The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
THE NlGnTMAN'S STORY
@@~ BULLHEAD zee

His fun name was James Gillespie Blaine
Lyons; but his real name was Bullhead-
just plain BuIlhead.
When he began passenger braking the
trainmaster put him on with Pat Francis.
The very first trip he made, man in the
smoking car asked him where the drinking
water Was Bullhead. though sufficiently
gaudy I'm his new uniform, was not pre-
pared for any question that might be
thrown at him. He pulled out his book of
rules, which he had been told 10 consult in
case of doubt. and after some study re-
ferred his inquirer TO the fire bucket hang
ing at the front end Of the car. The pas
senser happened to be foreigner and very
thirsty. He climbed UP on the Baker heat
er. according to DIRECTIONS. and did at some
risk get hold Of the bucket-but it was
empty.
"Iss water HER" cried the second
class man. Bullhead sat half way back in
the car. still studying the rules. He looked
up surprised. but turning around pointed
with confidence to the fre-pail at the hind
end of the smoker.
TRY the other bucket Johnnie" he said.
calmly. At that every man in the car began
to choke; and the German thinking the
new brakeman was making fun of him,
wanted to fight. Now Bullhead would
rather fight than go to Sunday school any
day. and without parley he engaged the in
suited homesteader. Pat Francis parted
them after some hard words on his part;
and Kenyon, the trainmaster. gave Bull
head three months to study up where the
water cooler was located in Standard. A
pattern, smoking cars. Bullhead's own
mother, who did Callahan's washing, re-
fused to believe her son was so stupid as
not TO know; but Builhead, who now tells
the story himself. claims he did not know
When he got back TO work he tried the
freight trains. They put him on the Num-
Der Tweuty-nine, local, and one day they
were DR. fung into the yard at Goose River
Junction when there came from the cab a
sharp call Cor brakes. Instead of climbing
out and grabbing a brake wheel for dear
life, Bullhead looked out the window to see
what the excitement was. By the time he
had decided what rule covered the emer-
gency his train had driven a stray fat half
way through the eating house east of the
depot. Kenyon, after hearing Bullhead's
own candid statement Of fact, coughed
apologetically and said three years; where
upon Bullhead resigned permanently from
the train service and applied for job in
the roundhouse.
But the roundhouse-for boy like Bull
head. II would hardly do. He was put at
helping Pete Becker. the boiler washer.
One night Pete was snatching his GUS
tomary nap in the pit when the hose got
away from Bullhead and struck his boss.
in the confusion Peter, who was nearly
drowned. lost a set OF teeth: that was
sufficient In that department Of the motive
power; Bullhead moved on suddenly. Neigh
Dor thought he might do for a wiper. After
the boy had learned something about WHIP
ing he tried one day to back an engine out
Oh the turntable just to see whether 1t was
easy. 1t was; dead easy: but tho turntable
happened to be arranged wrong for the ex-
pertinent. and Neighbor, before calling in
the wrecIxins gang. took occasion to kick
Bullhead out of the roundhouse bodily.
Nevertheless Bullhead. like every Medicine
Bend boy, wanted TO railroad. Some fell
lows can't be shut off. He was offered the
presidency of Cincinnati bank by phi
waite detective agency which had just sent
up the active head Of the institution for ten
years; but Bullhead could not arrange
transportation east of the river he was
When the widow Lyons asked Callahan to
put Jamie at telegraphing the assistant
superintendent nearly fell of his chair. Mrs.
Lyons, however. was in earnest, as the red
haired man soon found by the way his
shirts were starched. Her son meantime,
had got hold Of a sourder. and was
studying telegraphy. corresponding at the
same time with the Cincinnati detective
agency for the town and county rights to
all hidden and undiscovered crime" on the
mountain division-rikhts offered at the
very reasonable price of $40 by registered
mall bank draft or express money order;
currency at sender's risk. The only obli-
cations imposed by this deal were secrecy
and q German silver star: and Bullhead,
after holding his trusting mother up for the
ten. became a regularly installed detective
with proprietary rights to local misdeeds.
Days he piled his sounder and nights he lay
awake trying to mix up Pete Beezer and
Neighbor with the disappearance OF var
ious punches OF horses from the Bar NJ
ranch.
About the same time he became interested
I'm dentistry; not that there is any obvious
connection between railroading and detec-
tive work and filing teeth-but his thoughts
just turned that way and following the ad-
vice OF a local dentist, who didn't want
altogether to discourage him. Bullhead bor-
rowed a pair of forceps and pulled all
the teeth cut of a circular saw to get his
arm into practice. Before the dentist pro-
nounced hin. proficient, though his mother
had Callahan reduced to terms, and the as
sistant superintendent put BuIlhead among
the operators.
That was a great day for Bullhead. He
had to take the worst of ii. of course sweep
ing the office and that, but whatever his
faults the boy did as he was told Only one
vicious habit chung to him-he had a pas
sion for reading the rules. In spite of this
however, he steadily mastered the taking
and. as for sending. he could do that before
he got out OF the cuspidor department Ev.
erybody around the Wickiup bulIied him
and maybe that was his salvation. He go
used to expecting the worst of ii and nervet
himself to teke 1t, which in railroading /.
half the battle.
A few months after he became competen
TO handle a key the night man at Coos,
River Junction went wrong. When Callahan
told Builhead he thought about giving hin
and In burst OF confidence showed Gala
han his star. 1t was the best thing tina
ever happened, for the assistant head of tn
division had an impulsive way Of swearing
Of yfsar