Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-25
DAILY SHORT STORY
Snowdrift Stories.
Copyright. 1902, by C. B. Lewis.

Copyright. 1902, by c. B. Lewis.l
When the conductor of the U. p. train
came back to the parlor cars and said
that the train was stopped by a snow
drift twenty feet high and half mile
long and that it might be three days
before we were dug out, there We're
considerable swearing among the male
passengers and weeping and lament
ing among the women and children.
Night came down with Il wild wailing
of wind and everybody kicking and
ready for a quarrel, and then the Chi
cago drummer showed what kind of a
man he was. In a quiet, gentle way
he drove the passengers into the last
coach, kissed all the children, smiled
at all the women and bowed to the
men as he began:
Ladies' and gentlemen, this Is a
simple incident of railroad travel in
the winter. In a few hours we shall
be steaming ON our way again, and this
detention will be remembered only as
a pleasant adventure. Three years ago
business called me to Manitoba. 1t be-
gan showing one day, and in the
course of three hours our train had
come to standstill. We We're caught
between stations twenty miles apart,
and within ten hours engine and cars
were buried out of sight. There was
only food enough for one meal and by
noon next day the fuel had given out.
There were more than hundred of us,
stared US in the face"
Seems to me l heard of that Incl
dent" said the redheaded man from
Omaha.
"Of course you did-Of course re-
piled the drummer, ''as the details
were published far and wide. We
We're in that drift for sixteen days. L
children, but under such circumstances
what can you do? It is Il case of the
survival of the fittest. Yes, the
children had to go. There came n day
when we had eaten the last of our
shoes and gloves, and we had to begin
on the children"
"You don't mean that you turned
cannibali'' exclaimed the mother of
four-year-Old boy.
"Ah, madam, when men are dying of
hunger they have no sentiment" re-
piled the drummer 1.-THE last of the
children had disappeared when we
were rescued. 1 am sorry, deeply
sorry, but L feel myself blameless. L
had eaten my shoes, gloves, hat and
the velvet collar of my overcoat first.
1 had even tried to eat the plush cover
of the seats, but the stuff got tangled
in my teeth and wouldn't go down. /
knew that there were ten fat children
aboard, ranging in age from one to
seven years, but 1 was not the first to
propose it. No, believe me, was not.
had intended to keep right on and
starve to death, but the others were
fierce to live, and live they did. The
first child selected was beautiful little
boy. All, 1 remember
The drummer wiped tears from his
eyes with his knuckles and was over
come for a moment. When he could
control his voice again, he said:
'I cannot go on. l refer you to the
papers of that date for further particu-
lars. l brought up the incident for its
moral effect alone. Always remember,
my friends, that no matter how bad
things are they might be worse
Most OF us had mentally set him
down as bold faced liar, but forgave
him on the ground that he was lying in
our interests, when lie cleared his
throat and resumed:
81 was in the Blank hotel in ST.
Louis when that terrible conf1agration
broke out. AS 1 am a Chicago man,
and as there is n bitter jealousy be-
tween the two cities, was stuck away
up on the ninth floor in a small room.
1t was midnight, and / was sleeping
like a babe when the smoke and flame
and confusion aroused me. Hastily
throwing on my clothes, l dashed out
into the hall. From a window at the
back end dangled rope-a single
rope. There was just time for one per-
son to slide down before the rope
would be burned in twain and rendered
useless, while there were forty women
and myself to be saved. In this emer-
gency''-
You saved tho forty women, of
course" interrupted an old maid from
Iowa.
4 "No, ma'am; am happy to say
didn't" replied the drummer. with
their shrieks and screams ringing in
my ears, caught the rope and de-
scended in safety, and every one of
them persisted"
"But that was worse than cowardly
on your part. A man who would do
that
"I acted for the best. I assure YOU.