Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-03-27
Teaching a
President

QCuN running do Il1Sluoih Oh III Nh
CINE? Well, know of one who did
and, if you've got time to listen to it,
i will tell you the story now
1t was in the summer of 1885 that
was firing on single track line that
runs up from Junction City through
Georgetown, a matter of 40 miles
The line was owned mostly by man
named Thedford, who was president
and superintendent all in one.
l had been firing on the line for two
years back; all the time with one en-
gineer, Bob Hunter by name, and o
finer man never lived.
1 suppose it would be only natural
for me to speak well of Bob, anyway,
for was clean head over ears in love
with his pretty daughter Molly, and
was only waiting for bit of rise in
my pay to make her Mrs. Martin.
Though 1 didn't see any chance for
that rise where l was, didn't like to
leave and go on another line, for that
would take me away from Molly.
One day Bob says to me:
Jim, amt you and Molly never go
ing to get married?"
Just as soon as can get my rise, "
says 1; "but l don't see how I'm going
to get it here"
"Why don't you go and ask Billy?"
says he.
You see, Billy was always what we
called Mr.. Thedford-behind his back,
of course-for we were mighty polite
to his face.
Gle won't do anything for me"
says l, for you know either one of
the cleaners up to Georgetown would
be glad enough to jump into my place,
and he amt going to give me rise just
to please me-"
"Wen," says Bob, lit won't do any
hurt to try it,"
SO next day 1 washed up and went
to the company's Office, and asked for
Mr.. Thedford. After few minutes he
sent word to me that he would see me,
and in 1 went.
"What is it, my man? I'm very
busy" says he.
So L up and told him what 1 wanted.
"How much are you getting now|'
says he.
"Forty-fve dollars a month";" says 1.
Then he pursed up his lips, and
hemmed and hawed little and says:
II don't see how we can give you
anything more, my good fellow. You
see yours is not very responsible pO-
sition; merely one that requires lit
tie bodily strength. And we can find
plenty of men who would be only too
glad to take your place at that sal
ary."
With that he turned to letter he
was writing, and 1 knew had no more
business there. I tell you 1 felt sore
to be told it didn't take much to know
how to fire an engine, and L came
mighty near throwing my job up and
trying to get on another line. But
Molly persuaded me to hold on lit
tie longer.
Now, before I come to the particu-
lar point of this yarn, want to tell
you a little about this line. have said
it was a single track one, running
from Junction City to Georgetown.
The latter place was little town of
500 or 600 inhabitants; but in summer
a great many people came up there,
and so I suppose the line paid.
Anyhow, Thedford, who had a sum-
mer place there, was rich enough to run
it for himself if he wanted to.
Bob lived at Georgetown and I
boarded with him. Our trips began
at eight in the morning, and we gener-
ally ran the 40 miles in five hours.
Then at three in the afternoon we
came back, getting home at eight.
AS soon as we reached the round
house at Georgetown our days work
was over, for the cleaners took the
engine then, cleaned and polished her,
and laid the fire all ready to start the
next morning.
Wen, as 1 said, l hung on to my job,
hoping that something would turn up
that would give me Eft, till one day
in August.
The whole summer had been uncOm-
mon hot, but that day went ahead of
anything ever saw. OF course, while
we were running we had breeze, but
the minute we stopped it seemed as if
we were in a furnace, and, naturally,
working near a hot fire didn't improve
things.
On the home trip Bob was taken
sick, and had all he could do to hold
out till we got to the home station,
when he got home as soon as possible.
After the train was emptied 1 ran
the engine to the roundhouse, expect
ing to go straight home and wash up.
But when l ran the engine in the
first thing 1 saw was my two cleaners
laid out on a heap of ashes, dead
drunk.
Here was pretty mess, for it would
certainly take me until midnight to
get the machine in. proper trim for the
next days run; and hot, greasy job
it was in any weather, but on such a
night as that it was frightful to think
of it. However, there was no help for
it, and / started in.
had barely made BEGINNING wbn-
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XI