davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

She was careful to keep herself out
of sight, and this she was able to do
the more readily on account Of the
fruit train making few stops. At Mem
phis the rear section was switched on
to connect with a train west, and her
own was attached to a train which
had just pulled in from Galveston, the
engine returning to New Orleans with
a lot Of empty cars.
A few hours later, at a watering
stop, the new conductor caught sight
of her as he was hurrying along the
train. She was just sliding the door,
but too late.
Hello" he cried. pausing, "a wo-
man-tramp!"
Della slid back the door.
mo, SIR she answered quietly,
holding up the papers she had taken
from Ben; 'I am in charge Of this
section. I haven't had a chance to see
you before"
The conductor gave long whistle
which ended in an apOlOgetic cough.
But his face heightened visibly.
Whats the company thinking of?''
he calculated hOtly. Next we know
girls will be put in as conductors and
brakemen and engineers" And he
hurried away, still choking resentfully.
Seven days later Della entered the
company's Office at New Orleans. The
manager himself happened to be in and
he seemed to recognize her by the pa
pers she carried in her hand He came
forward quickly. But at that moment
a figure which had been lOunging about
the street door-a white, anxious-faced
man, who had been peering into the
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25
EQUAL TO THE EMERGENCY

door quickly behind her. A few mo-
ments later her own bell rang and
then the car began to move forward.
She had never been on train be-
fore, never been out of New Orleans,
but her father had been messenger,
and Ben had many times told her the
details of his trip. She must manipu-
late the ventilators Of her twenty cars
so as to have the heat just right TO
bring the bananas to prime, market
able condition when she reached her
destination. A few degrees too much
either way might mean the loss of a
good many thousand dollars to the
company.
1t was hard trip, for TIE outside
thermometer rose from 81 degrees to
70 degrees in six hours, and the next
morning was back again to 81 de-
grees and falling. 1t meant constant
shifting Of the ventilators, with an i'm
possibility of keeping the car ther-
mometers from fluctuating uneasily.
Zero rather would have been infinitely
preferable, for then the ventilators
could have remained closed and the
fruit would generate enough heat of
its own. That night and the next day
Della did not trust herself to sit down
once, for fear she might set drowsy
and momentarily relax her vigilance.
Too much depended upon obtaining
the best results just now.
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

grille, find the manager and tell him
it isn't drink. "A discharged mes
senger cannot get work anywhere"
He lurched forward and would
have fallen, but she caught him in her
strong, supple arms.
A quick glance both ways showed
no one was in sight. The fruit train
on Track was Just leaving the wharf
and was sounding its last warning
call. Half carrying and half leading
him, she hurried Messenger 10 to the
nearest entrance, only a few yards
away. Several drays were standing
about waiting for a job. She mo-
toned imperiously on the owner of
the nearest.
Listen, Ben," she said slowly, put
ting her lips close to the ears of the
now almost insensible man in an ef-
fort to make him hear and compre-
bend; II am going to send you home.
You mustn't worry a bit. I will fit 1t
all right" He was holding his train
papers tightly, and she unclasped
them gently from his fingers. Then,
as the drayman came forward, Take
this man to his home at once, IL Rue
Chronicle. Here is a dollar"
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

sailor, I felt and acted the part. The
Odor of dishwater and prunes, instead
OF tar, pervaded my youthful being, yet
/ walked with a nautical roll. ever and
anon giving my greasy trousers hitch
and squirting up al the sky. For an
hour or two loafed about the wharves
talking Of my travels with oyster
openers, crab fishers and unemployed
crap shooters, who are to be found in
large herds at Southern seaports. That
evening l dined on raw oysters at an
open-faced cafe built against a wharf
shed, and told the proprietor many in
teresting things about Vera Cruz My
ship anchored three miles from shore
during our stay at the Mexican port. ]
remained on board the entire time, and
a dense fog prevailed night and day.
Still, as the restaurant man had never
been to Vera Cruz, 1 was able to tell
him all he wanted to know about the
place.
Being a thorough sea- going person,
as I thought, the only place for me was
on the water front, so 1 hove to for the
night at the Mariners Retreat. This
snug haven for sea rovers was a one
story shack squeezed in between a
green hide store and a saloon that had
a heavy list to starboard. Even on the
outside the building wore an air of
happy, careless intoXication. My new
friend, the oyster man. steered me to
the Mariners Retreat, which displayed
a signboard executed in oil by a barn
painter, who had the true conception
Of sailors. The one he depicted wore
wide, fat trousers, a fiat hat, with rib
bons dangling from the brim, and his
shirt was open almost to the waist line.
This decollete effect was necessary to
display the topmasts Of a ship supposed
TO be tattooed on the bosom of the
mariner. In feature the man on the
signboard resembled Tom Sharkey, only
his expression was more spirited and
lifelike than Toms.
The interior arrangement of the re-
treat comprised four rooms; two on
either side of a hall, with kitchen and
dining-room at the back. Each room
door opened on the street, and just in
side the portal sat withered little old
man with the lower part Of his body
embalmed in a horse blanket On his
head he wore a seaman's wool cap, and
under his chin a narrow frings of pale
sandy whiskers of the kind known as
Scotch shrubbery.
Did you want to say goodnight to
Grandpa ?" he squeaked in a rat-like
voice.
who is grandpa?" asked, wonder
ing if he were a mislaid relative of
mine.
Me-" said the little old man. Guests
must say good night to Grandpa before
turning in It's a rule Of the house.
Twenty-Five cents. Have you got the
money!"
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

"Ohl" said, good night means to
pay in advance. Sure. I've got the
price,
He looked at me sideways while
eXhumed a loose quarter from my raj
ment and placed it on the table. Kick
ing his thin legs out of the horse blan-
ket Grandpa picked up the coin and the
lamp and started TO lead me along the
hall, when he paused as if held UP by
a sudden thought.
Have you any changer" Grandpa
asked courteously. $50 many guests
spring large bills on me and 1 cannot
go out for change"
l told him had $6 in silver-my pay
day on the steamer.
How fortunate" chuckled the old
gentleman. You can break this So,
if you'll be so kind"
Five Of my silver dollars were ex-
changed for the bill, and Grandpa
showed me to my cozy apartment in
one of the rear rooms. There was just
space between the beds for fellow to
stand and peel. Chairs were deemed a
needless luxury in the Retreat.
Now. sonny" said Grandpa, holding
the light in the doorway while 1 dis
robed, you can sleep on the front side
of this bed. Like as not there'll be no
more guests. And for 25 cents you may
have q nice breakfast in the mornings"
With that the kind old man backed
away and once more settled down in
his horse blanket at the front door.
BY the light of hall lamp thrown over
the low partition l crawled into bed.
first placing my purse in my vest and
hiding it beneath the sheet under my
shoulders. 1t was daylight when i
awoke, feeling much refreshed. The
other bed was empty, but showed
symptoms Of having been occupied.
Hearing a noise at my back, 1 turned
over and found a darkbrowed, Stocky
man. fully dressed even to his shoes,
lying ON the bed between me and the
wall. On seeing me awake the stranger
bade me a cheerful good morning,
crawled out and sat on the side of the
bed.
Twill you be so good, young fellow,
as to lace and tie my shoe?" he added.
I've get d lame hip on one side and
can't bend low enough
Certainly. sir" I replied, willing to
oblige the afflicted. It's a terrible
thing to be lame, sir"
Hopping out 1 knelt down to lace the
shoe. While at work on that labor of
love I was panied and shocked to de-
tect my faithful vest lying on the floor
under the bed. With a horrible fear
at my heart l hauled out the vest and
found the purse, empty and turned in
side out, stuffed back into the pocket
in which I had left it.
Look at that" I gasped. I've been
robbed in the night
"WcI, 1 declare, if that isn't sol" ex-
claimed my bed partner, equally aston
ished This is a wicked town and no
mistake. Must have been the fellows
in the other bed. They went out early.
I'm glad you don't suspect me-"
Thanking me for my kindness the
alleged lame man limped out of the
room, leaving me TO wrestle with some
afterthoughts. What puzzled me was
how the vest got from under my body
and took a header to the floor without
disturbing my repose. That L had been
touched was plenty plain and clear, but
when and by whom was the mystery.
My pillow was in place, but the lower
sheet was gone from my side of the bed
and lay in a sort of window down the
center of the couch. That explained
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

"OR a long while Texas had
looked good TO me as a place
where a boy Of moderate indus
try could pick up a decent in
come detecting train robbers.
bringing them 10 justice and collecting 8
the reward. At least that scheme was
snap in the Youths Detective Series;
but once within the Lone Star regions
things were different. The only robber
/ bumped into eluded my vigilance. He
found me a tapioca with seedless raj
sins in IL.
One bleary afternoon in March
landed at Galveston, the sole proprietor
and manager Of Sc, earned as a steam
ship food passer on a trip across the
Gulf II was my first experience in the
food hinging line, and while
the passengers did not get all
that was coming TO them,
had fsred pretty we'll The steamer
picked me Up, a fOOtsore and hungry
tramp, al jay seaport in Louisiana
for the round voyage TO Vera Cruz. By
The time we reached Galveston, home
ward bound, / was fed and rested and
chesty. The negro steward who tutored
me in food passing as an art wanted
me 10 linger and be Of use to him, but
I spurned the proposition. demanded
my pay and went ashore. He had a lot
TO say about ungrateful white buns.
While I didn't look much like a
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25
By Frank III. Sweet

Inside, she again glanced sharply
around A man was running in her
direction, heading toward the rear of
the train. She recognized him as a
friend of Bens.
Hello, Miss Delial' he called;
"come to seeeBen off again, have
you? He's lucky dog. But you must
excuse my hurry. This train pulls out
in three minutes and 1 must reach my
section
Della could hear her heart thump-
ing in its anxiety.
your section is the rear, I sup
pose?" she questioned with assumed
carelessness.
"Yes," over his shoulder, "the eight
cen rear cars. I'm messenger %. Ben
has the forward twenty cars. 1 switch
off at Memphis for Jefferson City and
Ben goes on to Columbus"
AS he hurried away Delia's face
cleared. She had learned all she want
ed to know. Placing her hands upon
the floor of the car she gave light
spring and was within, sliding the
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

Office most Of the time for the last eight
days-also saw her and rushed in She
turned to him first.
How are you, Benz" she asked
eagerly; "all right2"
Yes, yes, but you? What have you
been UP to, grille? The Office has been
full Of talk"
The manager was beside them now.
''Is this Miss Delia?" he inquired.
''Yes. sir. Here are the receipts your
commission agents gave me. They
said the fruit was in prime condi-
ton"
The manager glanced over the papers
hurriedly
''Yes, yes; they're all right" he said.
but we knew that before. Our agents
wired us that the fruit was in the very
best cOnditiOn-as good as they had
ever received. II hardly know what
to do about this. It's a most untoward
thing, and should receive our severest
censure; and yet you did as well as
our very best messenger-better al
most. I suppose we shall have to pass
it over. But such a thing must never
happen again. No" as her gaze went
inquiringiy toward. Ben: 1--WE have not
discharged him. He may go on the
next trip. And you-wen. 1t was a
most untoward thing: but I suppose
you did the best you could under such
short notice. You may stop at the
cashiers window for your money, and
yes, there's a little recognition for
you there also. You saved us from a
possible great loss But, remember, the
recognition is accompanied by our most
severe censure.
Copyright, 1904. by Frank H Sweet-)
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

ers who modestly deny the possession
Of any expert knowledge whatever on
the subject are also recommended to
peruse it in trder that they may learn
that no one else knows anything about
It either. Girls are elusive; the more
you know about them the less you are
sure of. and the man who knows the
most Of all knows only enough to let
them alone.
Having thus opened the feast Of rea-
son and flow of soul with the custom
ary toast to the ladies, we shall pro-
ceed at once, If not before, TO the gen.
eral intellectual menu. One Of the men
with whom we are concerned came
from somewhere out in the woods. no
matter where. The important thing
about him was that he was possessed
of a handmade intellect with a Boston
finish connecting directly with a rotary
vocal apparatus. When his brain was
running at high speed he would ac-
quire a momentum that would carry his
voice on for some time after his mind
had stopped. The beauty Of that kind
Of an equipment is that it gives the
mind an opportunity to rest now and
then without checking the flow of
words. This is highly desirable con-
dition for those who regard conversa-
ton as merely an exercise of the voice.
We would give this individual with
the split-second intellect a name If we
could think of one that would suit him,
but names are troublesome things. If
some one else came along who was
marked with the same label there
might be all kinds of fuss, especially
If we should happen to say something
that might appear uncomplimentary to
the gentleman with the Boston
thought-works, For that reason we
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

Two Of the trains had already
pulled UP the company's wharf to
the main line, and a third was
sending out its last signaling whis-
tie. when a girl hurried down
Track with a basket covered by a
napkin. evidently containing a lunch.
Messenger 16 was swaying unstead-
ily at the open door Of a car. and the
girl went straight to him, her eyes
bright. her cheeks flushed. But as she
drew near she suddenly reconed, look
Of horror coming TO her face.
Ben" her white lips tried to say,
but no sound came from them.
The man passed a hand across his
brow weakly, holding TO the car by the
other. The girl went a step nearer.
What does # meanT' her voice
ouivered hoarsely. "Oh, Ben"
Something Of the agony in the cry
seemed to penetrate the mans dulling
brain, for a tremor went through him
and he Strengthened suddenly as
though by a great effort. The dull
eyes opened and shut heavily, and
again the hand passed across the fore
head as though to force some intelli-
gence into the clogged brain Then:
sD-don't speak like that, grille" an
unacceptable voice mumbled. I'm
not drunk I never drank a drop in
my life. You know I-speak-true. It's
q drug" his voice drifting back again
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

tion is not so sudden as that practiced
on the simple mariner in Texas. And
the legitimate hotel ---0n makes a fee
bic bluff at giving his victims some
thing in return for his genteel mode or
piracy.
About the middle of the forenoon.
tired, disheartened and hungry, 1
sneaked past the Retreat. My late bed
fellow, now half drunk, stood in a cocky
attitude in front of the place. One hand
rested on an awning post and the otEer
on his lame hip. A row of brown ci-
gars protruded from his vest pocket,
and his hat was canted over one eye.
Hello, bub!" the Boss Dipper said in
a disgustingly familiar way. How
much did you lose last night?" just as
if he didn't know.
'It was my all, sir-ail had in the
world-six dollars"
Don't let that worry you," he said
in fatherly accents. "All you can buy
with money is whisky and tobacco. and
such things won't do you any good.
Cheer up"
And thus / left him in the enjoyment
of his ill-gotten wealth.
On first leaving home l was desirous
of procuring employment, so my letter
of introduction stated. Now L wanted
a job A swift canvass of the town dis
closed but one iron foundry in an ac-
tive state of eruption. This was an
amateur industrial outfit in Class B,
resembling a box car with funnel
sticking up at one side. All the same,
it starred the name Vulcan Iron Works
on a board longer than the building.
There was but one person vulcaning in
the place-a meek-looking man in spec
tacles. who had the air of blighted
being. He was molding crate bars
for the sawmill district, and from the
pattern layout Judged that was the
chief product.
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25
(f1Aa ron a1d OFF the Breed Wagon
Being Hard Luck Tales and Dones of an AnnatenrHob
dn61SNMsA BY Cherries Dryden

with q bunch of Dagoes shifting a Sec
ton of car track. The road was ball
lasted with oyster shells, which had to
be chopped loose with pickaxes. At the
end Of two hours of brilliant achieve
ment we came to switch, and While a
couple Of DagOeS worked with crow
bars for a pinch lift on the switch frog
L Strengthened up and rested my hands
on nv hips. Ny spine, too, needed 4
change of scene. That move was the
cue for Mr.. Walsh, who popped out
from somewhere.
ssSav. Young fellow" he growled, eve
haven't work enough. it seems, to keep
you busy. Come to the office and get
your pay"
protested I was only waiting for the
bar men to lift the edge of the frog so
I could get my hands under and help
raise it. but the highly indignant Mr..
Walsh fired me just the same. He could
not well ignore the request from the
man who saved his life. but there was
nothing in the bond TO prevent Mr..
Walsh giving me the grand bounce on
short notice. and I got II. He paid me
off with thirty cents worth Of street
car tfckets-twO hours work at the
rate of fifteen cents per. That helped
some, as there was no Seeing Calves
tom car in those days, and i couldn't
sduander my salary touring the city
Had the peculiar significance or thirty
cents been established at that time L
would. perhaps. have told Mr.. Walsh
his life was worth just what it cost him
to discharge the obligation he owed the
foundry foreman. But, alasl I was shy
on repartee, the same as other neces-
saries of life, so I hit the trucks Of a
passenger train to Houston.
In the next chapter I walk in a circle.
and later learn something about Red
Meat day in a Texas railroad camp.
Copyright. 1904. by Charles Dryden.)
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

as the foreman about?" 1 inquired
of the BIighted Being.
I'm him." he replied. actually blush
ing What can 1 do for your"
My needs were soon explained L
told him my hard luck story from top
to bottom: How my watch and trunk
were in hook In New Orleans; my
tramp to the Gulf; the sea voyage, and
the lifting of my $6 in that pirates
nest-the Mariners Retreat. Also L
mentioned Mudville, ILL.,, and the names
of the men 1 had worked with there.
He knew one of them, and his heart
warmed to me. The sad foreman bus
tied about, fed me from his dinner pail
and talked blue streak. TO one Of my
youth and inexperience he could un-
bosom himself and escape ridicule.
while I'm foreman here" he con-
fessed, with another blush, they won't
allow me to hire any one. 1 do all the
work myself"
And boss yourself. too?" 1 inquired
in a burst Of astonishment.
In a manner of speaking, 1 have my
own way pretty much he cOnfided. Il
do all the work, load the melting fur
mace, melt the iron and on casting days
the owner hires a couple of niggers to
help me with the ladies. For years
wanted to be a foreman, and this is
it," he half sobbed, making these
bloody CRATE bars. Enough to drive a
good man daffy. But. say, 1 can get
you job on the outside if you'll take
it,"
OF course 1 would, in a minute, so the
unhappy boss of himself wrote me a
note to the superintendent Of the street
car system.
THAT man Walsh is a friend of mine.
I once saved his life and he'll do any
thing for me-"
Mr. Walsh read the note and with
bad grace. thought. sat me at work
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

into the stupor.
The girl was beside him with a swift
movement, the basket thrust into the
car, her hands placed firmly upon his
shoulders, her eyes close and gazing
straight into his, lovingly, COMPEL
ingly.
Ben" the voice forcing itself into
clearness and steadiness, look at me
now hard. What is it? Think"
The man made a supreme effort.
"It was Messenger 12-Timson, you
know"
She knew-she had refused Tim
sons love.
He offered me a drink of water
and 1 took it. Then he crossed to
Track and jumped on board his
train. It was the one that just
pulled out"
But what did he do it for?"
Don't you understand. Delia?" a
sharp agony quivering in the voice.
''sThis trip was to furnish the money
for our wedding. Timson knew it. He
planned it just before my train starts,
so I will lose the trip. There is no
time to find a substitute. My train
will go without me, and the company
will be angry and discharge me for
drunkenness, and-and-' his eyes
again becoming dull and his form
swaying more heavily, "and-I'm los
ing myself. 1 can't see you. Quick,
The San Francisco call., 1904-12-25

shall refer to him simply as the brainy
man. There is another man, but his
appearance will be postponed until
later. The brainy individuals long suit
with the ladies was playing up the in
tellectual life. He had nothing but
contempt for those muscular and
thoughtless members of his sex who de-
voted their spare time to whacking an
inoffensive golf ball around four-mile
course in the fewest possible number OF
cuss words or tempting fate and the
speed law with a French-made vehicle
for the promotion of homicide and
equine nervous prostration. The
thoughtful man was all for the quiet
life and he didn't care who knew it.
There is no particular harm in any
kind Of a man picking out any kind
of life that appeals to him, provided
he can pay for it. The beautiful thing
about free country is that man can
think anything that he wants to, If he
doesn't tell any one else about it. The
trouble comes when a man takes the
covers off his theories and exposes
them to the gaze of a mercenary
world. The particular idea of the in
tellectual man which led to his down.
fall was, of course, concerned with
woman, lovely woman. Most downfalls
do have something to do with women,
somehow or somewhere. If a man
doesn't make fool Of himself because
some daughter of Eve tempted him,
he does it because she didn't. In eth
er case the woman is to blame.
Our friend started out accompanied
by the cheerful theory that a woman
is more impressed by a man of intel
lect who isn't ashamed of his tendency
toward the overproduction of thought
than she is with a man who hands her
sentimental nothings garnished with
airy persifiage. That shows just how
foolish the chump was. Any one who