The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-01-15
How He Got His Start.


was true. lie said they were all false
and gave me the correct version as
follows.
TO tell the truth, my start was made
for me. Twenty years ago was work
ing from place to place, beating my
way between places by hanging myself
up under railroad train. One day
was caught deadheading 1t on freight
train. aud the conductor allowed me
to ride on provided ! would man
brake This led to my being perma-
neuty employed as brakeman.
one hot summer afternoon l was
sitting on the brake wheel of one Of
tho cars on my train, while the engine
was Juggling at long line Of cars
loaded with grain with that short pun
peculiar to freight train We were
tnyersing long stretches Of prairie
land. with not tree to protect US from
the sun. The car before me was
dilapidated old fashioned one, with
door at the end | noticed 1t especial
/ ~, for 1t was unlike any other car on
the train While | was medltating as
to how it had got mixed with newer
cars was astonished to see the door
open few inches and man peer out
cautiously. His caution was useless, for
\ I was looking right at him. Throwing
the door wide open, he revealed car
empty except of corn husks. which
4 served as bedding. and a woman and
several boys and girls, the Oldest Of
whom was a bright eyed young girl
OF about twenty. | knew at once that
by some ingenious method they had
secured the car and were travelling as
freight.
couldn't stand It." said the man,
with lugubrious smile WED have
suffocated without some air. Are you
going to give US awayT
Well | said, "only the keenest
sense of honesty would drive me to do
so. seeing that I've done lot of rail-
road beating myself. But | confess
your scheme is holder and more orig
inal than anything I've ever tried.
How did you work itf"
"Got a FREUD in the elevator where
the cars were loaded. ! selected this
car. the door being on the end and the
bolts inside Ny friend and l went
with the agent when he sealed the
cars, and we sealed this one for him.
My family and the stores were all in
at the time"
The man invited me down into the
car. and his wife gave me fine
snack. There were cold ham and bread
and butter, canned tongue and big
stone jug Of water. though | confess
the water was not very cool. But the
principal thing In the car for me was
the oldest daughter. just as pretty as
a picture and with smile that knock
ed me out the first time she brought
1t to bear on me. | stayed in the car,
talking and laughing with them, till
heard a whistle for brakes. when
climbed for the wheel and pulled like I
Q man with an uneasy conscience.
For the rest of the journey l kept
an eye out for the passengers and
more than once saved them from de-
lection. During the ride one Of the
youngsters set up a howl while the
train was stopped. and managed to
keep every railroad employee away
from the car till we started on. When
we got to the end Of the route | kept
watch, giving signal for them TO
leave the car when there was no one
about.
Being only brakeman. | didn't see
my way to keeping up the acquaint
ance, but kept thinking Of the daugh-
ter One day FIVE years after the IA
nous ride ] met her father on the
street He recognized me at once and
put out his hand He had changed
very much in appearance, looking ex-
tremely prosperous | didn't wonder
at his prosperity, for any man with as
much resource and ingenuity as he is
hound to succeed at last. He asked
me to come to see him at bis office,
which I did. and he took me into his
employ AS soon as l could get some
good clothes ! went to the house and
my acquaintance with his
family. They were living handsomely.
but hadn't forgotten their days Of pow
erty. for In the library hung framed
Of the car in which they
had made their famous deadhead jour-
ney. The father had one day seen
The car standing In railroad yard,
1t and bad It photographed.
Not one of the family ever forgot
my keeping their secret on that freight
rain. besides helping them out The
oldest girl had had several years OF
lfiuence in which to become used to
he ways Of tony people; but. although
The had swell young fellows coming
o see her. ! noticed that | was the
,nIy one to whom she gave any encour-
cement Meanwhile I was being adj
,anced By her father, who was grow
ng rich very fast. So one day ! asked
lim for his daughter. and he told me
le couldn't keep her from me il he
would and he wouldn't IL he could
10 in time we were married. he gave
IS a house, aud we set up housekeep-
ng for ourselves Now am the man.
ger Of the business and. as you know.
uite comfortable. My wife is fond OF
he episode that introduced US, and on
ur wedding anniversaries we always
rink to what We call the corn shuck
ar
soper having come to the end Of his
tory. remarked:
Il didn't know your father-in-law
ras ever reduced to such straits
sIIe was. and II you'll examine the
ecord Of a number OF men who have
-