The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-09-15


foriginhi1
Conductor John Baker was IN tad
luck He had been discharged ~ the
company, he knew no business excspt
aiIgohsilpk. fha !, 4 19t esss fot a
stbdkglS Naufb az aua at6b't bstihh
mktdahNl 4 Vie 6hd3n u, eb.idssn.
whb wele debsndeki upou blm Tor
bread and butter, to say nothing ofH
root over their heads.
The circumstances attending his dis
charge were rather to hts credit than
discredlt He had violated a rule OF
the company through the kindness Of
his heart He had passed man over
the road who told pitiful story With
ont collecting fare and had given him
n quarter from his own pocket besides.
His act had been reported to the super
intendent, and his discharge followed.
Baker was at q loss 20 know who had
reported him He knew all the train
hands we'll and was sure there was not
one OF them who would thus injure
him.
And so for six long miaerable months
he brooded while doomed to see his
wife and children hungry, ragged and
driven from one ho,ise 10 another al
they lundcd In rookery. And all this
time that he was not hunting for a slit
uation he was thinking OF the pleasure
he would take could he hnll the ins
former. "a pmiahiug him
At last he found railroad superii-
tcnlcut who after considering the
causr OF his dismissal gave hIm jrb.
Conductors salaries are nOs bouDtiful.
aud Baker struggled Tor n year or
moro, denying himself and his family
every comfort that could pussihy he
spared. before he uadc up the dcicieis-
cy accustomed hs' his laying on and
paid on the accumulation Of sman loans
during that lorioi of suffering. Bless
cd with an economical wife. he at LAST
accomplished tEe task and could again
look upon lie with NJ least e'luanimliy
kut he never forgot the circumstance
that led 80 his mlsfortuue and never
ceased TO wish for an interview with
the informcr
one day after Baker bad taken bis
now position woman with little
boy got on his train. When he asked
hes for her ticket she began u pltlful
moaning. and at tue snnie time the
child began to cry, but the ticket Was
not Forthcoming. "Tlcketr' said Baker
sharply 81 haven't any ticket" the
! woman walled. "Aiy husband has just
died and left me without money. I'm
going to the poorhouse,"
PAY your fare or get off.e said
Baker resolutely.
The woman only responded by tears.
Meanwhile passengers sitting neAr
were listening, sympatnIzing With the
poor widow and scowling At the cons
ductor.
!! "nayen't you q. human heart under
your ribsT' sneered mAn.
What brutel' flashed woman.
These and other remarks sierogatory
to the hinty conductor were hisssd
here and there from the passengers
but they evidently produced no enact
upon him. He stood looking IT the
woman, waiting for her to pay her
fare AT last he made tinnl demand
aud. receiving only the usual RESPONSE
of means, took her child from her and
hnnded him TO trainmah Then he
pulled the bell cord
While the train was slowing up
Baker stood mute Ia the aisle. the NO
man redopbllng her means, Cries OF
"Cowardw "Dogw "Pigr "HrntelY
greeted the conductor. He paid no at
tentlon 20 them. though there was a
strange look IN his eye. When the
train came 10 a fun stop he to3ls the
woman by the back OF her dress ard
hustled her OF on 20 solid ground.
Then he turned upon her and rainod
blows upon her with the fapidlty or a
Calling gun. That his feet should not
be idle he kept them at work lieking
her shins
The ear windows were thrown qp,
aud score of passengers had tliqlr
heads ont the windows. crying stop
him. Don't let the hound XII a
woman Wont some one pnt an end
90 this barharltyf' and many other
remarks Of similar inient But 4 pro
iniscu0us crowd X never apt TO dn
knight crrnntry work unless sotue bold
spirit steps forth 70 take the lead. so
Baker pounded With no other intorfer-
enee than words Finally he gave a
Jerk on the would be dcadliead's dress
that tore Il from meek 10 skirt, leaving
mah's vest beneath
Then for the nrst time the oulookers
realized that tile widow was not even
woman much less a mpther Baker
went at the mau again With rcdoubled
yigor aud when he bad pounded him
almost 10 jelly stopped sud said
"You spottcr, so you're still playing
your game. are you? ! recognized you
the moment I saw you as the man
passed ana gave a quarter TO more
: than a year ago You caused MY dis
charge, aud my fauihy nearly starved
- death You've rlgsed yourself Up
as a woman aud borrowed the Guild to
belp yon keep up your eoutvinptlble
wars Take thhtr
Again tne blows fell on Tie spottef.
But there haa beeu change of syn
lpathy n had pasfed from the spotter
10 the conductor the cries wsre nov
I4.r =.