The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-08-07
WHEN BUD DID
DO HIS WORK

Dnarley Corey, was good fellow.
said the tat engineer. but the work
germ didn't seem TO get set right
IN his breast and Bud was always
stfrkin little odd chores. which was
continually gettin' him IN trouble.
One night when Chariey's fast
freight vas runnin' ahead Of No. u
they had to stop up on the curve By
JOYS woods TO cool some h0tboxes.
Accordin' 10 the rules n ethics OF the
railroad game It was up to Bud to take
his red lanterns, walk back 81 tele-
graph poles m protect his train
4 guess Bud thought they would
get goin' again in a minute. At any
rate. he didn't take the trouble to go
back, n with a rush n roar No.
~ came hyin' along n made noise
Ike a bad accident against the rear
end Of corey's train
When they got things Strengthened
ont q BIT they found Bud sammons
layin' In a heap under the platform
Of the caboose, dead. His Indifference
70 a little BIT Of work had cost him
his life.
"A few nights after that W.
comm east with No. u. maxim the
fast time for which I am noted. when
on the track ahead Of me. up by Joys
woods. saw a little yellow circle Of
light. m In the center Of this cir
Gle man was wavin' his arms over
his head, all possessed. Rememberin
the accident to No. ~. Immediately
gave two answerin' toots on the whis-
tie. shut on steam n slowed up pre-
paratory to stoppin'.
i declare to man. when we got
down near to the circle II faded =,
disappeared. ! couldn't see any trace
o. the man who was signalin' me to
stop. ] felt as foolish as a hen when
she finds out she's been settin' on
white doorknobs.
When / got 'em goin' again, Muir.
ply stepped over TO my elbow n
said. In an awed voice:
Did you see it?'
"'sure, says. What was itr
why he says. that's Bud Sam
mons sperrit as sure as ! ever put
a scoopful OF coal on 2 fire. | sup
pose Buds sperrit got 10 worryin' over
the accident caused by his careless
ness m just can't Keep away from
the railroad track
"A brace Of poohs for yours. says
!. Who ever heard tell OF such a
thingr
THE thing appeared 20 more than
one crew, nevertheless. N little knots
Of the boys whenever they got togeth-
or in the bunkroomS n roundhouses
would get to discussin' It. One OF 'em
would say:
Sure enough I saw II with my
two eyes n just passed the color
blind examination, too
AN the word was passed aroun'
that strange noises could be heard
from Joys woods by any
one who had sand enough TO stop n;
listen.
We'll. SIR, the boys we're gettin all
wrought up n II was sure up to
somebody to get adjacent to what was
yoin' on there in the vicinity Of joys
woods.
"On my next trip comm through on
No. ~ was just hittin' up there
or all was worth by Joys woods.
,ut just as we came aroun' the curve
here was Buds shadow on the Job
,oin' through his callsthenics.
ooked at my watch to see II my 20.
Iltion as TO the time card would ad.
nit Of me stonpin' for a spiritual
eance m settle the thing then n
here.
with a sigh. perhaps Of regret, OF
suppose some knockers would call
I a sigh OF relief. ] saw that we
we're ten minutes late m couldn't
tand any tamperin' with shades. I
Iad Just made this decision, put on
nore steam, not to hurry by the
aunted spot. oh. no. just merely to
make up time. when Zip. the air
rakes were set from some cause n
ge came to a stop in a circle Of such
right light that It blinded me.
when got so could see burst
light out laughin' The mystery OF
Iud Sammon' ghost was solved.
what | saw in front Of me through
n openin' In the trees was a negro
amp meetin' with the leader stand
4 up on a platform in front Of big
ow OF bright lights. the colored
rethren in the congregation a-groan-
4 n goin' on accordin' to the ex-
mt they we're moved by the spirit.
7hen the wind was in the right direc-
on Il would blow the limbs OF the
'ees apart n the bright lights be- :
Ind the leader OF the camp meetin'
lrew ais shadow out over the track.
"Of course as be warmed up in the
orkout he threw his arms up m
own over his head, maxim many
lncy shadows out on the railroad :
ack. When the wind died down n 4
le limbs stopped movin' the shadow
ould be shut out. Altogether Il had
will-o.the-wisp eject.
An air brake hose had burst, caus-
/ our train to stop, but we soon got
Iings stralghtened out n we're away
ON the camp meetin' grounds The