Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-09-19


stead of Through the window.
Several division officials were inform.
ally congregatcd in the superintendent
office of an eastern railroad one after.
noon when the conversation turned to
the subject Of elaborate Office furniture
suggested by a new office chair which
had been presented TO the venerable su.
perintendcnt by his subordinates as
birthday remembrance.
II never see an Office chair like that
without being reminded Of an amusing
Incident which occurred TO me at almost
the commencement of my railroad expe.
ricncc," remarked the travelling freight
agent.
II commenced my railroad career as
spare agent for the Central Vermont
back in the sixties when old Man Hal.
loway was superintendent Of the north.
ern division OF that road. ! only worked
about six or eight months in that capaci-
~ when | was assigned to a new station
just opened near St. Adams, Vt, the
headquarters OF the division. shall
never forget the pride and satisfaction
which | experienced in the possession ~
that, my first regular position. Were
TO be elected to the presidency OF this
mo anywhere near the self satisfaction
that | derived from my first agency up
there in the Green Mountain State Like
everything else in life, though, there was
n drawback to my complete happiness.
and that drawback lay in the fact that,
while all the rest Of my station equip
mcnt and Office furniture was entirely
new, the chair which they sent mo. jndg-
ing from it's appearance, had seen sew
eral years service at some other station
before being sent to me.
"Well, that chair didn't harmonic with
my ideas any moro than it did with tho
rest of the office furniture | Immediate
~ sat down and wrote the superintendent
at some length, stating the case in all
its details, which, when summarized
amounted to the fact that an old chair
had been sent me in error in place of a
new one, and | asked him to see that tho
mistake be rectifed. | sent the letter IN
the morning train, thinking, Of course.
that the new chair would be forthcon ing
on the last train from St. Adams that
night; but, although | watched every in
coming train from st. Adams with anx-
ious, expectant eyes for over a week. the
coveted chair did not make its appear
ance.
Thinking the letter must have been
lost or mislad, | wrote another, stating
the case at more length than on the for
mer occasion. On the following day | re-
ceived my second letter back with an in
dorsement across the corner that new
chair could not be provided just at that
time and for the present would have to
get along with the one | had as best
could. This somewhat dampened my ar
dor, but did not entirely discourage me in
my efforts to secure the new chair. l
importuned the train dispatcher at least
three times a week and made it point
to communicate my want to the train
master, the roadmaster and every one
else whom l saw and who | thought
would have any influence whatever with
the, to me, obstinate superintendent, but
all to no avail. Something like two
months passed, and | was still seated in
my old ready to fall to pieces chair.
Being in st. Adams one day. decided
to call upon Mr.. Holloway in person AMI
ascertain, II possible. what the prospect
were relative to my chair.
After considerable trouble--it being
one of his busy days-I succeeded in
gaining admittance to his private office.
i have often wondered since that he did
not fire me out bodily and give me a ten
Gays suspension 70 Doot tor my presurnp-
tion' ont he dlu not preierrlhg' eVIdenty'
TO DUN me out OF tne AHa!r ana at tne
same time nave itt'e run all TO himsei1
at my expense
STATED my case IN as Re" WORDS as
possible peihg somewhat awe inspired
Dy MS scrutihizlhe gaze Nheu uau
nhlshed' ne SIMPLY gIuhteu an assent
ana turning around 10 MS uesk' proceed
cd 20 hnisn the Ietter oeioFe NM appar-
enty utterly oDhVious 10 my Iurther pres
ehce' After ne had nnlsheu inc iel'er
ana ADDRESSED II ne Slowly arose from
MS chalr' TOOK on MS glasses ana lall
then on the uesK IN front OF MN ana
stralghtened nlmsell up 70 MS tul heiE4t
-somethlAg IKE rect IN q way tAal
LED me 10 thlnk that my hnish mad ar
rived and that was booked 10 go OUT
threugh the Wlnoow: he dlu not ure
me- however but what he dld 90 was
equally radical in MS nature aklnE
the large comfortaDle once chsIr IN
which be had been sitting by the oach
with both hands ana pIacihg MS HsAt
foot underneath H. ne party threw ana
partly kicked IL over IN tfont OF "nere l