The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-07-15

DICK was an unnatural. unreas0D
able brute"
Correct" said the conductor frank.
ly.
well. she went For four months
I've been baching II ON the farm. grow.
ing crabbider every day. and this morn
ing happened to meet a young chap in
the store at Pepperdock that knows
my wife's folks. He lives at Dilkpori
when he isn't travelling around the
country selling things.
~ s'pose you've heard from your
wife this morningT he asked me. No.
said l. with a snap; 1 hain't.' Well,
I've just come from home said he. and
there was a report on the street when
| left that she was liable to die. The
kids all right. though
'Huhr said 1. startled to death.
The Kidp Yes said he. looking at me
in a sort Of peculiar way; didn't you
know there was kid born yesterday
Why, yes, of course | said, shamed
into the lie. ! was that dazed didn't
know my name for a minute.
Your wife's q fine woman the
young chap went on. me listening like
one In a dream. 4 sent her a patent
dish washer about six months ago on
trial. Ii didn't suit her. but she didn't
do as most women would have done.
She wrote me a real nice letter, telling
me that 1t had disappointed her; that
it wasn't what she'd pictured 1t. She
said she wished to go home to Dix
port for visit In a short time and that
when she come she'd bring 1t up with
her. saving me the express charges. l
tell you q fellow In this agency busi-
ness learns to appreciate little things
like that
"And then In a fash / saw II all. The
letter I'd seen was the one she was
writing about that dish washer. !
bolted home without getting the things
I'd come to town after. 1 hustled
around and spruced up little and got
somebody to care for the stock. and
and I'm going to get to Dilkport to-
night in spite Of blazes: that's all there
| Ia to It."
He left the coach. followed by the
conductor and the salesman. who felt
impelled by sympathy to see him of
| on his perilous trip They climbed
| over the freight ears through the blind
ing storm toward the locomotive.
| Look out for the next carp called
the conductor. Its loaded with oil
barrels. Better let me go ahead with
the lantern"
The farmer stopped. "All right" he
said. rs there any oil In the barrels?'
They're full OF It. WhyT
81 was just thinking that once ]
bought a barrel of oil. and on the way
home the sled tipped over in a drift
and the bung came out of the barre.
and the oil run on to the snow. 1t wal
a pitch dark night. and 1 didn't have @
lantern. l was In bad shape, but
gathered together pile Of straw thai
had been In the sled box and Lit it witt
match. and the first thing l knew
that oil soaked drift was melting"
by the holy green lightr' exclaimed
the conductor as the others idea be
came clear to him. do you suppos,
we could do itY' ,.a
I'D be willing to stand the expens
Of three barrels Of oil toward uyini
it."
The conductor jumped into the cal
and laid the plan before the engineer
who had stubbornly refused to leav
the engine until compelled by the cold
1T might work." said the enginee
after a few minutes deliberatior
'Tain't like as IL we were buried
We're Just tangled up a little; that
ALL II could get a start, I'd g
through. Jim"-addressing the fire
man with sudden energy-'coal ur
Make her humv'
The conductor called the two brake
men and the express messenger, an
with the assistance Of the two passeI
gers three barrels of kerosene wer
rolled from the car and carried to tn
, front end Of the train. The heads @
the barrels were broken in, and the o.
was scattered upon the snow by pal
. full and shovelful. Then, when n
more remained, the conductor lighte
great handful Of greasy waste an
threw II upon the drift. 1t sputtered
| moment. hickered. all but went ou
The farmer rolled one Of the empt
oil soaked barrels within reach Of tn
t burning waste.
: ITS no g.
: There was binding glare. followe
' by q sizzling, kissing roar. The drii
' melted as IL by magic. The flame
a licked the drive wheels OF the iocom
v tive and reached almost to the cab.
Goal her. Coal herr shouted tt
" engineer to the fireman.
The conductor jumped up and dow
excitedly, waving his lantern "All-l
e aboar-r-rd"' he yelled.
e Half an hour later the train pulle
into Dilkport.
e The conductor received a note Il
y next day. 1t read: "Everything's O
d right. She's been getting better fro
l the minute ] got here. | wanted to {
down TO the station TO see you. but
r can't seem to tear myself away fro
!. her and the baby. Send me bill for Il
r OIL"
d To which the conductor replie-
O "Glad 10 hear you're o. X. We all I
q us want TO shake hands with you. tt
q company pays for the OIL
Taken by Surprise.
There are some hospita BILE creatur