The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-12-07

my fortune in Colorado. After
spending nearly two years in pros
pecting in different parts of the
State, resolved to go to Los Vegas,
New Mexico, and try to get position
on the railroad, as 1 always had 4
liking for that sort Of work.
Well, 1 only got as far as Trinidad,
when 1 found myself without a dollar
in the world, and Of course 1 had to
stop over and see If 1 could not get
something to do.
/ went to the Sante Fe railroad sta
tion and applied for work. but failed
to get any encouragement. Then 1
went to the different trainmen and
made diligent inquiries. but none of
them knew of any job that was open.
A conductor, who was then running
local freight on this line, promised
to give me a position as brakeman, If
would remain In Trinidad two
weeks. His head brakeman was 60
ing to quit him, he informed me, and
could have the place If I chose 20
| remain there till the vacancy &C.
CURED; but two days later he was re-
moved to another division of the road,
and was left without any prospect Of
employment in Trinidad.
1 then resolved to go to Los veg1s
lat once, but, having no money to pay
my fare, was at loss to know what
10 do. At last, however. decided to
30 to the railroad station and endeav-
br to get some of the brakemen on
he freights to let me ride.
When / arrived at the station I
pund that long freight train had
hst pulled up and was standing on
be side track to wait the coming
the eastern-bound express.
first approached the conductor,
hd. explaining my condition, asked
m to carry me over his division, but
dismissed me with the curt reply
lat his train was a freight train
d he was forbidden to carry passen-
RS.
Discouraged but not despairing, I
int to the head brakeman and
hight to induce him to allow me to
e on one Of the box cars.
Got any money!" he asked.
mot a cent" l replied, but"
You'll have to walk then" he said,
b passed on.
tried the other brakeman with
b result; then began to feel pref
blue. l walked up the track along
side Of The train, wishing that
never seen the State of Colorado.
PRESENTLY stopped to admire new
bmotive that was In the train near
tcentre. 1t was a beautiful piece
workmanship, fresh from the
sbs. and was being taken south for
Il Mexican Central.
bile / was standing there the
II was uncoupled just back of the
lohotive, and the lower section
bid down to another switch.
few minutes later the express
WI by and then the section that
hal cen run back was brought on to
thSain track and went laundering
on way to Ration. You see the
ira had to be pulled up this long
grain sections, then, and an engine
waept at the point to do the work.
Abon as the train had disappeared
upE slope, I heard the bell ring. |
anden the other section began to
moforward. Not until that mo-
meiwhen the disagreeable sensa- |
ton being left behind took posses |
sion me, did have the remotest |
ide3 attempting to steal ride. |
Thd occurred to me that I might |
easiflde on the engine at the rear |
end the train, and no one be the |
wisbut I hesitated to do such a
thintnd should have given up the
ideaf not the brakeman pointed to
the tne and limited that If didn't |
avdckbone enough to get aboard
81 :. ought to walk.
Thencouraged, 1 ran forward and
leape aboard the moving engine.
Thentrept into the tender and seat
ed milf where would be hid from
the drvation of any one who might
pass ing the train. knew that the
brakan would shield me IL he
couldn't l must not allow the con-
ductdto discover my presence.
Thfain was now moving faster
ana pier, and the clatter of the
wheeover joint in the rails told
me Y we were passing over the
switdand on to the main track.
Wepon struck the long, ste,
gradand moved very slowly. There
is rel space. a quarter of a mile
long. lerhaps. just below the last
grad& two miles. We had reached
this, ID were starting up the last
gradeFhen the engine stuck.
l he'd the loud. rapid putting of the
locomfve as the wheels slipped on
the tfk, and then the train gradu-
ally che to a standstill. Then we
beganb move backward, and knew
we wei backing on to the level space
to get new start.
The fain moved pretty fast down
the gr4e. and rightly guessed that
the entneer was out of humor.
We I'D crossed the level space and
reaehedthe down gade below it, when
we WEI brought almost to stand.
Dttl} M $3.50 fanA /