Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-02-22

tNNu SnlU Tie uVuSty tSPC'NN 49, 80
nv tilted his chair back and Gle
waited his heels ON the desk that the
citv editor called his when he was
there. ."Yhere are some things in this
world I'm not adapted for. That's
one"
The rest Of the Late watch" gath
cred around. with ordinations or
amazement and surprise, and he con-
tinued:
You see, I once applied to division
superintendent for Job. and was as
sured my application would be consid-
cred the very first vacancy that oc-
Cured. Then I waited. The suspense
was not especially trying to me. but l
could see was wearing on the friends
with whom l was boarding consider
ably.
One day. however. the caller" the
man that rounds up the train men
when they are wanted to go out on a
special, came around with Il note re-
questing me to call at the superintend-
ent's office. or course. complied with
the request. and was told that they
wanted me to act az assistant agent for
a day or two at a place called Don
eril's, or something like that.
wanted to know II | would have
time to 20 and pack my grip. but they
seemed to think such a delay would
materially prejudice the prospects Of
the road. 80 1 grabbed the pass and
made for the train. which | managed
to catch. after u brief but exciting
chase. Then my grief" as the rail
road men called it, began.
"This train don't stop at DOneril's.
young feller." said the conductor. as
he pocketed my pass and proceeded
calmly on his rounds. l would have
liked to have asked him what was
expected to do about II, but his cOunte-
nance was 80 stern and fOrbidding
did not dare.
We were rapidly nearing my desti-
nation. and something had to be done.
so l informed a brakeman Of my pre-
-dicam ent. and he very kindly volun-
teered to ask Fatty Dun" to slow
down a little at Doneril's and let me
Oh. | presume he did So hut II there
was any reduction In the speed Of the
train 1t was too slight for my unprac-
iticed eye to detect. The brakeman en-
.c0uraged me- however. and as there
appeared to be no other alterna tive.
when we were nearly abreast Of the
platform let go and dropped.
l did not light right away. but when
did land the conclusion was some
thing awful. and as | rolled over and
over it seemed to me I must have gath
cred up about all the spIinters there
were in that platform in different por-
tons of my anatomy. was still
gyrating when the last car whizzed by,
hut I heard the hind mans" timely
warming
Look out. young man. you'll tear
your clothes"
It was rickety old station. the walls
frescOed with mashed tomatoes. Emp
ty chicken cOOps. fruit boxes. berry
chests and watermelon rinds. scattered
about the platform, exhaled a faded
and depressing OdOr. and the only Wis
ible lndicat ton OF life or death was the
swarms Of flies buzzing drowsly in the
hot sunshine. | picked my way to the
Office and presented my credentials ia
the agent. tall. ,ank man. with long
neck, carewOrn features. and a stiff
hat that looked out Of place in the
midst Of such rural surroundings He
was sometime before he noticed me- AT
length, however. he threw down the
paper. read my letter. and invited me
to make myself at home. Then he I'M
bOsOmed himself:
Pm sick and tired OF this business. =
he said. 1.-THE works enough, to kill Il
mule, but it's the Injustice and lack OF
apprecia ton that makes me- hot. You
can't pick up a paper without seeing a
lot of rot about the heroism of loco
motive engineers. and the terrible re
spOnsibility that makes train dispatch
ers humI,-shOuidered before their time
but never Il single. solitary word abou
station agents. Why. to read the pa
pers, Il person would think an engineer
went through life with his eye glued t.
the rail and a dea h-grip OH the re
versing lever. and that the train dis
patcher had to put In all his spare
time sOpping his head with hair vigO
to keep from turning gray in a single
night But look at the facts.
ANY track-walker can tell you tina
an engineer Is asleep more than hal
the time when out on the line. an,
that the only way to call his attention
to slow dag or stop signal Is I,
heave a rock through the cab window
while. as for the train dispatcher, w
all know what ne is-a petty tyrant
with an eight hour trick. whose mos
arduous duties consist In rawhiding u