:
"D-n good-looking man, any way"
Even Dan Russen's most arden
friend could never have claimed tha
this imprecation was intended for him
After this the loafers noticed tha
Grace stood on one side Of the cab Jus
about as often as she did on the other
II 10 barely possible that Dan ISny hav
noticed It also, but there was never any
thing about lAs swnrthy, frn-set fac
10 show II. As the months went on hi
fireman continued to be as "good lool
Ing" az ever, and showed no sign Of on,
/, injury from the "damning" he had re
oeived. Finally Q time camo whe
GNce failed 70 stand on either side @
No. 16. or TO meet IL at all for over
week. Neither man in the cab Shove
: the slightest Agn Of missing her.
"sQplthlpg's up" the loungers whi'
(SSSd usH R