Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1907-09-19

big arrival OF the day at McCloud even
Il II she didn't get in until IL o'clock al
| night She brought the mail and the
express and the landseekers and the
travelling men and the strangers gen
orally. 40 the McCloud livery men and
hotel runners and prominent citizens
and prominent loafers and the city
marshal usually came down 10 meet
| her But II was not so that night.
The platform was bare. Not even the
hardy chief OF police. who was town
watch aud city marshal all combined
ventured out - .-'. 49, ss,,.-,S.
The engineer swung out of his cab
with the silence of an abused mao
His eyes were full Of soda, his ears
full of sand. his mustache full Of burs
and his whiskers full Of tumblewee,ls
The conductor and the brakemen
climbed suflenly down. and the bag
gaGeman showed open his door and
slammed a trunk out Oh the platform
without a pr,te1lse Of sympathy Then
the outgoing crew climbed aboard
and In hurry. The conductor ek,ci
ran downstairs from the register AMI
pullei his cap down hard before he
pushed ahead against the wind 10 give
the engineer his copy Of the orders m
the new engine was coupled I'D. The
fireman pulled the canvas jeabsSly
around the cab end. The Buchanan
ran burrtedly back 20 examine the air
connections and gave his signal 20 the
conductor. The conductor gaVe his to
the engineer There were two short.
cboppy snurts from the l0l. and ~
moved out stealthily. evenly. resist
leSsiy into the teeth OF the night In
another minute only her red lamps
CLEANED up the yard. One man still on
the ptatfotm watched them recede u
wss Bucks. .5zE zsss & 49,
he came up 10 the dispatcber's ~.
Ace and sat down. Callahan wondered
why he didn't go home and 20 bed.
but Callahan was too good a railroad
man 20 ask questions OF a Superior
Bucks might have stood on bis head
on the stove and II redhot without be
ing pursued with Inquiries from Gala
han. II Bucks chose 20 sit up out there
ON the frozen prairies In a flmsy barn
Of a station and with the wind howl
ing murder al u O'Clock past and mat
ON Chri-tbe cath Of December. IL
was Bucks own business.
81 kind Of hooked for my mother to
night said be after Callahan got his
orders out Of the way for a minute
Wrote she was coming out pretty
soon for a little visit"
Where does your mother liveY'
'Chtcago. sent her transportatioo
two weeks ago. Reckon she tbought
she'd better stay home for Christmas.
Back In Gods country they have
Christmas just about this time u year
Watrh out tonight. Jim I'm eonc
home. It's a wind for your life"
Callahan was making meeting
point for tu'o fr4ghts when the door
CLOSED behind Bucks. He didn't eyea
sing out Good night" And ~ for
Merry Cfua-well. that had DO place
on the West End anyhow.
"D-i. d. d-i. d." came clicking into
the room. Callahan wasn't asleep
Once he did sleep over the key When
be tod Bucks. be made sure Of his
time. only he thought Bucks Ought TO
know
Bucks shook his head Pretty hard
that time. IT'S awful business. Jim
IT'S murder. you know. It's the peni
Tertiary II they should convict you
But IFS worse than that II anything
happened because you went 10 sleel
over the key. you'd have them ou your
mind all your life. dont you know
forever. Men - and and children
That's what I always think about
the childrp: manned and scaldct