Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-02-06
CHAPTER I.
THE NE'ER-Do-wE1I,

The powerful locomotive which
drew the long freight-train came to a
sudden stop. Something in the ma
ture of a spasm, so human was it.,
communicated itself from car to car,
and each III turn ceased to move.
The jar Weakened Rossiter, out
stretched upon the top of some boxes
and bales, from Il heavy sleep, and
on opening his eyes and finding him
self emcompassed by breathless
tropical blacliness he did not for an
instant realize where he was. He put
out his hand and encountered the
boards of the car-roof just above
his head. Then he recalled his
whereabouts. He was reeling with
sweat, for the atmosphere of the con-
fined space was sitting.
All day the pitilcss September sun
had blazed in coppery heaven; all
day the parched earth had given back
to the sky the fumes of heat; and
yet Rossiter had chung to his oven
like retreat, in the first place because
with every revolution of the wheels
he was carried nearer to his destina-
ton, and in the second place because
he could not easily descend from the
train while 1t was in motion. Half
a loaf of bread and few dry cookies
had served to quiet the cravings of
hunger, while two wizened lemons
had in a measure allayed the pangs
of thirst. But now he sought in vain
for the last precious bit of fruit
which he had intended to keep
against this time of need. The jolt
ing of the car had evidently caused
his treasure to roll from the spot
where he had placed it with such
care. Uttering an exclamation of
disappointment, he dragged himself
few feet and placed his lips to
crack in the side of the car, through
which he drank eagerly great
draughts of the partially cooled night
air. AS he was about to resume his
former position he inhaled heavy
watt of engine smoke.
'Ihe DEVIL" he calculated. "This
is more than I can stand!n
He seized his little bundle of clothes
and worked his way over the bales
and boxes to the door. For time
he feared that he was hopelessly
prisoner, as the obstinate barrier to
his escape would not bulge. The per-
| spiration streamed from his forehead
into his eyes, and his hair was as
wet as though he had soused his
head in water. He had taken stock
of the fastenings when he had slowed
himself away at Clevalo, but he was
| discovering that an easy entrance
into freight car packed with mer-
chandise that has space enough to
shift slightly does not necessarily
mean an easy exit.
AT length, after several sharp
creaks of remonstrance, the door
CAPPED sufficiently to allow him to
squeeze his body through. He cast a
glance up and down the adjoining
track and then leaped down. AS his
feet crunched upon the cinders some
one sprang from the. next car to the
top of the one he had just quilted. 1t
was brakeman.
"You damn tramp!" he shouted,
and raised his hand as though about
to hurl missile.
Rossitef ran, lodging as he went,
but nothing save harsh guffaw fol-
loved from the car-top.
"Sold, JOHNNY" beloved the
brakeman; 'but can tell We if I'd.
had hunk of coal, ye'd have got it
blim in the back!"
Just then, with long series of
| jerks, the train started. An electric
light beyond the tracks threw the
gesticulating figure on the car top
into strong outline for moment
and his pose held Rossiter's atten-
ton, but the effect was quickly
spoiled by the onward movement of
the train. Rossiter now turned to
survey his surroundings. The sput-
tering electrics told him that he was
in town of considerable size. Above
the rumbling cars several large build
ings doomed blackly. Behind him the
ground sloped sharply to stream,
| which he could not see on account of
a white vapor which hung over it..
AT his left was bridge, and as
pc examined this, and the ugly frame
| stiuCPufCS WA4cA 1lfASA eliC oplSSC W
wards which it led, sense of IA
nliliarity gave him swift thrill of
surprise.
1.-THE deuce!" he exclaimed. 81 won
der if 1t ISL"
He wheeled to the right and re-
garded long freight house and a
tall pile capped by huge sign, the
letters upon which he vainly strove
to distinguish. A puzzled expression
crossed his face, and he waited i'm
patiently for the caboose of the
freight train to pass. At length the
tracks We're clear. A few rods away,
on one side of small square, the
lights of hotel twinkled through
the branches of a row of elm trees.
Directly opposite was railway sta
ton, a short distance from which a
freight and accommodation train
was about pulling out.
4. "Illica, by Jove!" cried Rossiter
"Well, if this isn't curious!" and his
| mind went back a dozen years to the
| June day when he had last set foot in
the quiet city on the banks of the
Mohondaga. Then he was a thought
less youth fresh from college, full
of youths dreams, not without am.
bition-and now-well, his present
status was not one to be contem
plated with pride, nor did the Visit;
down which he locked III retrospect
afford him many CLEANS OF satisfac
\ se,1ora In Saorcn of n ShIOOn He did