The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-01-19
The Fight in the ''Blind'' Car.
BY E. T. DODDINGTON.


As the visitor from Canada put down
the newspaper containing an account OF
a recent railroad wreck, l noticed that
| the face Of the youngest superintendent
of an express company had lost some
thing of its freshness. The hand with
which he relit his cigar trembled just a
little.
"Doesit bring back memories, " asked.
eyes, lots Of them. One doesn't travel
in an express car for twelve years as
did without having recollection Of some
thing Of this kind"
Tell ME about some of them. What
was the most thrilling experience you
had while you were on the road ?"
CPD rather not talk about railroad
wrecks tonight, if you don't mind, old
man. Still, if it's thrilling experience
that you want, l guess l can tell you of
one which have not forgotten, although
it had nothing to do with any accident
on the road.
running on local train between Mon
treal and little town 140 miles west,
on the main line to Toronto, called Perth.
Nowadays, the Perth local has a bag
gageman, an express messenger and
postal clerk; but in those days, the mes
senger had to be baggageman as well.
Tod ha
meant handling more heavy commercial
baggage and big milk cars than money
packages and light express. Also, it was
no cinch even as run, because the mes
senger who left Perth at seven o'clock in
the morning had to double back the same
afternoon every day except Sunday.
However, this didn't bother me very
much III those days when used to dis
play my big silver badge on my vest
when off duty with as much pride as a
high-school girl exhibits class pin. l
tell you thought was mighty impor-
tant parsonage, when, having checked
out at the uptown office, l was driven
to the station sitting on my safe. At
eighteen, too, had persuaded myself
that half the girls in Perth thought the
same thing.
Anyway, when l was informed by the
agent at Montreal one afternoon that a
green man would go up with me pas
senger to learn The ropes and work back,
and that might have two days off with
pay l decided that l would ask Minnie
Graham to let he take her to the Presby-
terrain picnic on the next day but one.
When l landed at Perth that evening
with my man apparently well broken
into the routine, FASTENED to extend the
invitation. which was graciously &C
ceptcd. But as l was turning into bed, l
suddenly remembered that l had prom
ised an aunt in the big city to have lunch
with her the next day. There was moth
ing for it but to 60 down with the new
man il the morning and come out at
night with the messenger on the run to
Toronto.
at would have been easy for me, Of
course, to secure pass through our su-
perintendent, but this never thought of
doing, asin any event INTENDED to travel
in Dick Mansfeld's car. | not only had
lunch. but also tea with the best of aunts
Ia never failing refuge between monthly
pay days.. and at nine o'clock strolled
down to the station and boarded Dicks
car.
"'HelIo, Kid, he said. What are you
dol 1g at this end just when you ought to
be handing over your safe at PERTH
81 explained, and announced my inten-
ton of going back with him in the car.
"'Sorry, my son. he replied, but you'll
never be able to travel with me tonight,
unless you have the money. Jackson's
the con" and, as you know, he
wouldn't carry his brother to his moth
er's funeral
1.-TWO things stood out distinctly in my
mind. In the first place, l could not
think of doing anything so preposterous
as paying railroad fare, and in the Sec
ond, I'd got to be in Perth early the next
Graham in the face again. l told Dick
about the picnic, and asked advice of per-
sonifed experience.
"'That's easy, said Richard, and espe-
cially easy for you, because anyway
you're half baggage smasher. The
| trunks are in the car ahead, which is
blind, so that Jackson can't get at it
| from the rear end, and the front door
| will be locked and blocked with through
Chicago stuff. Go around the other side
| and climb in
| "Whos on tonight? ?
TON Burt. Know him?'
Il shook my head.
Gas nice fellow as you want to meet,
! except on very rare occasions when he
sets out to down the Demon Rum and
makes Hiram Walker of Walkerville fall
back on his reserve stock. Fortunately,
however, when that happens, he has a
wife who keeps him we'll out of sight
The finest woman except one that ever
breathcd. She's done a lot for Tom al
ready, and some day she'll have hin
right up on the front seat of the sprink
ling cart
Gas dropped off Dicks car, l almost
bumped into Jackson and his little greer
lantern, wherefore l did not Immediately
try the other side of the baggage car