The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-02-22
TOO FREshl,
a Drummer's Experience In Person.
ating Railroad Manager.

"There is slang expression about be
ing too fresh," said the drummer as h,
lighted his cigar. II have adopted thai
expression and written it at the head O
every page Of my notebook, so that it will
be constantly before me.
last fall changed oars at little
junction in the western part Of the state
1t is dreary spot, and the trains never
connect within three hours Of each other
Finding time hanging heavily on my
hands wandered over to an orchard neal
by, where there was some tempting look.
ing fruit was SO busily engaged in
throwing stones at luscious looking ap
pie in the top Of ono Of tho trees that did
not notice an old farmer bearing down
where was with blood in his eye. When
I discovered him, it was too late to flee.
So concluded to face it out
Fine orchard you've got here" said
I, opening Oh him before he had chance
to get in tho first word. 1T will be pity
to spoil it by running railroad through
it,
'Hay?' said he.
I remarked, said I, that 1t will be q
pity to spoil such fine orchard by run
ming railroad through it. l am the gen.
eral manager of this road, and I have been
looking 1t over with view of straighten-
ing out some of the kinks. have about
concluded to run tho road through your
orchard and thus get rid of the bad curve
just beyond
"This disarmed the old man at once and
placed him in q more conciliatory mood.
General manager be yep said he.
'Waal como up ter tho house an we'll talk
it over.
Il thought the old man had something
in the line Of wet goods that he wanted
me to sample in the hope that it might
put ne in good humor and save his or
chard. looked at my watch and seeing
that l had plenty Of time concluded to
carry on the joke, SO I followed him up to
the house.
GAS We were passing q brick smoke.
house the old man threw the door open
and invited me to inspect a fine lot of
hams that he had inside. stepped in tho
doorway, and as did SO the old man gavo
me shove that sent nc inside upon my
hands and knees. Before l could recover
myself he had thrown tho door shut and
locked it.
"'General manager, be yep he bawled
through q crack in the door.
~ didn't think it wise to deny 1t, so
shouted back that was, and, moreover
that would take pains to see that the
railroad ran straight through his house.
"'Waal, well talk about that LATER said
he. Member that thar bill that sent ye
fer KILN them Sheep
~ tr,tbfun,, +b,t l;,1,.,l
"'Waal, sud he, you'll stay where ye
are till We TO. I've got ye jcs' where | |
want We, an If yo don t pay me that thar $15 |
that ye owe me fer KILN them sheep the |
railroad is soin ter be short ono general |
manager.
II tried to explain the true situation,
but he refused to listen. 1t was SIS or
stay where WAS. Whilo was arguing
with the old man | heard my train wills
tie II mile or SO off. l had an important
engagement to meet and | simply had to
catch that train, 50 poked $l5 through
the crack.
1.-The old man unlocked the door, and
was stepping out when ho suddenly threw
his weight against it.
"'Pokc out SO cents more! he shouted.
"'What for? | howletl as I heard my
train getting nearer and nearer.
Fer postage stamps that I wasted
writin yc about that thar bill
Il didn't have time TO argue the ques-
zion, so l pokel out 30 cents more and
legged IL for my train"