The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-07-12

u l'll'N N'AlNNl otlNibAs
Frank, the fireman, was the only
sober one He, poor fellow, was doing
sums in mental arithmetic, trying to
figure out how on earth $3.50 could
be made to pay all necessary bills
for helpless father and mother. a
wife and four kids, besides board bills
for man who was obliged to be away
from home half the time.
Then there was the operator. In
shirt sleeves and careworn air hoping |
he could get back to his key before |
the dispatcher lost his temper, the |
agent, placidly smiling; and the two
coal beavers from the coal shed with |
an expression of almost human intelli- |
gence struggling up through number. |
less strata of CRIME and whlskers. |
After thirty days of humping over
scoop shovel in choking smother of
dust they were now about to be recon-
pensed with thirty seconds OF bliss In
which they could fondle real money
with their own hands. After that the
storekeeper would do the fondling and
feel bad because there wasn't more.
You had presence of mind enough
to float INTO the pay car in the wake
of the others. There were nine In the
little party and you knew by expert
ence that the average time required to
pay nine men was sixty seconds; also
that Moriarty would have 'em rolling
before the last man had scooped his
allotted coin into his trembling palm.
But in the presence of death or the
paymaster one may live an eternity
in sixty seconds. How glad you were
that you had not been rude and rushed
| in ahead of anybody, even the coal
beavers! Now your hungry soul could
| have the uttermont second in which
to revel in
Great Mackerel! Just look at 1t!
A metal coin rack crammed to the
muzzle with three denominations of
yellow boys, ilanked with silver, and
on the desk behind it a very large
wooden trip on which were long col
umns of yellow coins. Dye ever see
anything so pretty in all your life? No
wonder your eyes stuck out until you
could have used 'em for hat pegs.
And all the time an eXquisitely mus
ical "tinkle, tinkle, clink-clink" welled
up from coin rack and counter In re-
Spouse to the calls of the assistant
paymaster. Talk about Beethovens
symphonies!
If it were not for that strong wire
screen you could have touched that
fascinating tray. For the infinitesimal
fraction of a second a wicked thought
fitted through your brain. Then you
almost tainted as your rowing eye
stared down the barrel of a monstrous
revolver. 1t was only in a rack, but
it was within easy reach of the pay
masters hand and most eloquent for
all that. Half dozen of its fellows
lay in the handiest places, with as
many Winchesters lying on tables and
settees, came in strong on the chorus,
Hurriedly your vagrant wits busted
themselves with all the Sunday school
lessons you had ever learned. AS your
subconsciousness perceived that the
head of the roads secret service de-
partment stood on the platform with
his eyes intent on every man in the
car at once, while Conductor Linken'
pin stood on the ground outside very
much alert, with his coat tail bullying
suggestively, your bosom swelled with
pride over the watchful care the com
pany had exercised to bring its honest
toilers their hard-earned money.
From the Autograph of Caroline
Hoyt on the wall to the little hollows
in the hard mahogany counter worn
out by the attrtion of the hundred
, and twenty-eight million dollars in
wages the paymaster had plunket
down on that spot since this first pay
car ever built had been commissioned
: you kept on absorbing details unit
your name was called.
A still greater rush of blood to YOU
" head caused you to gulp violently
u Mechanically you lifted your hand t
touch the pen as the others had done
and turned to go.
Here! Come back and get you
!, money"
o When you came out of your tranc
G you were standing in the middle Of tn
!. track, your eyes wandering from som
n yellow objects in your hand to MIN
q bus of smoke and dust which was jus
\. tipping over the hill to the accompa
n niment of the diminuendo flutter @
: Moriarty's exhaust.
L. But now!
% Oh, well! After you have washe
up on certain day in each month 20
,s trudge drearily down to the station a
o. alone, walk in, and lolling on tn
,r counter, affect to look Indifferent an
20 say:
10 Hello, John"
ne And the agent, after going over
~ column of figures three times, reptile
1t Hello, Bill" and gets up and goes
n. the safe and fumbles over some p
ne pers and hands you--
TX A check!
No iolync M infactiOuc cnri tlinaS