The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-27

a strong, steady pull but they could
not move the load. There the house
was. The rear wheels on one side and
the front wheels on the other side of
the track and the house just half over.
The men Dried and pushed. The
horses strained, but the house
would not bulge. The twenty men and
as many teams worked until dark, but
the house would not move an inch
They gave it up when it grew dark and
decided to let the house stand till morn
ing and off they went to their homes.
Dutch Billy went to the railroad sta
ton at Eugene and reported the mat
ter to the station agent. The road was
only built as far as Junction City then
and q train went to the end in the
morning and back at night. The train
was due about 9 o'clock. The agent
gave the man a lantern and told him
when he heard the train coming from
Junction City to wave the light and
stop it,
Billy went back to watch He sat
there with the lighted lantern waiting
for the train to come. He looked at his
house and then up the track. He won
dered if the railroad company would
not be glad to move the house off the
track so the train could pass. Just then
he heard the engine whistle a mile or
so up the track. He grabbed his Ian
tern and sprang to his feet. The liant
ern went out!
It was dark as pitch. What could he
do with a lantern with no light in it?
found onei He was nervous; he drop
ped the lantern and attempted to light
the match. 1t would not strike. He
felt of it. 1t was a burnt match! He
could do nothing. In a few minutes
the train would be there.
He sat down and waited. He could
hear the engine putting as the train ap-
preached. He wondered what would
happen when the engine struck the
house. Would it make two houses of
two rooms each out of the four room
house or would the collision make
kindling wood out of the train? He did
not care very much what happened,
but the suspense was awful. Whatever
happened he hoped would happen soon.
Then he sat on stump waiting for
the engine to crash into his house.
The train was coming nearer and
nearer. He was sorry he had not moved
all the furniture out of the house. It
wasn't too late to save some of the
things so he rushed into the house and
grabbed a pillow and a loOkingg1ass
and rushed out again, sat down and
waited for the crash to come. On came
the train. The shoemaker decided he
would have to live in cave until he
could earn enough money to build a
new house. Crashi The engine plowed
into the side of the house. Splinters
flew in every direction and the brick
chimney ratified down on the engine.
The headlight of the engine was smash
ed and the srnokestack wrecked. The
fireman and engineer jumped in time.
story. The next day Billy picked up the
pieces and started a new house on the
river. He never liked to have anyone
say where was Billy when the light
went out
The following amusing story is told
on a Rick Island conductor who used
to occasionally drop into Topeka and
spend a few moments chatting with
1.-The boys" This particular conductor
was afflicted with stammering in his
speech, and although he usually got
along in conversation in good shape
when he became excited, words failed
him.
While out on his run one day, he got
off his train as usual at - station,
and stepping up to the office window
inquired of the operator, Are th-th- +
there a-a-any orders f-f-for m-ne2"
The regular operator was off that day
and a new man was holding down the
place and replying to the conductor he (
said, s'N-n-no, n-n-nothing flor y-you-
"D-d-don't g-get g-g-g-gay n-noW,,
replied the conductor warmly.
"C-come o-o-on. Wh-Wh-whose g-g-