Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-08-18

less and blood-thirsty corporation,
which was responsible. They returned
without the water.
The boss, a fat man, who had some
what of a determined character him
self, and who prided himself on his
power of ~invective, was severely sar-
castle on their return.
Gimme that pail" said he, "ITl
show you how to get the water" He
waddled off with the pail in a truly
ferocious manner
Mrs. Bilger was in the house at the
time. The section boss walked tri-
umphantly up to the spring and
stopped down to take up the water in
his pail. The water was some way
down in the ground, being confined in
a shallow well, walled with stones, and
as he was a very fat man, it took him
some time to get down to it. Just as
he vas about to accomplish his purpose
he suddenly toppled over head foremost
into the spring with the graceful, tilt
ing motion of a mud turtle falling off
a log. Mrs. Bilger had waylaid him
with her broom.
The section boss was a very close fit
for the spring, and he made up his
mind several times before he u~nwedged
himself that he was a drowned section
boss. When he finally did get out,
spluttering and swearing, he found
himself looking into the muzzles of a
double-barrelled shotgun, like a pair
OF opera glasses. He fled precipitately
without his water bucket.
Mrs. Bilger threw the bucket after
him. 81 won't take less'n $50 for her
now, cash down." was all she re-
marked.
After that it was vain for a railroad
man to attempt to use that spring.
She watched it most of her spare time
herself, and when she didn't she had
her boy out. Whenever a railroad man
came in sight the child's little piping
voice sounded the guard mount, and
his mother came on duty with her gun.
She didn't say much, but she just
walked back and forth before the
spring with conscious strength and
dignity in her bearing, and deep, hard
lines about her mouth. A great many
railroad men who had thought they
wanted a drink before they saw her
found that they were mistaken and
turned away.
By and by, however, the section boss
got tired of this sort of thing. There
was a good deal of work that year,
raising the tracks on that grade, and
there wasn't another spring for two
miles either way. Finally he decided
to negotiate with Mrs. Bilger.
That's right" said Mrs. Bilger,
you killed my cow and you've got to
pay for her. She's with jest $40"
So the section boss sought out the
road master and told him about the
affair, and the road master told the
division superintendent. 1t had been
so long since the division superintend-
ent had heard from the station master
about Mrs. Bilger's COW that he had
forgotten all about it. Besides, it
didn't sound like the same COW, any,
way, the valuation being so different.
So the division superintendent filed
another report with the claim depart
ment.
About this time, Mrs. Bilger, not
hearing anything from her appeal for
justice, frequented the station at
Grafton a great deal, coming in about
train time and talking violently to the
station agent. Finally, the station
agent agreed to write on again to the
division superintendent. BY this time
Mrs. Bilger's estimated price was $52.
1t so happened at this time that the
division superintendent was off on a
short vacation, and his substitute, in
an excess of zeal, filed the third COW
report with the claim department.
Before it reached there, however, the
division claim agent had visited Mrs.
Bilger with a check made out for her
first asking price of $23.
Have you lost two COWS, Mrs. Bill
ger?" said he politely.
mo, I hain't," that worthy woman
replied, "only one; but I amt going to
take no $23 for it. That cow will cost
you just $62 now"
"But she wasn't worth any $62," he
protested.
Eyes, she was, too" said Mrs. Bilger;
"%countin' the time I've lost foolin'
over the blame thing the last three
months, an all I've had to pay for
butter and cheese, $62 s cheap. Be-
sides, you can pay it just as well as
not; you know you've got the money.
If you don't, I'll take it to the law"
Mrs. Bilger was obstinate, and the
claim agent took back his check, and,
acting on Mrs. Bilger's threat to go to
law, sent over the first two papers on
the case to the general claims attor-
ney, intending to see him about it
next day. Next day he was called off
suddenly to another part of the road.
While he was gone the second report
from the station agent came along,
with a bill for $50 for Mrs. Bilger's
muley cow, and, the department claim
agent being away, was sent straight to
the claims attorney. The three bills
confused him.
What the devil are they doing down
there" said the claims attorney when
the claim agent came back, Having a
massacre Of muley cows?"
II +oo1r tho o1oir, ouop+ eopoa +;p,o
to explain.
In the meantime Mrs. Bilger began
to take the bit in her teeth. She now
resolved to suspend traffic generally on
the road till they paid some attention
to her. For this purpose she secured
an old red flannel shirt, and hitching
it on the end Of an ak helve, began to
flag all the trains going up the grade
industriously.