The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-11-04

, receiver, he began to adulterate it, feel- ! ing 1t must be owned, a burning sense of shame at the act His caricatures of the
 code were simply terrific. Still, there was
 no word from Judy He did not come 10
 his knees worth a copper cent. Yet Quin- 1 cy must have been raving. Those who
 knew him knew that he loved good
 Morse, no matter how swift; knew also
 that in his opipon, a man who purposely
 muddled it. deserved to be kicked. So at
 the end of Manning's effort, though he
 had put down every word in copperplate, i he opened up hotly. 70. K, QyP' he said
 at a rattling clip Then he added: 1 .'Young man, you'll make a good opera tor in time-after hundred years hard
 practice At present, however, you are
 not only the rawest of kids, but you are
 more varieties of a d---d fool than any
 ham I ever ran across!'
 Manning was all but paralyzed at this
 outburst. He knew that in way he had
 deserved it. Yet he also knew that every
 station on the line, Okisko included, was
 listening, and that unless he promptly
 resented the insult he should sink to zero
 in the estimation of his co-workers. lie
 steadied himself by an effort, and an
 swered with what dignity he could, that
 he would take the first opportunity or
 thrashing Quincy within an inch or ms
 life.
  i boarded an early train for Judy. At his destination he swung to the ground and made his way forward to the baggage car There he knew he should find his
 man. As he approached he singled out a notwithstanding young chap, pen behind
 ear. busily checking baggage How pre- ! cisely he fitted Mannngs idea of his en-
 emy of the wire The jaunty cap-the 1 slick-combed hair-the cock-sparrow 1 manner; there could be no mistakng the | man.
 Are you the operator here?' Manning
 asked. abruptly
 T am. sir" said the other. keeping on : with his checking
 .srhen I've come ninety miles to thrash
 vo,I. said Manning, shedding his coat
 and sailing in.
 The baggage handler looked his sur l prise but he was dead game. He quick ! lv dropped his checks, and got on the de- i fensive Then there ensued scrap that | laid over anything ever heard over a tel 1 egraph wire. The conductors train hands ] and a Smatterng or passehSels Nio9eu III l to witness the fun
 1 DO YOU always provide such diversions 1 for the entertainment of your patronsY 1 said fat passenger to the conductor or l Manning's train
 ] eve do our best to please laughed the i conductor. From the DeSlUHlllSi tb' NAr l ments clinehed and, as the storm center
 stumbled over baggage sprawled mo heaps of express matter, and syrated | abort in the open, 1t was always hemmed i in bv an interested fringe of human Va | irons The fight was glorious impromp- | in rough-and-tumble. and it was with ev- ident reluctance that tho conductors or | the trains, north and south, Tor Judy was 1 a meeting point, called out All apoard' | leaving the issue still in doubt For a minute after the call the scuhle continued then some one sang out that , inc nolice was coming. And, sure enough if vas The whole force one man strong was boiling down the track. mopping ms hrovvs as he came Manning, astride his enemy. realized that it was tune Tor o,,ick thinking He had had his satls1ac- tion. he argued-would it not be the pet fer mart of valor to leave his enemy to settle with the law while he hihiseii caught the northbound back to War uiclsa The decision was made. lie ,, iumped for the train and caught II as the last car was whipping past
 Manning had been absent without leave and excuses were in order when he reported at the office. He went at once to the chief. "The man at Judy Junction called me d-d fool' ne eN-
 plained. "and I've been down to see nm , about it.. , Al, "You look as if you hadH' blurted the