The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-06-05
The Railway Porter.
(Continued.)
Especial Correspondence

He was a railway porter before was
born, and he is a railway porter still
Dressed in a dark suit of rough cordu-
roy, with the regulation cap and but
TONS Peter Murphy, during the sum-
mer's heat and the winters storm, waS
ever faithful at his post. A small, live
ly man was Peter, with an unceasins
flow Of language and natural shrewd-
ness as TO character hard 10 surpasS
He would make a f!rst-closs detective il
he had education, but Peter never went
to school, and the little knowledge he
possessed he gained from his mother
The station was about three miles from
the village, but Peter had his home in
our midst, trudging every morning to
the scene of his labors. l well remem-
Der my first experience of Peter Muir
ply My mother was taking me up to
see Dublin, and you know the eagerness
with which every boy looks forward to
his first trip to the city 1 was up long
before sunrise, and L had my mother at
the railway station just an hour before
train time. When we reached the sta
ton Peter was engaged in putting la
bells upon some trunks and hampers.
but seeing us he approached US and sa-
luted us with:
Good mornin', ma'am, to yeh, an
good mornin' to me sonny Che never
called g. boy anything else but me SON
ny') so yez are goin' to see the city.
I was up there, ma'am, meself a fort
night ago, so 1 know every bit ov II
from O'Connell's bridge to Phoenix
park, troth, 1 do
Hello, Peter" It is the voice of the
station master.
''Yis, sor."
Get these portmanteaus of Captain
Starrie's labelled Tingstown, and this
perambulator of Mrs. Rooney's labelled
Howth, and these fishing rods Of DR..
O'Meara's, all, let me see, 1 forget their
destination, just tie Broadstone on
them, and they'll be safe. Hurry up
the train at Castletowney; she's two
hours late this morning, and won't be
here for maybe three hours more"
knew she'd be late, she always is
during Ballinslur fair week, the line
is blocked ma'am," addressing my
mother, blocked, dead blocked" and
Peter hits his thigh to emphasize his
statement, '"an' besides, the engine is an
ould wan, it broke down twice last
week, an"
Say, Peter, did these two horse
boxes 1 ordered last evening Gomez"
and TALL Misunderstanding man takes
question.
"Yis, yer honor, ahI no. as Peter
runs his eyes up and down the railway
track and sidings. mo, yer honor. they
didn't come vet We wired for this last
night, an they might be here at any
minute now. Make yer mind aisy, yer
honor, you'll get yer horses in time fol
Baldoyle races; the express is only
three hours late this mornin', an We'll
hook thin on whin she comes, an"
Did any seed praties come in the last
train for me?''
"Ah! Mr. HeaIy, how on airth is the
world using yeh? 'Tis cure for sore
eyes to see yeh. How is the missus an
the childer? No. Mr.. Healy. the seed
praties didn't come be the last train
they'll be here, PLACE God, tomorrow
evenin' in the Ballyhauneen goods
train, or " not, some time on next Sat
urday be the same train: it's running
regular now since FEBRUARY twice a
week. All, be COB. was nearly forget
tin to ring the bell for the 9 O'Clock
train for Athleagay should be some
where near now. Excuse me wan min
ute till 1 find out from the station mas
ter where she is"
rs it time to ring the bell for the
Athleagay 8 O'Clock, Mr.. Reidy?" Cthe
station mastery
Not yet, Peter, not yet; they have
sided her at jamestown to let the Eden
daily pass. She will be here anytime
between IL and u, and, Peter
''Yis, sor''
Don't for get that Mr. Purcell's meat
is to go by her. We forgot II for the
past three ways. and, Peter, Father
Toms Freeman is here for the past
week. He will be raising a hullaballoo
about it; send it over with Jim Nolans
gossoon iv he comes. And, Peter,
way gates. 1 could not sleep wink
last night with their creaking, and
theresa new wick to be put in these
night lamps, and / think the switch
wants a nut or two: see to these things
some time today. but don't let it go
beyond tomorrow. All, the hunting
train is signalled now. Peter, see that
everything is all right outside"
Peter returns TO the platform once
more, and, standing q few yards away
from us, he points his finger up the line,
remarking as he does so:
THE hunting train will be here in
wan minute, ma'am and sonny. Keep
yer eyes open an yen see a lot ov the
gentry"
Slowly and with an amount OF puff
fing and whistling the train draws up
at the station, and Peter, gesticulating
with his arm, runs along to the various
cars, crying out:
"Cloonlost, Cloonlost; change here for |
Ballybarney, Toon and Castlemartin."
A number of ladies and gentlemen in |
riding costume alight from the different |
cars. The scene was very gay, and /, |
with boys enthusiasm, was taking in |
the whole of it when a voice near me
attracted my attention. l turned just |
as the speaker was giving vent to this !
expression:
Here we are at last, fifteen miles in |
two hours. A fine run, captain"
"Egad, I should say so; it beats the
Scotch express to pieces"
The first speaker was a tall man
with a bushy red beard, which covered
his breast. He seemed to be all muscle
and bone, and the attention which was
bestowed upon him marked him a man
of distinction. His companion was a
thin, wiry man, light and agile in his
and an eye that took in the
slightest detail. I was wondering who
those personages were, but I had to
curb my curiosity yet awhile. I knew
Peter Murphy was the only one who |,
could tell me, and Peter Murphy was
at the present time signalling with a
red flag to a putting engine down the
!, hol h;