The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-11
THE OPERATORS STORY


stands i'm its presence baffled.
The source of its illumination is believed
70 be understood. I say believed, because
in a day when yesterdays beliefs are to-
morrow's delusions L commit myself per-
sonally to no theory. Whether it is a thing
living or dead; whether malign to mackerel
OF potent in its influence on imperfectly
understood atmospheric phenomena. 1 do
not know 1 doubt whether anybody knows.
except may be. Monsoon himself know
only that on the West End Monsoon's
headlight. from every point of view, stands
high. and that on one occasion it stood
between Abe Monsoon and a frightful
catastrophe.
There have been of late studied efforts
10 introduce electric headlights on the
mountain division. But there are grizzled
men in the cab who look with distrust-
silent. 1t Is true, yet distrust-on the
claims put forth for them. While Mon
soon's headlight does its work-as 1t has
done even long before Monsoon followed it
TO the West End and will do long after he
leaves the West End-why, they say, and
reasonably enough, take on new and theo-
retical substitutes?
While the discussion deepens and even
silent. Brave mon are modest men. Among
ourselves We don't use adjectives; where
Monsoon Is known il Is not necessary to
put anything ahead Of his name-except
may be. once a month ON the payroll when
the cross-eyed accountant adds A. or Abe
or Abraham, just as he happens TO be fixed
for time. Aonsoon's name in itself stands
for a great deal. When his brother engi-
49,
weatherbeaten in the service, put I'D their
voices for Monsoon's headlight; or when
talkative storekeepers who servilely jump
at headquarters experiments in order TO
court the favor of the high speak for
electricity, Abe Monsoon himself is silent
His light is there; let them take il or leave
1T as they will. IL the superintendent OF
motive power should attempt TO throw it
out for the new-fangled arrangement, Mon
soon would doubtless feel that it was not
the first time Omaha had gone wrong-and
for that matter. that neither he nor any
body else had assurance it would be the
last. However
The story opens on Bob Duffy. Bob right
from the start, was what / call a good
locker. and, being the oldest boy, he had
more of the swing anyway. When Martin
came along, his mother hadn't got over
thinking about Bob. Doubtless she thought.
too. OF Martin: but he was kind of over
Swallowed Bob began by clerking in the
postoffce and delivering mail to all the
pretty girls. His sympathy for the girls
was so great that after while he began
passing out letters 20 them whether they
we're addressed to the girls or TO some
body else This gradually weakened his
influence with the government.
Martin began work in the telegraph
office; he really learned the whole thing
right there at the Bend under Callahan.
Began carrying Western Union stuck at
his waist under a heavy leather belt He
wore in those days. when he had real re-
sponsibility, a formidable brown Stetson
that appeared bent on swallowing his ears:
ii was about the time he was rising trous-
ers end eleven. Nobody but Sinkers ever
beat Martin Duffy delivering messages,
and nobody, bar none-Bullhead, McTerza.
anybOdy-ever beat him eating pie. 1t was
by eating pie that he was able TO wear the
belt so long-and you may take that either
way. But l speak gladly of the pie. be-
cause in the usual course of events there
isn't much pie in a dispatcher's life. There
Is. by very large odds, more anxiety than
pie. and I introduce the pie, not TO give
weight to the incidents that follow, but
rather TO tighten them; though as Duffy
has more recently admitted. this was not
always the effect OF the pie itself.
1 10 not believe that Martin Duffy ever
had an enemy. A right tight little chap he
was. with always a good word. even under
end OF pressure on the single track.
There's many struggling trainnan that
Will look quick and grateful when any
fellow far near speaks a word about
Martin Duffy. Fast az he climbed, his head
never swelled. His hats rested, even after
he got key, same as the original Stetson.
right the wings of his ears. But his
heart grew right along after his head stop
ped. and that's where he laid over some
other railroad men | could mention il ]
had 70. which / Gon't-not here.
About the tirne il looked as if Martin
would make go OF II on the road, the
postoficc inspectors were thinking Bob
would make n go Of it over the road. But
he was such a kid OF fellow that the
postmaster convinced the detective Bob's
WAY Of doing things was simple foolishness
which il probably was, and they merely
swo~e him out of the service.
Ii was then that Martin reached out q
hand To- his elder brother. There were really
just TWO other brothers; and back OF them
as there is somewhere back OF every
railroad mana mother. No father-not
generally: just mother. quiet, sombre
little woman in a shawl and bonnet OF nc
special shape or size-just a shawl and 6
bonnet that's all. Anyhow, the Duffy boys
mother was that way, and there's a LOT
more like her. I don't know what gets the
fathers; may be. very often, the scrap. But
there's almost always, somewhere. moth
So after Martin began to make a
record. 10 help his mother and his brother
both. he spoke for Bob. Callahan didn't
hesitate or jolly him as he used To do with
a good many. He thought the company
couldn't have too many OF the Duffy kind
he said Yes, sure. And Bob Duffy
vas put at work-same thing exactly; car
rying messages, reading hair-destroyers
and blowing his salary on pie.
But pie acts queer. Sometimes il makes
mans head solid and his heart big; then
again il makes a mans head big and his
heart solid. I'm not saying anything more
now except that pie certainly acts differ