The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-09-19
THE MISSING FREIGHT.
BY HAROLD NAEMANSSON.

in Crescntvilc. His father, Nelson
Graham. had run the general store
there for many years. and was rated
In "Dunn's" as sc. $. VI. g." which
cabalstic letters established the Gra-
ham credit on II solid foundation
throughout the United States, 10 that
whenever a salesman happened to stop
at Crescentville. he always made a
call at Nelson Graham's.
Crescentville, Illinois. was II flourish
ing city OF over 1000 inhabitants. and.
Of course. things were lust rushing.
The city contained two manufactur-
ing plants. brewery, First Nation
nj Bank of Crcsccntville an Electric
Light and Power Company. and n rail-
road depot. Also, various stores and
small industries according to Its needs.
The railroad was n loop Of the Il. II. Il
&. S., the main line ten miles from
Crcscentville.
Nelson Graham, ms the proprietor of
the general store, was quite an in
nuential citizen. and II was under
stood that his son, Rodney, was in n
| position to pick the profession of his
choice. The law, medicine. art, music,
poetry. stenography, bookkccp ng,
were all within his reach; he consid-
cred them all from different points Of
view (very differently from most peo-
plc) and then deliberately chose the
profession of stocking Il freight engine.
I The masses of Crcscentville resented
his choice. They were surprised and
dLspleased. They discussed it over tea
tables, drug counters and saloon bars,
and decided that Rodney, though
smart, was born without ambition.
/ For this reason they voted against
Nelson Graham when he ran for may
or, and defeated him, which shows
4 how the sins of the sons are visited
upon their fathers.
! Rodney Graham was peculiar In
many ways. He came home to Cres-
centville once week. and In his con-
versation frequently cursed the
freight engine. Instead of having n
consuming affection for it-as all well
regulated stokers are supposed to have
he shamefully abused and (metaphor-
]
the boilers were bad-the brakes were
no good-the engineer was crazy and
that were 1t not for his untirlng zeal
and sleepless watchtulness. fast
freight Number Forty-Six of the
great Il. II. & G. s. r. Il. would he con
tinually jumping off the track and
having to be lifted on again at great
expense Of life and money. He said
that all stOkers were excused from pur-
gatOry; but Notwithstanding all the
things he said he stuck to his job. and
when his father solicited the votes of
his fellow citizens for the honorable
position of alderman, his fellow citi-
zens elected some one else.
In addition to running the Crescent
Vile general store. Nelson Graham
was interested In the First National
Bank OF Crescentville. He had always
deposited his receipts there. and as
they had grown In volume he had in
vested what he could spare and was
now vice-president of the bank. 1t was
silver agitation burst forth in all it's
virulence. The Democratic party
would surely win the elections. and
the value of the dollar would be cut
In half. The farmers all around Cres-
centvllle wanted their money before
the dollar deprecated. The Crescent
Vile bank had money loaned out to
number Of neighborng manufacto-
rles on easy terms, and this money
could not be called In. Therefore the
Crescentvllle bank was In difficulties
and the farmers came up and besieged
1t.
II the bank suspended. Nelson Gra-
ham would go with 1t. If the bank
pulled through. Nelson Graham would
pull through. The bank wanted $780,
900 to meet the demands upon 1t, but
no one knew where to get the money
In time.
These were the circumstances when
Rodney Graham departed from Cres-
centvilie one afternoon. to stoke fast
freight Number FOrty-slx. which he
would join at st Louis, stoking II to
Chicago and back. The station agent
was on the platform Mt Crescentyille,
and saw Rodney Graham get into the
cab Of the train which left Crescent
Vile for st. Louis at quarter before
six. The freight agent at Mattoona
saw Rodney Graham In the cab of
Number Forty-Six when Il stopped for
water. 1t left Mattoona on time
passed Kalakoka on time. But It did not
reach Dalabeke. 1t was slgnalled to
Dalabeke, and the operator there wait.
Cd for 1t, because after 1t had gone II
was his intention to get his supper.
Number FOrty-Six was 10 minutes late
30 minutes late; 40 minutes late; one
hour late-clearly 1t must have met
with some accident since IL left KaIa-
kOka.
The Dalabeke agent (Dlmkins, wired
Chicago that fast freight Number
Forty-Six had met with an accident
and was delayed. Then he arranged
with some one to watch the depot.