Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-02-12

shouted the conductor, and then calmly
continued his labor. AS there seemed
nothing else to be done, 1 started back
to the station to deliver the message,
and had gone but a short distance
when the engine passed me, backing up
to the office. 1t was going too fast for
me to board 1t, so the conductor and
engineer had been waiting ten minu-
ties or more when 1 eventually reached
the station.
IF it's all the same to you, part
ner," said the conductor, with freezing
politeness, wed just as soon get out
Of here. We've got families at the
other end Of the run, and 'ud like to
get there before they grow out Of u
remembrance"
l walked into the office and told the
dispatcher I had stopped the train.
"Why don't you be all day about itT
he answered "There's nothing for
them-it's too late to help 'em any
how"
l was afraid Of the conductor when
L told him this. His jaw fell, and for
fully a minute he gazed at m in
round-eyed horror, then rushed from
the office and yelled to the engineer:
"Get a move on yerself! Git out of
here before he has another fit"
After that it was comparatively
quiet for a while. 1 made a feeble
effort to understand something of the
cla%ssitications, 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 ac-
cident. l was beginning to think l
was getting on to the business, when
the agent returned. He looked more
careworn than eve as he sank YEARLY
into the one chair the office afforded.
well, how you maxim itW he ask
ed, and l stated, so far the progress
seemed satisfactory.
Next he looked at the way-bills, and
wanted to know If I had unloaded that
COW yet.
ANo, l. hoWClCu, uOI ytl.
: "Not yeti" he shrieked. "Great
Scott, man! what does Sections 1880,
81 and SO Of the Revised Statutes of
the United States, and Section 2, Chap
ter 3. Of the Act Of April 3, 1878,
say"
vas 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
a over t~hirty-siI hours, and we're
liable to $500 fine"
The COW was unloaded immediate
ly. When 1 returned to the office he
called my attention to a bill Of 90
cents I had collected on a washing
machine.
you corrected that bill before you
collected 1t, 1 hope"
Corrected 1t? No What's wrong!"
"Oh. a mere trifle; that comes under
the Interstate Commerce Law, and
by overcharging 13 cents you've laid
us liable to a fine Of $4,000, or two
years in the ~penitentiary, or both
that's all. See what circular 2,2O1
says: 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 its violation
That's soothing, amt it? And here's
a 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 1t had not been captured by a 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"
| could not speak, but he read the
answer in my downcast face. He ex-
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