Middletown transcript., 1902-03-01

tell you the story now.
1t was in the summer of 1885 that
was firing on a single track line tha
runs up from Junction City through
Georgetown, a matter Of ITO miles
The line was owned mostly by mar
named Thedford, who was president
and superintendent all in one.
| had been firing on the line for two
years back; all the time with one en-.
gineer, Bob Hunter by name, and a
finer man never lived
/ 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
! 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 60
ing to get married."
Just as soon as l can get my rise,''
says I; "but don't see how Pm 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.
"He won't do anything for me-" says
/, "for you know either one of the clean
ers up to Georgetown would be glad
enough to jump into my place, and he
amt going to give me rise just to please
me-"
"Well," says Bob, sit won't do any
hurt to try it."
So next day l washed up and went to
the company's office. and asked for Mr..
Thedford. After few minutes he sent
word to me that be would see me, and in
/ went.
''What is it, my man? I'm very busy"
says he.
s so up and told him what wanted.
''How much are you getting now?"
says he.
"Forty-ive dollars a month";" SAYS
/.
Then he pursed up his lips, and hem
med and hawed little and says: 'I
don't see how We can give you anything
more, my good fellow. You see yours
is not very responsible position; merely
one that requires little bodily strength.
And we can find plenty of men who
would be only too glad to take your place
at that salary"
With that he turned to letter he was
writing, and knew had no more bust
ness there. l tell you felt sore to be
told it didn't take much to know how to
fire an engine, and I came mighty near
throwing my job up and trying to get on
another line. But Molly persuaded me
to hold on little longer.
Now, before come to the particular
point of this yarn, l want to tell you
little about this line. l have said it was
single track one, running from Junction
City to Georgetown. The latter place
was little town of 500 or 600 inhabi-
tants; but in summer great many people
came up there, and SO 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 boarded +,
with him. Our trips began at eight in !
the morning, and we generally ran the
ITO miles in five hours. Then at three
in the afternoon we came back, getting !
home at eight. :
As soon as we reached the roundhouse
at Georgetown our days work was over,
for the cleaners took the engine then, J
cleaned and polished her, and laid the =
fire all ready to start the next morning. .
Well, as said, 1 hung on to my job,
hoping that something would turn up I
that would give me lift till one day a
in August.
The whole summer had been uncom- h
mon hot, but that day went ahead of v
anything ever saw. Of course while Q
we were running we had breeze, but Il
the. minute we stopped it seemed as if o
we were in furnace, and, naturally, q
working near hot fire didn't improve Q,
things. u
On the home trip Bob was taken sick,
and had all he could do to hold out till b
we got to the home station, when he got Il
home as soon as possible After the
train was emptied l ran the engine to D
the roundhouse, expecting to go straight
home and wash up. il
But when ran the engine in the first a.
thing I saw was my two cleaners laid e.
out on q heap of ashes, dead drunk. b
Here was pretty mess, for it would p
certainly take me until midnight to get CT
the machine in proper trim for the next N
days run; and hot, greasy job it was L
in any weather, but on such a night a
as that it was frightful to think Of it. I'll
However, there was no help for it, and p
started in.
l had barely made beginning when N
| heard someone coming i'll at the door Y
Looking up, saw it was Billy Thedford. al
In very excited voice he asked where IL
Hunter was. p
'Home," said, "and SO sick he can't
hold his head up" b
'.Heavensp' said he; 81 shall be te
ruinedp tt
Then he went on to say that, if he n
wasn't in Chicago the next day, some d
deal, 1 think be called it, would fall n
through, and it would cost him quarter A
of million.
There's train goes through JuLc-
ton City at 11.o5 that will get you to
Chicago on time" says /.
ffxrT1.ok rrood3ll that .do ,,ooo,t cove ba