Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-01-20
the Office and yelled to the engineera
"Get move on yerselfl Git out of
here before he has another fltw

the OAC6 anu yCaiSu " ZIG ASlAeeIV
"Get a move on yerself! Git out Of
here before he has another fit!'
After that 1t was comparatively
quiet for q while. I made a feeble
effort to understand something Of the
cIassif1cations, but soon gave up the
attempt as hopeless. One or two lots
of freight and express came in, and
a couple of trains passed without &C.
cident. I was beginning to think 1
was getting on to the business, when
the agent returned. He looked more
careworn than ever as he sank YEARLY
into the one chair the office afforded.
"Well, how you maxim it?" he ask
ed, and 1 stated, so far the progress
seemed satisfactory.
Next he looked at the way-bills, and
wanted to know II had unloaded that
cow yet.
NO" 1 answered; mot yet"
''Not yetw he shrfeked. "Great
Scott, man! what does Sections 1850,
81 and 88 Of the Revised Statutes Of
the United States, and Section 2, Chap
ter 3. of the Act Of April 8, 1873,
say?"
| was about to confess my ignorance,
but he stopped me.
Don't waste any more precious
time; get that critter unloaded before
any one sees her. She's been in the
car over thirty-six hours, and we're
liable to $500 fine"
ly. When I returned to the office he
called my attention to a. bill of SO
cents | had collected on washing
machine.
You corrected that bill before you
collected it, 1 hope?'
/. Corrected it? No What's wrongY
ooh, a mere trife; that comes under
the Interstate Commerce Law, and
by overcharging Ii cents you've laid
us liable to a fine Of $1,000, or two
years in the penitentiary, or both
that's all. See what circular 2,201
saws: Agents who violate any
Of the provisions Of the Inter
state Commerce Law will them
selves be personally liable to the pen
alties imposed thereby. Ignorance Of
the law is no excuse for it's violation
That's soothing, amt it? And here's
case of brandy you've forwarded to
Iowa, a prohibition State. That's an
other misdemeanor, but, thank God, we
can probably escape to the hills before
the authorities get on to it."
He sprang from his chair and began
pacing the floor, muttering to himself:
"Oh. no; there's no heroism required
to run a station--no responsibility at.
tached to the position. Fines are laid
up for you, jails and penitentiaries
yawn for you; but that's nothing
that's merely the everyday routine"
He caught sight of the express book
and stopped short.
"Those quails," he faltered, looking
at me imploringly. "You examined
each bird, as the law directs, to see
that it had not been captured by net,
pound, weir or trap? You know rule
So says agents must acquaint them
selves with and be governed by the
game laws Of their State and Terri
tory"
1 could not speak, but he read the
answer in my downcast face. He ex-
tended his hand to me, while a look Of
sublime exaltation TRANSPORTED his
homely countenance.
"As the agent" he said, and his
voice had the terrible calmness of de-
spair, II am responsible for your crimes
i am forever undone, but bear you
no malice, it was fate, whatever hap
pens, remember, forgive you, but, I"
and he damned his hat down over his
ears and his eyes glared wildly, "they
will never take me alive"
Then he strobe out Of the office and
disappeared.
The sun sank below the western hor
lion and twilight and mosquitoes in
vaded the melancholy landscape.
Presently freight train came along
and halted for water. It so happened
that an empty box-car stopped right
opposite the Office, and as 1 gazed into