Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1909-01-22
Fiction
THEIR LAST MEETING.
BY cY wARMAN.

me- IVY udu given MIN Dlank form to
fill out:
"AIr. A.
wishes to see--Mr B.
"Business-private."
AS often as the boy went in with the
slip of paper he came back with the
answer, 1.-THE general manager is too
busy to see you"
In time the employees learned to
look not at the clock for the hour of
10, but to the gate that swung in the
low fence. When he had come and
gone thirty-seven times, leaving thirty
seven neatly filled requests behind
him, the manager instructed the boy.
Mr. A." said the boy and closed the
door of the private Office, leaving the
two men alone. The general manager
was embarrassed. Instead of a long
haired, hollow eyed crank, with solled
linen covering his conceived chest, his
caller was a we'll dressed, intelligent
looking gentleman.
Delighted, delighted, Mr.. B." said
the stranger, advancing with out
stretched hand. $50 good of you to see
me! Yes, did call the other-yes, yes,
l know how busy you are! Just so,
just SO! Ah-hw
The men shook hands hurriedly, ey-
ing each other precisely as a pair of
prizefighters enter the ring.
The manager noticed for the first
time a peculiar look in the mans eyes.
"Sit. down." said the stranger, and the
railway man sank back into his swing
ing chair. 81 shan't take much of your
time-this time" said the visitor, hook
ing one leg over the corner Of the table
and sagging into a comfortable pose.
The manager felt f1dgety under the
strangers soul searching eyes.
give got good thing" said the
man, keeping his eyes upon the mana
gers conscience.
Il was afraid of that" said the man
ager half playfully, but the man did
not smile.
You have some heavy grades on
your line"
"Yes," assented the manager.
"You have doubtless observed that it
is almost invariably upon a mountain
that the air plays out Just when they
are needed most is when the brakes
refuse to work. You know that, don't
you?"
Eyes"
well, I've spent sleepless nights
working out system that will always
work and save millions of money now
in or
sands Of useful lives"
"What is your scheme? My time is
limited"
First of all, you shall build for me
& mammoth windmill on the banks of
the Missouri. The ceaseless winds that
come crying across Colorado and Kan
GGs will push the paddles in the big
wheel. which, revolving, will drive a
great pump that will force air through
small pipe to be laid along the line
under the ties. Beneath each water
tan; upon the mountain side we shall
build an air tank so that while the
fireman takes water the brakeman can
take air, filing the air drum with good
valley air, and then there will be no
trouble. 1t is because the mountain air
Is too light to hold that the trains get
away on the hills. Knowing this, the
LlCcd of innocent men, women and
children vii! be upon your head if you
fail to protect the lives of your pa
trons.''
III see you again about this" said
the manager, putting on his hat and
leading the way out through a private
door All the way out the man kept
close to the manager. The elevator
dropped them to the ground floor. The
manager called a cab. AS the door
closed the man reached through the
open window into the carriage, press
ed the managers hand and said sig
nifcantly, looking deep into the rail
road mans soul, you won't lose met!
The inventor continued to call upon
the manager, every day at first, then
twice a week and later only three or
four times a month.
One evening the general manager sat
in box at the theater. Between acts
gentleman who sat almost directly
behind the railroad man left the box
for a moment. Presently the general
manager became aware that his friend
had resumed his seat and, with his
gaze still on the audience, remarked:
Il lose half the pleasure Of the play
because of an innate dread of fire. I
wish somebody would invent some
thing that would put out fire without
drowning people"
Il can do it," said the man at the
managers elbow"
"How?"
"How do you put out a candle?
"Well, 1 would blow 1t out"
Exactly. First would lay a sys-
TEN of air pipes under the building"