Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-10-17
THE TRAIN BOYS LAST TRIP.


man in the dark blue suit with some
curiosity. He was quiet man and
yet strangely restless. At every sta
tion he would rise from his seat and
step out on the rear platform of the
car. If there was sufficient time he
would go out on the platform and
walk up and down. When he re-
turned to his seat his eyes were either
on the landscape, or on his watch, or
on bundle of papers he drew from
an inner pocket.
The train boy was in the habit of
studying the passengers. He set this
particular passenger down as an ANA
teur traveller who was afraid he might
miss something.
Business was dull with the train
boy. 1t was hot June day and Gus
toners were scarce when the thermom-
eter climbed up in the SOS, and the
air was full of dust, and the flying
landscape was almost painful to look
at in the dazzling brightness. The
train boy had stacked up his goods on
a seat at one end of the car. He felt
little lonesome and slowly strobe up
the car aisle. He paused beside a
seat on which sat a gray haired woman
of a very neat but unassuming ap-
pearance. The boy stopped over.
Anything I can do for you grand
ma? he asked in his CHEEKY way.
Drink of water?"
The elderly lady looked up and
smilingly shook her head.
Call right" said the boy. "You
Just motion to me if there's anything
you need. I'll be around somewhere. "
He moved along until he came to
the quiet old man, who for the mo-
ment happened to be idle. The boy
perched himself on the arm of the op-
posite seat. The quiet man looked up at
him. He was still young man but
with face that seemed to bear the
impress Of much experience, and he
knit his brow slightly as he looked
the boy over.
"Sit down, my lad, he said, as he
pointed to a seat in front Of him,
which was turned over so as to face
the quiet mans seat.
The train boy took the seat. He
looked up at the quiet man.
"Guess it's your first trip over the
line, amt it?" he added.
what makes you think SOP"
Because you are SO fdgety," said
the boy. you're afraid you are going
to miss something. 1t seems little
funny to me, you know, cause I've
been over the road every blessed day
for the last four years"
"You know all about it then ?" said
the man.
Don't II" laughed the boy. 81
used to make study Of it, but l got
tired of that. When I first came on
l was little scared, l tell you. Twas
afraid we'd Jump the track or the tres
tie or something. An l used to lis
ten to the old clumpty-clumping un-
til it sort OF made songs for me, an
after that there was a kind of song for
every piece of road"
You're something of poet, said
the quiet man.
~ guess not. laughed the boy.
being train boy will knock the
poetry out of fellow bout as quick
as anything, guess.
perhaps you are right, said the
quiet man. II was train boy for
awhile myself"
"You," cried the boy. He laughed
as if the idea amused him. II do not
believe you were much good at it, he
said. You haven't got enough cheek"
"Well," said the quiet man, with a
laugh, that family echoed the boys,
81 didn't keep the job long. I was
rather glad, l remember, when l
was promoted to brakeman, and still
more glad when left that job to be
telegraph operator.
well, say" cried the boy, "yOu know
more about railrOading than l gave
you credit for"
"But feel pretty sure you know a
good deal more about this particular
piece of railroading than I do, said
the quiet man.
Perhaps, said the boy. "Guess I
can tell the poor spots along the line
as well as anybody. I know there is
a sharp curve just this side o Billers-
burg that ought to be Strengthened.
And there's rough place near Bayne-
vile that needs relaying. And l