Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-09
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE AGENT AT ALPENA STATION
IOriginal-l


married a country girl and took posi-
ton on the railroad as brakeman. Inc
road ran through a semiciviliZed coun-
try Phil's family lived Ia log cabin.
Children came plenteouSly. demanding
food and clothes, and life was gener-
ally unattractive. Once in five years
Phil would make an application for a
better position. but three applications
only brought the post of baggage agent
at new station opened near his cabin
with starvation wages. After this he
frequently made applications for some
thing better till the superintendent be
| came weary of reading them and re-
solved to put a stop to them.
Up the road was a station, Alpena,
near which lived a gang of men who
succeeded in always riding free. The
way they managed it was this: A grim
countenance with a background OF
shOcky hair and u sombrero would APP
pear at the window and ask for Il tick
ct. The agent would do the necessary
| stamping and throw the ticket down
mentioning the amount due. The appli
cant would pick up the ticket and walk
away without making any payment
| The agent knew If he declined to sub
nit to this one sided way of doing
business the applicant would poke a
| revolver through the opening and be
| gin to shoot.
| The superintendent on receipt of
! Pills last application wrote him that
in view of his long and faithful sery
| ice on the road he was promoted to BIZ
| station agent at Alpena. The writer
| chuckled as he dictated the letter and
| congratulated himself upon not in flu
| ture being troubled by the baggage
mans applications. AS for Phil. he
! knew all about the gangs operations
and saw at once that unless he collect
| ed the fares he would he removed. l.
he collected them. he must take his
chances of being shot. He thought the
matter over, resolved to accept the sit
uation and made his preparations &C
cOrdingly.
Since Phil had been known in the
! country roundabout as n peaceable
| plodding fellow, so soon as the gang
| heard of his appointment they made up
their minds to make more frequent and
longer trips. The second morning aft
| er the new agent took his place in the
office one of their number walked up to
the hole and asked for ticket.
Five dollars and thirty cents" said
| Phil in a feeble voice.
Gimme the ticket. l don't pay till
1 git the goods" said the man, lazily
| drawing a weapon from his hip.
Quick as a fash revolver was
| thrust through the hole from within.
shot rang out. and the applicant for
| ticket dropped dead.
| There was no one else in the station
at the time, and Phil. going to the
| baggage room, took out an oblong box.
| put the corpse in it, nailed down the
| lid. tackled a card on it on which was
| written the address of the superintend-
ent and sent 1t by the next train, with
railway ticket and $3.50 inclosed in
an envelope. on a piece of paper he
wrote TO go with the rest:
| Ticket sold this morning. Not used.
| Don't know what to do with 1t the
| money. so forward them to you. Corpse
| of the applicant in baggage car. Shall
| XIII any more OF EN-?
| PHI. CARLTON.
| Station Agent, Alpena.
When the superintendent read this
note and learned from the bearer that
there was a coffin shaped box in the
| baggage room awaiting his orders he
was more astonished than if he had
! been informed that the whole line of
the road had been swallowed by an
| earthquake. He walked the floor for
awhile in deep meditation, then took
Pills note to the president.
That afternoon there was a meeting
of the board of directors, with the
roads attorney in attendance, who as
sured them that since Phil had not re
ceived nor could prove that he had re
ceived orders TO kill any applicant for
a ticket who refused to pay his fare.
none of them would be liable to be ar
rested and tried for murder. Phil was
alone responsible: but, considering the
lawless state of the country and the
character Of the unsuccessful applicant
for a free ride. 1t was not believed that
the man who had shot him would be
molested.
The body was sent back to AIpena
for burial and Phil was directed not to
kill any more deadhead ticket appll-
cantS.
But Phil did not need to kill any
more of them. The others. taking
warming from the fate of their compan-
don. found ii unnecessary to travel
often thereafter on the road and when
they did. not being sure but the station
agent fearing that they had come TO
practice their former methods. would
shoot TO kill, always paid their fare on
the train. Indeed Phil Cartons ad-
ministration Of the affairs of Alpena
station proved so satisfactory that he
was summoned TO the main Office with
view to determining If he were not
capable Of filling some important posi-
ton. Not being an educated man,
this was not to be considered. So Phil
was made superintendent Of stations,
at salary of $500 a year. When the
lawless citizens along the line interfer-
eli with the cOmpany's interests he
r-as sent 70 nrarn We them This r-nc