The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-29

Come on" said Dave to me when l
gave him the message
What do you want me for?"
Come on" he repeated, and, greatly
against my inclination, l went up with
him l looked for scene
Dave, you've been running here a
good while, haven't you?" Bucks began.
Long as anybody, l guess" said Dave,
curtly.
How many years."
Nineteen"
There's been some pretty lively shake
outs on the system lately" continued
Bucks. The veteran conductor looked at
him coldly. Il am trying to shape things
here for an entire new deal"
Don't let me stand in your way" re-
turned Dave, grimly.
That's what l want to see you about"
1T needn't take long" blurted Dave.
Then I'll tell you what l want"
Il don't resign. You can discharge me
any minute"
Il wouldn't ask any man to resign.
Dave, if I wanted TO discharge him. Don't
make mistake like that I suppose you
will admit there's room for Improvement
|
Dave never twitched. "a whole lot of
Improvement" Bucks, with perceptiblc
emphasis, added 1t came from the new
superintendent as a sort of gauntlet, and
Dave picked it up.
II guess that's right enough" he re-
| piled candidly: 'there is room for a
whole lot of Improvement. If I sat where
you do I'd fire every man that stood in
the way of it. too"
That's why I've sent for you" Bucks
resumed.
Then drop the Chinook talk and give
me my time
You don't understand me yet, Dave. !
want you to give up your run. l want
your friend Burnes here to take your
! run"
| queer shadow went over Dawes
| face When Bucks began he was getting
| a thunderstorm on. Somehow the way it
ended the way it was coming about
putting me into his place., the only
| boy on the division ne cared "a dam"
about-it struck him. as it struck me, all
in a heap. He couldn't say a word; his
eyes went out the window into the noun
tains; something in it looked like fate.
| For my part l felt murder guilty.
What l want you to do, Dave,' added
| Bucks evenly, lis to come into the office
here with me and look after the train
crews. Just at present I've got to learn
considerably on a trainmaster. Do you
want the job?"
The silent conductor turned to stone.
THE men who own the road are new
men, Dave; they didn't steal it. They
| -
new deal, and they propose to give the
| new deal to the men. They will pay
salaries a man can live on honestly; they
will give no excuse for knocking down;
| they want what's coming to them, and
they propose the men shall have their
right share of it in the pay checks.
But there's more than that in it. They
want to build up the operating force as
| fast as it can be built from the men in
| the ranks. l am to make start now on
| this division. If you're with me, hang up
your coat here the first of the month
and take the train crews
Dave left the office gToggy. The best
| Bucks could do he couldn't get q positive
| answer out of him. He was overcome
and couldn't focus on the proposition.
| Bucks saw how he had gone to pieces
and managed automatically to leave the
matter open, Callahan, whom Bucks had
| brought with him as assistant, filling in
meanwhile as trainmaster.
The matter was noiscd. 1t was known
| that Dave, admittedly the brainest and
most capable of the OLD Guard, had been
singled out, regardless of his past re-
| cord, for promotion.
| bop ell In,
what was done last year" Bucks had
said, plainly. Its what is done this
year and next that will count in this Of
flee"
And the conductors, thinking there was
| a chance, believing that at last if they
| did their work right they would get their
share OF the promotions, began to carry
: their lantens as if they had more import
ant business than holding up stray
fares.
Meantime Dave hung to his run Some
how the old run had grown part of him
| and he couldn't give it up. When he
told Bucks at the end of the week that
he would like another week to make his
decision the superintendent waved it to
him Everybody began to mako great
him trainmaster and told him to drop his
punch and give Tommie a show.
He didn't take the humor the way one
would expect Always silent he grew
moro than that, sombre and detected. We
| never saw a smile on his face. Dave is
off" muttered Henry Cavanaugh, his old
baggageman. 81 don't understand it.
He's off. You ought to talk. to him,
Tommie. You're the only man on the
division can do it"
/ was ordered west that night to bring
a military special from Washable.
rode up on Dawes train The hind Los
Angeles sleeper was loaded light, and
when Dave had worked the train and
walked into the stateroOm to sort his
collections ! followed him. We sat half
an hour undsturbed, but he wouldn't
talk. 1t was a heavy train and the wind
was high.
We made Rat River at midnight, and |
was still sitting alone in the open state
room when I saw Dawes green light
coming down the darkened aisle He