The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-09-02

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reckon the sudden change would be q
little stiff on Willy. Shake hands
with him. anyway" .-.
The officials and the raw material
Igot together as directed and the for
mer sized up the latter from his pat
ents to the. well-defned part that ran
through the centre of his hair with
the quick, scrutinizing glance that
comes with long practical training
in the railroad world. He paused for
a moment at the crimson tie that was
backed up against pink shirt waist.
"Don't appear to be much sign Of oil
or cindera," he commented. "Where
did you work last ?"
Never have worked. sir. I've just
left college about month"
Don't let that discourage you," re-
turned the official. "We have men
on the road who have succeeded in
spite of college training. What can
you do?"
"Nothing more than try" .
The official turned to the father, II
suppose he has always shown won
derful love for railroads. Used to beg
his nurse to take him where he could
see the wheels 60 round and knows
the number of at least three of the
trains on the main line. They all do
that" said the official, and to the
close observer it was evident that there
was tired if not sarcastic tone in his
voice like that which comes at the end
of long day of debating orders and
letters. -.'i p
No" answered the father. T don't
remember ever hearing anything of
the kind. Willy has made considera-
BILE mistakes off and on, but [ never
heard him accused Of being genius
How about it, son ?"
"Not on purpose, dad. I've been
reading law lately, and 1t has taken
me Just one month to find out that I
never was intended for a lawyer ~
",Well, if you're looking for some-
thing easy, it won't take you two days
to learn that railroading is about as
near the hardest work in the world
with sick headache thrown in that
lyou have yet missed in your search for
employment. I don't know that we
can do anything for you, anyway.
You, see, the president of this corpora
Ition is not only giving excellent satis-
faction to the directors, but is enjoying
lexcellent health, and that position Is
mot vacant. In fact, don't know of
a single opening unless it is that Of Of
flee boy. Our present incumbent is
loft on his vacation, and his substitute
refused to clean up q mess I careless
Ily made, on the ground that he. did
mot break into the railroad business to
become a nigger porter. The result
was that had to let this Napoleon Of
the future seek new fields to conquer,
while did the work he refused to do.
When it comes to work you will find
that railroad men are just about as
Icommon as the rock ballast used on
heavy grades, and there's deal more
lhave graduated from overalls and
Jumpers than have got degrees, al
Though don't deny that the theoreti-
cal training is great thing to refer to
after you have forgotten some Of the
unnecessary information acquired. A
|college education is good deal like q
lgood woman, she may make great
appearance while you are engaged, but
You never knew how much she Is
really worth in practical way until
long after you've been married. Now,
, if you wanted to take that boy's place,
il may be I could get you job as g
section hand or perhaps fiagman by
the time the regular boy comes back
that is, if you want to learn the rail-
road business" 30
''I'll take it and thank you, SIR"
The official looked up, and although
he may have been astonished, he did
not show it. It's another characterize
tic of the railroad man that he wears
the same mask in times Of great pleas
ure, tragic excitement, and daily
duty. so ...
"When can you start in ?" he asked.
"I'm ready right now. If you're
without q boy, I at least know the
way to the postoff1ce, and dare say
carrying the mail is one of his duties.
don't know at all that I'll be very
quick to learn, but I'm not afraid to
do any kind of sweeping ,or cleaning
up. reckon that'll just about fit my
measure, and if there is chance as a
aagman, I'd thank you if you would
keep me in mind. Can / start in
noww %&2
The official called in one of the
clerks outside and told him to break
the new boy in. After lie had left he
turned to the father and said = "That
boys got mind just sudden enough
to make railroad man, and If he al
ways back up his judgment with as
quick action as in this particular case,
he'll do. That is, ifhe sticks. had
t no more idea of his taking the job
than anything in the world. It's
rather refreshing to be disappointed
that way now and then. Most of the
applicants talk lot about the begin
ming at the bottom and work up sys-
tenn, but what they really are after is
an appointment to something easy.
: And they always find that we're out
of easy things. If you'll wait few
minutes while I open the way for 9
party of Masons in the south to travel .
to some seashore resort in the east
without having to change cars more
than>on or wait anywhere for more
than thirty minutes between connec-
: tions, I'll take you up to the Trans
portation club for lunch"
8 Several days later the railroad man
D for the Constitution found Willy still
g in the office as proof that he had
l stuck. More than that, he learned
that he had
But that is quite different story.