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

He was an older man than l. a good bit
older, for | was hardly more than a kid
then, only spindling tall, and SO thin L
couldn't tell stomachache from a back
ache AS / sat huddled down on the lee
step with my cap pulled over my head
and ears he poked his light full into my
face and snapped, Get QUIT"
If ii had been a headlight / couldn t
have been worse scared. and | found af-
terward he carried the brightest lamp on
the division. / looked up into his face
and he looked into mine / wonder If
this life isn't mostly in the face after
all? / couldn't say anything, l was
shaking in a chill as l pulled myself to-
gether and climbed down into the storm.
Yet ! never cav r~4o harder in some
ways than Dave Hawks His visor hid
his forehead and a black beard covered
his face till it left only his straight
cold nose and dash of olive white an
der the eyes His Whiskers doomed high
as a Cossack's and his eyes were onyx
with just such a glitter. He knew it
was no better than murder to put me
off in that storm at mountain siding.
knew it but | didn't much care, for
knew before very long l should fall off,
anyway. After 1 crawled down he stood
looking at me, and, with nothing better
or, l stood looking at him.
eff you get up there again I'd break
your neck" he promised, holding up his
lantern. l was quiet; the nerve was out
of me.
shortly.
"Where are you going?" he asked
shortly.
Medicine Ben"
Get into the smoker, you damn fool ="
How it galvanized me. For twenty
four hours hadn't eaten. ] was just out
of hospital bed and six weeks of noun
tain fever, but / braced - his words like
a Sioux buck ] hurried back ahead of
him to the smoking car, drenched wet,
and tough, | know. l looked so tough
that the brakemen grabbed me the
minute l opened the front door and tried
to kick me out. l turned, snarling then,
crazy as a wolf all in seconrd, and
somehow backed the brakeman against
the water cooler with his windpipe twist
cd in my bony fingers like a corkscrew.
The train was moving out. / had been
cuffed and kicked till l would rather
kill somebody than not; this seemed a
fair chance for homicide. When the
poor fellows wind went off-he wasn't
much of a scrapper, | fancy-he whipped
around in the aisle like a dying rooster.
AS he struggled in my grip there behind
him in the doorway stood Dave, lantern
in hand looking on with new face.
This time he was smiling-Dave's smile
meant just the parting of his lips over a
row of glistening teeth, perfectly even
teeth. and under his black mustache
whittier than ivory. 1t appeared to amuse
him to see me killing the brakeman. The
instant l saw Dave 1 let go and he watch
ed the crestfallen trainman pull himself
together.
Guess you'll let him alone now, won't
your said Dave, pleasantly to my rat
tied assailant 'Sit down." he growed
harshly at me, stringing his lantern on
his arm. He walked unconcernedly down
the aisle, and l dropped exhausted into
the front seat facing the Baker heater.
1t was heavenly hot; red hot. l have
loved a car heater ever since, and Baker
to me, is hardly lower than the angels
My toys began to steam, my blood be-
gan to flow. The train boy gave me a
wormy apple, an Irishman with a bottle
of rank whiskey gave me a singer and
wanted to live again. | curled up in
the seat and in five minutes l was roast
ing, OH such a heavenly roast; and doz
ing, Lord what heavenly doze, be-
fore that Baker heater All night the
forward truck beat and pounded under
me; all night i woke and slept in the
steaming. sinking air of the hot car
And whenever I opened my eyes | saw
always the same thing, a topping tall
conductor looming in the aisle, his green
hooded lamp, like a semaphore, under his
arm. And above. in the gloom, bush of
black beard and pair of deep-set, shin
ing eyes back under a peaked cap. Dave
often comes back as l saw him, waking
and dreaming, that night in the smoker
of Number /.
over me.
Were getting into the Bend he said
gruf1y. Got any money for break
fast?"
81 haven't a cent on Gods earth" He
put his hand in his pocket and pulling
out a handful of loose bills showed one
into my fingers. I'll take it from you
and gladly" said sitting up. "1}ut I'm
net beggar nor tramp"
'Off track?"
yes. I'm going to enlist"
His teeth flashed That's worse than
railroading, amt ito"
Something came into my head like a
rocket.
IF / could get started railroading--"
Get started easy enough
That's how l happened to show him my
Victoria He gave me a card to the
trainmaster, and next day L went to
brakng for Allbers, who by the way
vas the biggest liar 1 ever knew.
But the morning l got into Medicine
Bend that first time Number / ! had
another scare. l went into the lunch
room for coffee and sandwiches and
threw my bill at the boy He opened
IL. looked at it and looked at me-
"Well," l growled, for l was impudent
with luck and hot stomach. Good amt
to"
Smallest you got?"
/ nodded il | had a pocketful. He
hustled around and came back with a
handful of money. | said nothing. but