Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-05-15
+ Il Il = Il + + It Il # Il It Il Il

tire winter mOntnS, all SanQ ana sun
shine, putting up schemes to worry
Callahan and the Little Russians. The
headquarters for this restless gang
were at Pat Barlie's place, across from
the postoffice. 1t was there that the
cowboys loved to congresate. To Cal
lahan Pat Barlie's place was wasps
nest, but to Chris 1t was a den OF
wolves, and Of a dreader sort than
Russian wolves. for Barhe's pack new
er slept.
The east and west section men could
run away from them on hand cars. II
was the yardmen who caught II, and II
grew so bad they couldn't keep
switchman. About 10 o'clock at night
after No. 2S had pulled in and they
, were distributing train load Of bridge
timber, switchman's lantern would
60 up in signal, when-pist!-a bullet
would knock the lamp clean out Of his
hand and the nerve clean out Of his
head. Handling light in the Benkle.
! ton yard was like smoking celluloid
| pipe-you never could tell when II
would go or.
Cowboys shot away the lamps faster
than acquisitions could be drawn for
new ones. They shot the signals of
the switches and the lights from the
tops of moving trains. Whenever a
brakeman showed flicker two cow
boys stood waiting to snuff 1t. II they
missed the lamp, they winged the
brakeman. It compelled Bucks after
awhile to run trains through Benkle-
ton without showing ever light. This,
though tough, could be managed, but
to shunt fats in the yard at night with
no light or to get switchman willing
to play young Tell to Peg Leg Reynolds
William for any length Of time was
impossible. At last Bucks, on whom
the worry reflected at headquarters,
swore he would fight them with fire,
and he sent Shockley. Callahan still
sat speculating on what he would be
up against when Shockley arrived.
The impression Bucks letter gave
him, knowing Bucks to be frugal OF
words, was that Shockley would rise
up with cartridges in his ears and
bowie knives dangling from bis watch
chain. To live in fear Of the cowboys
was one thing. but to live In fear of
the cowboys OH the one hand and In
terror Of yardmaster on the other
seemed, all things considered, confus-
ing, particularly IL the new ally got to
drinking and his fire scattered. Just
then train SO whistled. Pat Barlie's
corner began to sputter Its salute. Cal
lahan shifted around behind his bomb
proof, lit his powderhorn and, looking
down the line, wondered whether
Shockley might be on that train.
1t was not till the next night, though,
that tall, thinnish chap, without visi-
bic reasons for alighting, got Off 80 and
walked tentatively down the platform.
At the ticket Office he asked for the as
sistant superintendent.
"Out there on the platform talking
to the conductor"
The thin fellow emerged and headed
for Callahan. Callahan noticed only
his light, springy amble and his hatchet
face.
"Mr. Callahan
"Yes."
Bucks sent me up to take the yard"
"What's your name"
"Shockley."
"step upstairs. I'll be up in a min
ute"
Shockley walked back into the depot,
but he left the copper haired assistant
superintendent uncertain as to whether
1t was really over, whether Shockley
had actually arrived or not. AS Cal
lahan studied the claimants inoffen-
sive appearance walking away he rath-
er thought it couldn't be over or that
Bucks was mistaken. But Bucks nev-
er made mistake.
Next morning at the new yardmas-
ter took hold. Callahan had intimated
that the night air in the yard, 1t being
low land, was miasmatic and that
Shockley had maybe better try for
awhile to do his switching in the day.
time. Just before the appointed hour
in the morning the assistant had look
ed out on his unlucky yard. He thought
to himself that If that yard didn't drive
man to drink nothing ever would.
Piled shanty high with bewildering
array Of material, 1t was enough to
take the heart out Of Denver switch
ing crew.
While he stood Mt the window he saw
their plug switch engine that had been
kicked out of every other yard on the
system wheeze out Of the roundhouse,
saw the new yardmaster fiirt his hand
at the engineer and swing up on the
footboard, but the swing-it made Cal
lahan's heart warm to him. Not the
lubberly jump Of the hoboes that had
worried the life out of him all summer,
even when the cattlemen didn't bother.
It was the swing Of the sailor into the
shrouds, of the Cossack into the saddle,
Of the yacht into the wind. 1t was like
falling down or falling up or falling on
the grace of a mastery Of gravitation
that was Shockley's swing on the
footboard Of the yard engine as 1t shot
snorting past him.
"He's all right" muttered Callahan.
II was enough.
A man who tipped a tender like that
was not like to go very wrong even IN
that chaos of rails and ties and string
ers and coal.
"Now," continued Callahan to him
self, timidly hopeful, III the cuss only
doesn't get to drinking" he watched
apprehensively, dreading the first time
he should see him entering Pat Barlie's
place, but Shockley didn't appear to
know Pat had place. The cowboys,
too, watched him. waiting for his lamp
to gleam at night down in the yard,
but their patience was strained for q
long time. shockley got all his work
done by daylight.
To the surprise Of Callahan, and
probably OH the principle Of the watch
ed pot, the whole winter went without
q brush between Shockley and the cow
boys. Even Peg Leg Reynolds let him
alone. Hes the lucklest fellow on
EARTH" remarked Callahan one day at
McCloud in reply to a question from
Bucks about Shockley. There hasn't
a shot been fred at him all winter"
HE wasn't always lucky" comment
ed Bucks, signing batch Of letters.