New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1902-06-18

back I was an unnatural, unreason-
able brute. z
Correct" said the conductor frank
IL. B
well, she went For four months
I've been baching it on the farm, grow
ing crabbider every day, and this morn
ing happened to meet young chap in
the store at Pepperdoek that knows
my wife's folks He lives at. Dilkport
when he isn't travelling around the
country selling things
sst.5I s'pose you've heard from your
wife this morning he asked me. No
said I, with a snap; 4 hahn Well,
I've just come from home, said he, land
there was a report on the street when
/ left that she was liable to die. The
kids all right, though
4. s. HUH said I, startled to death.
The Kidy Yes, said he, looking at me
In "a sort Of peculiar way; didn't you
know there was a kid born yesterday =
why, yes, Of course 4 said, shamed
into the lie. I was that dazed I didn't
know my name for minute IS
Your wife's a fine woman, the
young chap went on, me listening Ike
one in dream. I sent her patent
dish washer about six months ago on
trial. It didn't suit her, but she didn't
do as most women would have done.
She wrote me real nice letter, telling
me that it had disappointed her: that
it wasn't what she'd pictured 1t. She
said she wished to go home to Dix
port for a visit in short time and that
when she come she'd bring it up with
her, saving me the express charges. ]
tell you, a fellow in this agency bust
ness learns to appreciate little things
like that
"And then in a fash I saw it 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. I 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
is to it, ..> -
He left the coach, followed by the
conductor and the salesman, who felt
impelled by sympathy to see him off
+ on his perilous trip. They climbed
over the freight cars through the blind
ing storm toward the locomotive.
Look out for the next carp called
IN 1;1
barrels. Better let me go ahead with
the lantern" 49,. ~
The farmer stopped. call right" he
said lis there any oil in the barrels p
'They're full Of it. Why?'
II was just thinking that once I
bought barrel of oil, and on the way
home the sled tipped over in a drift,
and the bung came out of the barrel,
and the oil run on to the snow It was
pitch dark night, and I didn't have a
lantern I was in bad shape, but I
gathered together pile Of straw that
had been in the sled box and lit it with
a match, and the first thing I knew
that oil soaked drift was netting
"By the holy green Hghtv' exclaimed
the conductor as the others idea be-
came clear to him. "Do you suppose
we could do it?''
I'D be willing to stand the expense
Of three barrels of oil toward trying
it."
The conductor jumped into the cab
and laid the plan before the engineer,
who had stubbornly refused to leave
the engine until compelled by the cold.
ut might work. said the engineer
after a few minutes elaboration.
"'Tain't like as if we were buried.
We're just tangled up a little; that's
all. If I could get a start, I'd go
through. Jim"-addressing the fire
man with sudden energy-"coal up!
Make her humv' ..
The conductor called the two brake
men and the express messenger, and
with the assistance Of the two passen-
gers three barrels Of kerosene were
rolled from the car and carried to the
front end of the train. The heads of
the barrels were broken in, and the oil
was scattered upon the snow: by pail
full and shovelful. Then, when no
more remained, the conductor lighted
q great handful Of greasy waste and
threw it upon the drift. It sputtered a
moment, fickered, all but went out.
The farmer rolled one Of the empty
oil soaked barrels within reach of the
burning waste.
cts no g.
There was.a binding glare, followed
by sizzling, kissing roar. The drift
melted as If by magic The flames
licked the drive wheels of the locomo-
tive and reached almost to the cab.
Goal her! Coal herr shouted the
engineer to the fireman.
The conductor jumped up and down
excitedly, waving his lantern. "All-ll
aboar-r-rdr' he yelled.
Half an hour later the train pulled
into Dilkport. .#
l 81 The =