The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-08
RUNAWAY ON
THE A. AND B,
4 Signal the Kindly Conductor
Was Thankful He Needed.
BY JAMES Z. puNNlNo.

BY JAMES Z. pUNNlNo.
The q. p A. put his head into the
general superintendent doorway and
said;
"0ld TympaRs out there again, see,
Palmer"
mo use" replied the general super
lntendent His name came IN two
hours ago. told him to report here
next time be got drunk. This finishes
him."
Five minutes later old Tympan. aft
err forty years OF service for the A. and
b.. went tumbling down the stairs be.
cause be was drunk at the Hancock
street switch the day the directors
went up the line. Palmer bad given
him a pass home. eighty miles up the
road, and then fred him with ten Of
the words Palmer wasn't accustomed
to using on ordinary jobs.
Train No. 8 pulled in while Tympan
fumbled the pass on the platform, and
he climbed in and found a double seat
in the smoker. He knew only that he
was out Of job. with full pint 10
his coat and Palmer's transportation
to take him mp home, where he could
camp Down for the winter with the
boys. He had threatened that many
times. They deserved 1t for letting
him work for living.
Taking vacation. TympanY asked
Hennessy Of No. when he came
through for tickets. Tympan admitted
he was on for a bit OF time up the
road.
Guess you amt coming back right
or" tainted Hennessy. The return
check on your pass doesn't seem 10 be
IN sight. Long las Of, Ell, Tympanw
Tympan sat up, pulling bis hat over
bis eyes.
"Dlck Hennessy." he said. 'you 90
slow on yer kiddin' r I'll roast you one
O. these days fr bein' so smart
They've fred me. you en- bet--yes,
they have-6red me good, but I'm next
20 Palmer yet An | heard what
Palmer told the @. P. A. this mornin
about your runnin' over orders twice
last week. know somethin', an don't
yeu kid me no moreg'
Train No. SIS conductor ignored the
challenge. partly because be dared do
no more. He knew the whole operat-
ing department bad been knocking ev-
erybody in sight because old Tympan,
invariably drunk and disorderiy. held
his Job while better and ydlnger aud
sober men were overhauled In Palm
er's office for nothing more than Ieav-
ing stations BALI minute ahead Of
orders or falling to wise the annual OF
gone Of the spying directors who went
up and down. r. H. Palmer got
master tongue lsshing those days from
the rank and Gle, and now that the
dismissal had really come Hennessy
was no more skepticaI than any Of the
others concerning the general superin-
tendent's honest intention Of keeping
Tympan ont Of service.
Hennessy tried to conciliate Tympan
on bis next trip through. but the old
man lay with his bat over bis face.
steaming with rage. too angry even to
curse. No. was making beautiful
work. and Hennessy felt better than
usual. BE had eight cars with big
load Of women aud kids and wanted 10
be on time anyway because 1t was bis
lay OF that Saturday and there was an
ali night game in.the ''cIub" at home.
At Inchburg HenBessy got his usual
orders. everything ali straight, and left
on time. The rear brakeman found
him just afterward and said:
Hear about the wild freight went
up ahead Of us? She's a big one. and it
wouldn't surprise me II she got stuck
on the Long Misery and held Us at
Lyshen."
Hennessy knew his man was right.
Lyshon station is at the foot of thir-
teen mile grade known for good rea-
sons as the Long Misery" II freight
got hung there ahead Of No. 1t meant
everything balled Up, for the A. and B.
IS single line, and the directors won't
stand for siding between Lyshon
and Oldtown, the station at the crest
OF the Long Misery.
Hennessy took the platform at Ly-
shon before No. SIS brakes held her
and sought the dispatcher Ia the dingy
station
sWild freight echoed the telegra-
pher. Eyes, went up an hour ago. Big
trains Yes, big train. but she's got
good rail. and / don't believe she'll
hold You a minute"
Hennessy went ont and looked In the
book by the station door. He found
where the wild freight had reported
and saw with satisfaction that she was
In charge of Bitters. one Of the ring
and sure to do his hest to get that
heavy train out OF the way long before
Hennessy came along.
Lysbon was on the card for only
thirty seconds, but Hennessy risked a
trihing delay and went back to the
operator:
cant you ask 0ldtown, just for a
chance. If that freight's showed up
yet2n he asked.
wild freight 543 started over the
Long Misery in good order that satur-
day and made excellent time for eight |
miles or more Then she was stopped |
by a shaky injector In the mogul Bit
....s1 -. $50 !, Ee,aa