Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-09-07
A Night of Misery.

"Wsll," said the Footprint to Slug
Seven as he settled down on his stool
and began to throw in handful Of
type, IF didn't have time oft get
ting down hers out of those noun
tains.
Been up in the mines ?" inquired
Slug Seven.
yep, replied the Footprint. "Just
came out. Footed it from Angels to
Milton yesterday and rode into Stock
ton on a side door sleeper last night.
A side door sleeper" continued the
Footprint, "is not the most cOmforta-
bic mode Of travelling. Personally l
prefer to ride on a red cushion, but
the heartless and exorbitant demand
of the railroad trust for spot cash COM
PEELED me to walk or come as freight.
I came as freight"
"Sure, said Slug Seven.
"The unpleasant feature Of the trip,
continued the Footprint, "was the
base betrayal Of confidence on the part
fthe brakeman with whom nego-
tiated for an uudisturbed passage
For cash consideration Of six bits
and drink Of liquor he verbally con-
trscted to vaybill me from Milton to
the division end at Stockton. We
went up street to take the drink and
well, you know how one word brings
on another. BY train time the s. l
had sunk in my Jeans had been fshed
to the surface and sent across the bar
for red liquor.
"The brakeman wa. full when he
started for the yards. So was | when
l started after him. The brakeman
confded to me on the way through
the yards that he owned the whole
train and | could ride anywhere and
any way I wanted to. l told him
that | vas surrounding at least a
quart Of Milton whisky and if it was
all the same to him and be had mice,
dry, empty box car l would be shipped
as an unbroken original package. lie
agreed, and we went over where the
train was standing made up to find
that empty. The brakeman ran
door open, gave me hurried boost in
and ran the door shut and locked it.
After a bit | struck match to look
about and what do you suppose that
cuss had done p
Give it up, said Slug Seven.
BILLED me as live stock, by gum
Fact There I was locked in box
with two mules, both loose, and al Of
us good to keep company to the divl-
sion end. What was that Sherman
said about war; Said it wa. hades,
didn't he? Well, it amt. It's only
an imitation. The real, orthodox,
rose colored hades is to spend night
in locked box car with two mountain
ranch mules,
1T isu't long run from Milton in,
and I concluded, after the train had
bumped along about three miles and
those scared mules had begun to charge
around and kick rat-a-tat-tat-tat on
the sides Of the car, that the only plan
Of campaign left to ne was flank
movement and sudden mounting Of
one Of the animals. It wouldn't be a
dream Of pleasure on that mules back,
but il would be safer than lodging
four rapid fire hind heels unlimbered
for action. I got the mule all night,
and after little bucking he steadied
down tolerably well The animal was
evidently scared to death and seemed
to take comfort in being straddled by
a rider.
"Well, I was just chuckling to my
self over the state Of affairs in the live
stock department Of the EsPee railway
and figuring that another hour would
see NE in the division yards, where my
friend the brakeman would open the
door, when the train stopped, evident
" at a siding, as ! knew we weren't
near station. We bumped about
bit and I took double wrap in the
ears then we stood still while
some other cars were bumped about
and then I heard two short toots Of
the whistle and rumble that gradu-
ally grew fainter. The train had
pulled out and We were side tracked
1--WE staid there until morning, too,
and I rode that son of a jsckass, with
L..LL.. 1;l-o +La r;Jca of a cburcb