The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-09-09
How Hapgood Lost His Job
by HAROLD W. RAYMOND.


wendin' my weary way" sang Devil
Jim" Hapgood as he climbed on board
the front platform of the 40 on the c..
and S. X. trolley lire. threw open the
window of the vestibuie built for the pro-
lection of the motorman and swung the
lever of the controller.
I A scattering furry of snow flew in at
! the open window and stung him in The
face, but he minded it not Mutiled from
head to foot in 4 shaggy ulster, with a
collar which reached above his head, and
that head buried in Il double trimmed fur
cap, with his hands protected by thick
leathern mittS, Jim was as impervious to
the storm as shaggy brown bear, which
he much rcse.::bled.
The l 40 was the last car of the night
on the little suburban road which ran
over the hills from the city of S. X. to the
thriving manufacturing town of Chapel
field, not thousand miles from New
York. 1t was known as the "thcater
car" Usually it carried to their homes a
lively party of kniicmakers or blast fur
mace men, who, with their wives Or best
girls, had been down to the CITY for an
evenings merrymaking. The run was
about nine miles, four on the up grade,
the remaining five, with many curve
and retrocsssion, down into the valley in
which nestled the town whose passengers
and freight furnished Il reason for being
for the busy little trolley line.
But tonight the car was running light.
There were a few city passengers from
the station, who were dropped OFF in due
time, but no through ones. The day had
been so stormy that the good folk of
Chapelfeld preferred to hug their own
firesides, and soon the trolley man and
conductor had the car all to themselves
BeemiS, the conductor, having counted
his change and made out his slips, snug
gled down beside the heater in - back
corner of the car and prepared for a COM
Portable doze, a doze which was some
what disturbed by the brazen basso of
Jim Hapgood's strident voice.
When Jim ''cusSed"-he was fluent in
that accomplishments was sign of
good humor on his part When he sang,
look out. TWAS Il sign to his friends To
keep their distance, as Beemis was doing
tonight. There was a dangerous devil
lurking in Jim Hapgood's nature. The
devil of an ugly temper, and when he
tried to sing it was stirring.
"Hell's blazes!" cried Jim, breaking off
in the middle of a stave. "Docked three
days pay fer fast runnin an warned
that the next time kin look fer job
somewheres else, What harm did do !?
Burnt out fuse; that's all. That might
happen to any man on this up hill, down
dale road. But that's the way it's been
ever since this man Harkcr came up from
New York. with his lockstep ideas of 60
in just 50 fast an SO slow. an devil take
the man who don't keep dead on to the
schedule. Over the hills to the
"Of course it comes just at a time when
a fellow can't afford the money. Old
woman worse than ever, an the little gal
down to York learniu' to be Il Steenog-
! rapher, So she kin help out little. Got
a letter yesterday sayin' a winter cloak
would come i'll mighty handy, as she feels
the weather down there wuss II she did
up here in the &C untry. Wonder how
Harker would like it if his gal had to face
the winter in summer buds just because
there is Il doctor in the house every day
an some days twice, an a doctors bill
rs long as your arm an CROWN like a
green bay tree? Dash him.
81 wish had Iarker on this ere car
tonight. I'd put this old car down the
grade i'll way to make his hair turn
white, an I'd lay it to the ice on the
rails"
The idea tickled Jim. He put on the
full power just as the car struck level
stretch of track. The great car bounded
forward, and for half Il mile it rocked
along the slectv track at Il furious pace,
shaking the drowsy Becmis out OF his
! slumber. Bat Beemis was cautious
man. He did not venture to expostulatc
with the wild spirit at the motor.
The rapid motion and the fierce sweep
of the snow-laden air seemed to Tighten
Jim's spirits greatly,
He was queer combination, daring to
Il fault, >oft-hca1tcd as a woman. He
liked danger for dangers sake. When a
| boy, he was leader in those perilous adj
ventures So dear TO the boyish nature.
When he was eighteen, there came Il
great temptation. A young officer in the
army was visiting in Chapeliield. Jim
made his acquaintance. They went hunt
ing and fishing together The lieutenant
told stories of the wild life in the west, of
! buffalo hunts and brushes with the In
dians. 1t set the boys blood atlame, and
he decided to be a soldier. He would
have gone, too. but his mother was old
and feeble and all alone in the world. She
begged him not to leave her. And Jim,