St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-05-14

it might have been two, and the mo-
| ments flew unheeded by until he told me
that Sam Richards, Mawkey's man, was
in Hoopoe and aimed to make Sevilla
with his SO varieties the next jump That
! brought me back to the stern realities
I of life
Il had been planning to make Sevilla
myself and knew that what little chance
had there would be gone if Richards
got in there ahead of me.
II looked at my watch and it was three
minutes to IL.
Il grabbed my grips, whicd stood near,
| and made one jump out of the place and
started up the middle of the street, run
ming like a house afire. I heard the
train whistle just as got out OF the door.
so knew hadn't any time to fool away
Yes, guess ran. ALI Burrowsleck
turned out to cheer me. They'd never
seen anything like it. But for all that
the train pulled out just - hit the sta
ton platform.
Tough!
There was some blamed farmer there
acting as porter, baggageman, agent,
ticket seller and operator and he seemed
to think my appearance was funny. I
had mislaid my sense Of humor at the
time and as soon as had got enough
breath to swell out my chest walked
up to him and gave him the gimlet eye.
when is the next train out of this
dOg-hOle?' I asked
He looked hunbled some, but not
much.
Ten-thirty tomorrow morning. he
chuckled.
Il swelled out about six inches more.
Can make any freight this afternoonf
l asked. as
Nary one,' he replied. You might
drive over to Pletwick on the main line
and catch the passenger train, but YOU'D
have to drive. It's due to pull out OF
Pletwick at 1885
Il made rapid calculation. While !
was making it he began to smoker again
and l felt he needed impresslng. l
hadn't much hope of catching the pas
senger, but owed it to myself to make
bluff at it. l snatched up telegraph
blank and wrote on it:
"'Hold north passenger ten minutes for
me at P,etwlck JONES'
Il addressed it to the trainmaster at
Swinford junction and pushed it across
to the agent.
"'Here, send that over the wire ct
once said in frappe tones. Then with
out waiting for him to read it strolled
away.
'Just at the end of the platform l
saw a fellow driving rig across the
track and l hailed him. calculating to
have him give me and my grip lift to
the hotel. He waited until came up.
care you going down the street past
the hotel?' asked.
HE looked mad.
Nav, amt; I'm going to Pletvick
and l haven't got no time to waste, he
said 'Geddap!'
His team started, but chucked the
valises into the buggy and made n.y.
ing leap after them myself.
"'Never mind me; just drive ahead,
said, as l removed myself from his
corn. I'm for Pletwfck and it's dollar
and half extra for you
'He abandoned the intention Of pitch
ing me out, which I saw in his eye, and
was Just starting up again when we
heard the station agent yell and saw
him wave his arms at us. ri
"'Drive on says. I know what the
blamed chump wants, but haven't time
to talk with him.
so of we sailed.
II want to tell you we made time.
explained to the fellow that wanted
to catch that train and had a flask OF
strip Of sympathy in one Of the grips.
That made the explanation clearer, but
it MADE me nervous the way he drove.
We were up in the air holding to moth
ing three-Quarters OF the time, as q con-
sentative calculation.
I'VE hadn't got more than halfway
before was trying to convince him that
it would rather please me II didn't
catch the train. All he said was, 1t
don't make no difference Then he'd
yell and hit the horses few more ticks.
Finally, saw the sawmill stack of Plet-
wick in the distance and let 60 the rail
with one hand long enough to get my
watch out of my pocket and look at it.
"'Pull up now, you crazy IDIOT 1said
It's 1885 and I've lost the train. I'd
like to escape with my life if you will
oblige rae to that extent
Don't make no difference he says.
'Whoop!'
THAT was all there was to it except
that we touched few more high places
in rapid succession.
''Ten minutes later we pulled up at the
station and hanged If that passenger
train wasn't still there. The conductor
seemed to be on the lookout and came to
meet me, but as soon as he got close h
seemed disappointed. I made sure II
was Mr.. JONES' he said. Well, he can't !
he coming now, SO guess I'll give him |
two minutes grace and then pull out
"I am Mr.. JONES' says.
"'1'mean the division superintendent
Superintendent JONES' he says, climb
ing aboard after me. He wired from
Burrowsleck to have the train held ten
for him. guess, though I'd be
safe starting now
"And as great 1,000-candlepower |
light burst upon me said will. profound |
yes, think you'll be safe"
Chicago Daily News.