Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-03-25

ana IN the dim light OF the bracket
lamp saw Farley fighting his way to-
wards the rear door. AS I climbed
from the cupola he opened the door,
closed it again, turned and glared
about. The eyes that had been laugh
ing constantly now flashed fire, while
the sunny, childlike face grew dark
and terrible. Before I had succeeded
in pulling myself together he lay down
and became quiet again.
Now, thought I, if he will only stay
there until we get to the bottom of
this apparently bottomless hill I'm all
right, for / guessed that the man had
jim-jams. l had heard of the disorder,
but had never seen a man with the fit
on. Inside of five minutes he was at
it again. He woke with scream that
was unearthly-wild and awful-and
as suddenly grew quiet again. Now he
began to talk in a natural tone of
voice. Look at the little tin soldiers"
said he, zone on each bedpost. That
duck with his cady cross the track
must be Napoleon" he went on;
watch me swat i'm" Then he reached
cautiously for one of his boots and
fired it at the soldier, and fell asleep
again, only to wake a moment later
and leap from the locker.
who did that?" he shouted. 'Who
put that snake in my bed? Dick
Haynes told you to do that, the white
livered Missourian."
1t began to dawn upon me now that
he was talking at me, and in order to
justify myself and to try and quiet
the unfortunate conductor I climbed
down the steps and stood before him.
The walls of the way-car were pa
pered with pictures of prize-fghters
and play-actresses in scanty apparel,
and just over the little desk hung a
rusty old saber. Jack said l. In
stantly he took his eyes from the
froslt door, where they seemed to be
held by some strange spell, and glared
at me-
"Why, damn you'll" said he deliber-
ately, q thought l put you off at Sha-
wanna"
That was what he had been doing,
in his mind, at the back door.
Now he came towards me, lowering
his head like bull going to war. He
came by short, shutting steps, and as
he advanced l retreated towards the
front door, hoping to make my escape
in that way to the top of the train.
When Farley had reached the middle
OF the car he made lunge for the old
saber, and I, divining his move< turned
and seized the handle of the door,
only to find that it was fastened by a
spring lock, the mechanism Of which
could not make out at once.
CHANGING over my shoulder, I saw
the mad conductor swing the saber
and advance. 1 was never much of a
fighter, and somehow l dreaded and
pitied this man more than 1 feared
him, or had feared him up to that
time. I regarded him with something
of that vague horror with which an
able Indian looks upon another who
has been scalped. But now I had my
choice to fight or fly, and 1 flew
Ducking under his uplifted arm, l
passed by him and ran up the steep
steps to the cupola, the wild conduc-
tor hacking at me as I climbed.
AS passed Farley in the car l gave
a yell that echoed in the hills, and
that yell was my salvation. The rear
brakeman heard it and came leaping
over the tops of the cavorting cars
just as I reached the roof of the way
car, with the wild conductor at my
heels. Now l could no more make time
over the top of that train than l could
fly to the summit of the highest noun
tain range, and I knew it. l could not
walk, under ordinary circumstances,
on the top of moving train, but what
was to do? Farley was after me. I
leaped to the top of the last load and
lit all right, but at that moment we
hit a curve, and to save myself I
dropped to the roof and grabbed the
foot-path that runs along the tops of
freight cars. Just here the conductor
and the rear brakeman met, and see
ing Farley fourishing the saber the
brakeman engaged him, much to my
relief. All over the top of that car
and back to the cupola of the way
car they fought like fiends, while lay
hugging the toe-path referred to
above.
Presently could see Farley, with
superhuman strength, working the
brakeman towards the edge of the
car roof. Clearly it was my duty to
go to the assistance of the brakeman,
but as got to my feet we found an
other curve and I was slammed down
dangerously near the margin of my
car. I tried again and again to get
to my feet, but in vain. Now the two
men were struggling at the very edge
of the way-car, and if they went down
they would fall, the Lord knows how
far, before they would find the bottom
of the gorge. Putting forth his utmost
strength, the big brakeman succeeded
in freeing himself from the conductor.
Farley lifted the saber, which he still
held, but before he could strike the
brakeman's big fist was between his
eyes and the conductor lay at full
length on the top of the car.
When the brakeman had lowered
him to the floor of the caboose he
came over and picked me from my
perch and helped me back.
Of course Farley was discharged,
but to my dying day / shall never for
get the experience I had with him.
Drastic Means.
Suppose I run in foot note here