Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-02-15
HOW He Flagged the Train

nrmly than ever that he knows littI.
vi the ways "f the world. aud esp-c
'a'iy of that part pertaining to the
management of railroad This
energy man Is well known all over the
country, and he has frequent calls
from western cities for his services
"ecentiy ne consented 10 visit a small
city III the West near Columbus. O.
anu dedicate "A new church that had
Just been built. Accordingly. he took
nlght train, and about twenty four
hours later he reached ;he city. lie
was met bv II del l.atlcn from the
church and was taken at once 20 the
best hotel in the little place aud made
Ms comfortable as possible.
The duty that he came to town TO
perform was promptly carried out.
and he began To speculate upon the
best way to ge' home. He found
that toy catching train that went
through the town AT > o'clock in the
morning he could get home IN rlme
to fulhll an engagement of impor
,ance. SO ne decided to take that train
lie refused the kind offers of several
persons to come around aud take him
TO the station. He said he would
not bother any one, but would ship
out quietly early IN the morning
The train he was to take did not stop
at the town unless tagged lie vis
lted the station agent and asked him
If he would flag the tram. The
agent said regretfuliv that he went
home at p. IN. and did not come
back until 3 o'clock next morning
but he would come down 10 ohhyr
the minister. The clergyman decliu
ed this kind offer, and said that if
the agent would leave lautern out
where he could find 1t he would light
it and flag the train himself.
This agreement was made, and thu.
clergyman went home and retired
early. About o'clock he was astir.
and after packing mp walked down
10 the station. short dist ,nce away
lie reached there about l:55 o'clock
by his watch. He found the lantern
aud lighted il, and sat down To wait
for train. Now everything was all
right except that this minister was
an absent minded one, and had never
realized that there was an hours diff
ference in time between New York
and the Ohio town. Ii was > o'clock
bv his watch. New York time, and So
he was an hour ahead of time 1t
was six o'clock by his time when the
train WAS due. He had waited only
few moments when big train
came rattling along. He saw the
headlight flare up in the darkness,
and he stepped out and swung his
lantern. The train drew nearer aud
nearer and slowed up, and finally
came to full stop. Then the cler
gyman discovered that he had pulled
down long freight. He was speech
less with surprise, but the engine, /
WASH 't.-W hen he learned the condi
ton of affairs he broke loose with u
torrent of abuse, To which the minis
ter made no reply. The engineer fin
ally climbed back on his engine and
opened the throttle. IL was cold
winter morning and the engine creak
ed, puffed. snorted, wheezed, and the
wheels spun frsntIcally in getting the
big train started. d.-Finnlly he got
under way and left the clergyman he
hind. but still ignorant of his time
schedule being awry.
He pondered over the situation,
and finally came to the confusion that
the passenger tram was late, anu lhd'
this freight was run III ahead on ii
special schedule. About ten minutes
later he saw another headlight blazr
in the distance, and felt confident
that this was the passenger. 30 ne
stepped out and swung bis lantern.
The result was that the train slowed
up and stopped, and when he dis
cerned its outline through the dark
ness he was almost stunned 10 see
that he had pulled down aLother hig
f:eight-as he soon learned. the sec
ond section of the one that he had
first stopped. There was nothing Ia
do but to apologize and stand the
abuse. This engineer also got his