Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-09-25
"A Plucky Z
CoDductor.

Those" said the ranchman. "who
blame their failures to Providence OF
tate are towards, and I'll tell you a
story to prove IL.
IT happened some years since, before
the Northern Pacific had crossed the
Rockies. The terminus that season was
at Zenith City, and the class of travel
which demands luxury didn't come be-.
yond Bismarck, where the company
economically shunted the sleepers be.
fore rushing away from civilization.
so the train which started from Re.
NTH City one November morning was
made up as usual of passenger car, a
box car and the locomotive, while its
quite unusual number of travellers was
composed entirely of party of twenty
cowboys.
"They meant to go east for such a
length of time as their cash would en-
dure, and though 1t was burning in
their pockets to be spent they were re-
solved not to waste any of 1t In rail.
way tickets-a resolve Of which they
informed the conductor when he came
to them about half an hour out from
Zenith City.
"He was young fellow, as were the
cowboys. Everything was young in
Montana in those days. This chap
Lloyd, however, was slim built, with a
color that changed like girls, and
very queer he looked among the big,
brown, brawny roughs who left their
card playing to swarm into the aisle
or lean over the seats nearest those Of
their comrades who had answered to
his request for tickets that they had
none.
"'The company will take money for
fares also, said Lloyd, without glanc-
ing at the gathering crowd.
"'When the company can get it,
somebody chuckled.
Invariably Lloyd asserted, or the
passenger who refuses to pay is put off
the train
"'You don't say? Suppose you try.
Here are Tim and me to begin with
and the whole carful after us, for not
one cent of our earnings is going into
the money bags Of your - swindling
company"
"'You will hurt me much more than
the company he said when he could
get hearing. I shall lose my place
IL don't collect your fares
"'That is your lookout
awe amt going to tell your boss IL
you keep quiet
There is a greed for torturing ami
mails which disfgures most human ma
ture from Spanish bull baiters to those
rat fighters down east So those bright
eyes of Lloyd's didn't meet any more
encouragement than did Father Noah's
the first time he took squint at the
flood through one Of the portfolios Of
the ark.
"Without speaking he stood, very
pale and still for a moment, looking at
the open pocketbook in his hand, while
they all stared at him, grinning and
jeering Presently the color rushed
back over his face, and. shutting his
book with a snap, he went out Of the
car.
.ue was followed nv a roar of laugh
for and facetious wells.
4Tben the crowd returned to poker
nlavi,o some of them inst a bit dis
contentad with their victory and NUT.
teripg that % IN was too big odds
for anv chan ,sneciallv a slim. little
chan With fists which couldn't hold
+beir own AGAINST n kid
"a ouarter of an bour later the train
s+onned NOT gradually but with ierl,
which sent noler cbins fvinp. There
vos cowhov half ont of every win
dow in the car quicker than Won could
hove coclad nistol for stations were
so1don, WITHIN 100 miles Of zach other
IN, +hoso davs and thew all knew that
this ston wasn,t regular
..pobind and before tbem the track
s,,ro+obod os for as tbev couId see
,rhi1o ON both sides tho nroirie snread
ouov 10 +ba low adpe of the gray sky
No+ sound or n movement except
-, I.,,,..;,.. ,.o,,i,c, ot EN-