The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-04

His full name was James Gillespie
Blaine Lyons; but his real name was
Buihead-just plain Bullhead.
When he began passenger braking the
trainmastor put him on with Pat Fran
els. The very first trip he made, man
In tho smoking car asked him where the
drinking water was. Bullhead. though
sufficiently gaudy in his new uniform.
was not prepared for any question that
might be thrown at him. He pulled OUT
his book OF rules, which he had been told
to consult In case Of doubt, and after
some study referred his inquirer to the
fire-bucket hanging at the front emu OF
the car. The passenger happened 70 DC
foreigner and very thirsty. lie cilmpeo
up on tho Baker heater, according 70
directions. and at some risk get hold
OF tho bucket, but 1t was empty.
"Iss no water HER" cried the secona-
class man. Bullhead sat half way oaGh
IN tho car, still studying the rules. He
looked UP surprised. but turning around
pointed with confidence to the nre-paii
at the hind end of the smoker.
,"rry tho other bucket, Johnnie, ne
said. calmly. At that every man In the
car began to choke; and the German,
thinking the new brakeman was making
funny OF him. wanted to fight NOW
Bullhcad would rather fight than go 20
&
lev he engaged the insulted homestesder.
Pat F'rancis parted them after some hard
words on his part; and Kenyon. the
trainmastcr gave Bullhead three months
IN study up where tho water cooler was
located in Standard. pattern, smoking
cars. Bullhcad's own mother, VINO did
Callahans washing, refused to believe
her son was 80 stupid as not to know
but Bullhead. who now tells the story
l. 4 y,nt
When he got back to work he tried
the freight trains. They put him on the
Number Twenty-uine. local. and one
day they were drifting into tho yard at
Goose River Junction, when there came
from the cab n sharp call FOR brakes.
Instead OF climbing out and grabbing
brakewheel for dear life, Bullhead looked
out the window to see what the excite
mont was. BY the time he had decided
what rule covered the emergency his train
had driven q stray flat half way through
The eating house east of the depot. Ken
Won. after hearing Bullheads own candid
statement OF fact, coughed apologeticaily
and said three years; whereupon buii-
head resigned permanently from the tram
service and applied for JOB IN the
round-house. ~.
But the round-house-for boy IKE
Y,ullhead. It would hardly do. lie WAS
r,,t nj helnine Pete Beezer. tho boiler
washer. One night Pete was snatching
his customary map in the pit when the
hosc got away from Bullhead ana struck
his boss. In the confusion. Peter, who
was nearly drowned, lost set OF TEEN;
that was sufficient in that department OF
tho motive power: Bullhead moved on
suddenly. Nefghbor thought he might DO
for a wiper. After the boy had learned
something about wiping he tried one day
to back an engine out on the turn-taole
lust to see whether It was easy. It was;
dead easy; but tho turn-table happened 10
be arranged wrong for the experiment
and Ne!ghbor. before calling IN the wreck
Ing gang. took occasion to KICK Buiiheao
out OF the round-house bodily. NeVerthe-
less, Bullhead, like every Medicine Bend
bow. wanted to railroad. Some fellows
can't be shut of. He was offered the
presidency OF Cincinnati bank by a pri-
vate detective agency which has Just
cont UP the active head OF the. institution
for ten years: but ss Bullhead could not
arrange transportation east OF the river
he was obliged to let the opportunity pass.
When the Widow Lyons asked Callahan
&c put jamie at teleSraphing 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 gotten hold of a sounder
Ing at the same time with tho Cincinnati
detective agency for the town and county
rights to all "hidden and undiscovered
crime" on the Mountain Division-rights
offered at tho very reasonable price OF
ten dollars by registered mall, bank draft
or. express money order; currency at send.
er's risk. Tho only obligations Imposed
by this deal were secrecy and a German
silver star; and Bullhead. after holding
his trusting mother up for the ten, be-
came regularly Installed detective. with
proprietary rights to local misdeeds. Days
no piled his sounder and night he lay
awake trying to mix up .'ete Beezer and
Neighbor with this disappearance Of va.
rious punches Of horses from the Bar n
ranch.
About tire came time he became inter-
ested in dentistry: not that there is any
obvious connection between railroadlng
his thoughts Jus. turned that that way way and and
following the advice OF a local dentist,
who didn't want altogether to discourage
e e a n%hsaa d s ss ee PAR out Ct # tor
circular saw to get his arm into prac-s
ttce. Before the dentist pronounced him
proficient, though, his mother had Calla-
superintendent put Bulhead among the
operators
That was great day for Bullhead.
He had to take the worst of it. OF course;
ever his faults, the boy did as he was
told. Only. ono vicious habit clung to
hln-he had passion for reading the
rules. In spite of this. however, he stead
.ly mastered the taking, and. as for send
Ing. he could do that before he got out
OF the cusptdor department. Everybody
around the Wickup bull'ed him, and may
be that was his salvatiRn. He got used
to expecting the worst 81 1t, and nerved
himself to take It, which In railroadrg Ia
half tho hattie. &
"A few months after he became compe-
tent tent to ) handle key the nightmaqnn an, at
Callahan told Bullhead he thought about
giving him the job. the boy went Wild
with excitement and In hurst Of con-
f,dence showed Callahan his star It was
the best thing that ever happened for
the assistant head of the division had an
!npUlsive way Of swearing the nonsense
out of a boys head, and when Bullhead
confessed to being detective fiery
stream was poured on him. The foolish
ness couldn't quite all be driven out In
ono round; but Jamie Lyons went to