Evening star., 1901-08-10

R. and n. had gained control of the ex-
cursion business at a recent board meet
ing
His first order was for a railing around
his desk, with a gate on tight spring.
Somehow his predecessor, Tom Mayo, had
never deemed railing necessary. PernapS
that was the reason that to the day or his
death Mayo's name was on the pay 1oll
While he fought q grim but losing battle
for life. way up in the Catskills, the men
in the Office cheerfully worked overtime
and the out-of-town agents hustled business
for him. Hinchman, by the way. had
poor opinion Of out-of-town agents. They
lacked style and polish, and were too ia
mliar when they dropped into the town
office.
Excursion Conductor Sam Dingley had
started when a mere boy as messenger In
the R. P. freight headquarters at Omaha
Aided by night school education, he had
pushed his way from one clerkship to
another until, when the first Golden Gate
excursion started across the continent, he
was pronounced the very man for the
place, a place which demanded diplomacy
well as knowledge OF the train service.
Dingley was popular with the travelling
public. Men liked HIM because he never
talked politics, but was good listener.
Women liked him because he knew the
romance connected with every point Of in
terest on the line. And children loved him.
He was always ready to make up a whist
hand, and on Sunday evenings. when the
train dragged across uninteresting deserts,
he led the singing with an old-fashioncd
collection of Gospel hymns
But Hinchman knew nothing of all this.
He saw in Dingley only a quiet. stoop-
shouldered fellow of forty. who did not fill
out his uniform well, and who shuffied into
the office each trip with an air of self
effacement that was not a good advertise
ment for an up-to-date enterprise like the
Golden Gate excursions Beside. Sam was
a man without friends in the seats of the
mighty. He had no inconvenient relatives
on the list of r. P. stockholders
SO the managerial mind decided that Sam
should be the first r. P. man to step aside
for one with NJ. r. and M. affiliations. The
decision was not easily executed, however.
Sam had trying way or sending In cor
rect reports, and overwork held no ter
rors for him. 1t had always been custom
ary to permit excursion men absolute rest
on the first day after their arrival in Bos-
ton from the transcontlnental trip, but
Hinchman changed all that. Dingley was
ordered to report st 8 am the day follow
ing his return, and each time he was sent
scurrying over the city or to nearby towns
after passengers. The Office force watch
ed the game and talked 1t over when
Hinchman was out. But they never broach
ed the subject to Dingley. In all matters
dealing with company affairs Sam had
way Of his own Of closing ears and lips
to gossip.
SO Hinchman waited, not patiently. but
with secret wonder and chagrin at Sans
calm assumption OF new and arduous du-
ties. He brought in passenger lists that
made Hinchman weary. and 1t was weeks
before the managers opportunity came.
One day Dingley came In from his rum
looking like man who had been on q pro-
tracted spree. His eyes were bloodshot and
the hand that laid reports on Hinchman's
desk trembled violently. Hinchman ac-
companied his stereotyped VERY well, Mr..
Dingley." with a curious stare, and the
slightest smile curved his thick but color
less lips.
He gathered up the reports and the smile
became more pronounced. Dingleys usu-
ally labored and precise hand was waver-
ing and uncertain. Before he had checked
of half the report Hinchman discovered
four mistakes In figuring and some afro
cious spelling. Not that man could be
fired for incorrect figuring and poor SPELL
ing, but Hinchman had vague feeling
that at last his hand was on the entering
wedge. He walked to the rear Office where
Dingley sat, resting his head on his hand,
his eyes closed wearily.
"A party Of eight at this address are
planning on making Los Angeles next
month. Mr. Dingley. and you'd better run
Newbury local at 1890"
No one save Dingley heard the remark.
or what followed never would have hap
pened. There was an hour before train
time. and Dingley, relaxing. threw himself
upon the leather couch. When the ex-
oursion manager returned from Harvard.
whittier he had escorted a couple Of pretty
Chicago girls. he glanced over some papers
on his desk and then up at the clock.
'sDingley back from East Newbury yet %
The men looked at each other In dismay.
It was Manley who finally spoke:
I'VE didn't know he had anything on for
today. and he seemed dead beat. so we let
him sleep. He's in there
Manley nodded his head and started for