Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-12-09
IN PLAIN ATTIRE.
BY BERTHA STONE


the conductor was coming. Every man
instinctively felt for his ticket
little man rather shabbily dressed
went through all his pockets succes.
slTely without finding what he wantad
lie continued his search till the con.
ductor reached him. when he said:
conductor, l have either been re-.
heved OF or have lost my pocketbook
Win all my money and my ticket in II
II you will pass me I'll see 10 II at the
end OF the journey that you receive the
| fare"
Ine conductor looked coldly at the
shaoby man and replied:
must have your fare"
But | haven't got it"
Then you'll have to get on"
de pulled the bell cord. The passeu.
ger arose from his seat and was moy-
ing slowly to the door when the con.
ductor gave him a succession of pushes
TO hurry him. The elected passenger
allghted in mud and stood looking aft
er the train as it pulled away from
him. The day was bleak. with min
sled snow and rain. The elected pas-
senger walked on the track till he
came to a road crossing it, which he
followed, at last reaching farmhouse
wet TO the skin. There he was kindly
received, given hot drinks and put TO
bed, In the night he awoke with a
chill, followed by fever. and in the
morning had developed a serious case
OF pneumonia. For several weeks he
was nursed by the farmers family.
under whose tender care he recovered
Before leaving. having received funds.
ne offered them compensation. which
they declined.
rev days after his departure he
entered the general Offices Of the A, d.
and T. railway and asked to see the
president. He was required to state
his business. He wrote on a slip Of
paper his message. stating that he had
been put off train on the road on ac-
count of having lost his money and
ticket. The president wrote on the
slip Referred to general passenger
agent" The visitor saw the general
passenger agent. who told him that the
conductor had only done his duty.
You mean." said the applicant for
redress, THAT railroad is a mechan-
ical contrivance, those who run 1t are
bits of mechanism. and there is no
heart in it."
You've stated the proposition about
right" replied the passenger agent.
I'm other words. might makes right"
I'VE couldn't run the road to a profit
if we passed people over it without
pay"
I'm glad to have the matter ex.
planned" said the visitor. Good morn
ing"
The incident was forgotten by the
railroad officials, and the system went
on working with the precision of a
steam engine.
The A. D. and p. railway received
freight and passengers from one main
line and delivered them to another. re-
peating the process vice versa. 1t was
consequently independent and thriving,
for it was essential to both its feed
ers. Suddenly the stock began to act
IKE the float Of fish line. indicating
that something was going on below the
surface. Then the price commenced
to fiuctuate. Now it would sink grad
ually, then suddenly jump up several
points. These fluctuations continued
for several months. then A. D. and P.
stock ceased to attract any attention
whatever.
On the first Wednesday in January
occurred the annual meeting Of the di-
rectors. The officers were waiting for
the formalities to be disposed of before
settling down to their work and their
salaries for another term. Suddenly
word was flashed through the building
as If by telegraph that block of stock
amounting to ffty-five hundredths Of
the whole had been voted. changing a
majority of the directors. Every man
rushed to the room where the meeting
was In session. The door stood open.
and in the excitement of the moment
al crowded in. A little man shuffied
past them and. standing beside the
long table around which the directors
were seated. thus addressed them:
"Gentlemen. hold majority of the
stock of this road and therefore am In
control"
"Great Scott" exclaimed the gen.
eral passenger agent. "lt's the man
who was put OF the train"
The speaker continued: T am a
stranger TO your city and your ways
having resided all my life in the far
west. When coming here ! found my
self on the A. d. and r. road. Having
neither money nor ticket. was put OF
the train on cold day. contracted dis
ease and came near dying. was in
formed by the officers of the road that
It was mechanical system set to run
in a certain way and without any
heart. Having some means and infiu-
entail connections In the west and no
ticing the value Of the A. d. and r.
road as a connecting link. have
hou1bt tho control for myealf and NV