The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-15
Copyright. 1899. by Cy warman.)


over the quiet country town. The agent
whom he had come up to relieve WAS
talking with a fat-figured, sinewy
young farmer, who had come to town
TO have his pillow sharpened. A man
with one suspender, driving COW down
the street, shouted to the agent: Hell
10, JIM. and the agent waved his
hand.
Come out an see us fore We go an
We'll cut pumpkin
Jim smiled and nodded. The man
laughed loud and pushed his cow into
an alley.
What crude, vulgar lot of yaps in
habit this EARTH unused the new man,
marking the folk of the village. He
had been all his life in the city. His
father was president of a little railroad
down east. 1t had taken him just fifty
years of hard work to reach that eX-
allied post. and that was his chief rea-
son for sending this beardless boy of
his into the throbbing west to learn the
business. The ordinary public school,
the high school and a course at a bust
ness college was all he got, and at 20
he was finished" after the idea of the
president, who, in his youth, had not
| Jared nearly so well. A single letter to
a superintendent in the west was the
boys introduction. He had mastered
the mystery of the key in little while
| Railroad work of all sorts seemed to
come as naturally to him as thirst
comes to an Indian, but he had a lot
| 10 learn about men and things. 1t is
not enough for a man to be able to
do business; he must know first of
all how to get business.
! Having grown weary of waiting, the
new man approached the agent with
the hope that that placid individual
might see in him lot of energy going
to waste, and so cut short his visit with
the lank young farmer.
| Charlie, said the agent stepping
back as the new man approached and
waving his hand with the air and ease
OF farmer showing a horse a coun-
| ty fair, this is Mr.. Cutter your new
agent. Mr.. Cutter. Mr.. Johnson
Mr. johnson, stepping from his wagon
to the high platform, removed his
glove, about to shake hands.
Mr.. Cutter bowed. smiled and then
stared at the farmers big feet, not even
noticing the almost outstretched hand.
1t is pretty we'll established fact
That nothing is more disconcerting to a
man than TO have another person stare
at his feet Pretty women often resort
TO this expedient when being crushed
under the gaze of handsome, vulgar
men. And so, seeing the agent staring
at his feet, the farmer bluShed beneath
his tan, stepped back into his wagon
and drove away. There was milk on
one of his boots.
Now the eye of the agent. trained to
see many things at one and the same
time, saw all this; saw the look of dis
appointment upon the handsome face
OF his youthful successor as he sur
veyed the scene. his impatience at the
agents delay. his disgust with the
agents familiarity with the coarse peo-
pie of the place, and pitied him. for
with his own departure. he saw the bus
mess of the village going to the oppo-
sition line that touched at the other
side of the town.
Can you show me about a little,
now?" asked the new man.
The agent made no reply. but turned
to walk back to the wooden station
This is all new to me, you know"
the new man remarked I'm not very
long in the business. I've lived in the
city. too, all my life. and / dare say. L
shall be awkward here. I'm not long
in the west -
You behave as though you hadn't
been on earth more than couple o.
hours said the agent, carelessly shak-
ing out his keys
The new man turned sharply
AT that moment couple of unusually |
pretty girls came romping down the |
platform.
The new man, standing at the end of |
the building, could not be seen by the |
girls, as they came skipping along hold |
ing hands their big straw hats waving |
like the wide wings of snow-white |
gulls.
Come on, Come on" they were say
ing to the agent. Were going to the |
postoffice."
Il can't; this is my busy day." said
the agent. smiling. The girls failed to
see anything unusual in his smile
They We're as wild and gay as the
birds-as fresh and sweet as the flow
ers on that spring morning.
"Aw-come on. jim" said the bru-
nette, impulsively, pulling the agents
arm. Come, go piece with us, any
way"
mo. no." said the agent. squeezing
her hand. and nodding toward the sta
ton, where the new man stood wait
ing.
"O-o-o-o." exclaimed the blonde
as her big blue eyes fell upon
the handsome young man. The bru-
nette flashed her black eyes upon the
stranger. who now turned modestly
away. Kind of upish. isn't hep" she
said. Goodbye. Jim and the two
girls romped away.
The new man watched them until
they jumped from the far end of the
platform and salloped off up the mar
row. board walk that ran from the sta
ton along one side of the one street
to the postoffice.
Nov, there said the new man to
the agent. there's where 1 should like
to be introduced"
We'll. I'll introduce you to the office
if you'll promise not to freeze it," said
the agent, coldly.
The new man flushed the least bit.
but followed into the station. The agent
started to explain the use of the cleo
trio signals to be displayed when he
had orders for q train, or an order to (
hold a train for orders. when the young :
nan broke in with an impatient, Yes.
yes: know that
''Oh, you do? Well. I'm glad for your ,
sake that you know something. There's
such lot to learn, and life is so short" !
The young man glared at the agent ,
)ut that self contained individual did ,
lot take the trouble to notice it. When :
lie had shown and explained the ticket :
'ack, he broke an item of news to the ,,
lew man.
Always, just thirty minutes before
he mail train is due. neither earlier {
lor later, go to the postoffice for the 5
nail {
Whose mail?" ,
well, anybody's mail that happens t
o be in the bag. Then. when the train !
rrives, take the pouch that is kicked !
if and tote it over to the office" f
81 carry the mail, Do you expect me l
o be agent and porter, too?'' f
Il don't expect anything. My instruc- {
ions were to show you what | did and V
low l did it. There is really nothing
o. do. If it could be condensed, a man c