The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-12-08

time one hour back, which made
the longest day on the trip. We got
to Edgmont, S. D. some of the pas
sengers got off and were standing
on the depot platform when lit
tie boy looking to be eight or ten
years old took his place by couple
of the men and commenced playing
the French harp, as if he was
playing for their especial benefit and
some one in the car said that he
help. He could play to perfec-
ton. His crowd kept gathering
and giving the change; one old lady
piped out to me to ask him if he
could play Near My God To Thee"
and as he was by my window asked
him and he did. She gave me ten
cents for him. In all l knew of he
had taken $3.50, and a good lot
hadn't got to count. l asked one
to ask him what his pa done, but
they wouldn't, thinking him an or
phan, so I asked him his name, and
what his pa done. He surprised
them all by saying that he was an
engineer on that road but it spoilt
the collections, for that was 1T an
end, but in about twenty minutes
or so he had taken in four dollars.
I expect more than his pa had made
that day, so we called him our lit
tie musician. Our stops were most
all cut short the rest of the way on
account of the wreck in the sand
hills of Nebraska, so usually we lost
no time on road or at stations, SO
none of us thought anything of rat
thing lively over rough roads, but
when we got through the long Bose
man tunnel, my we did do some
! rambling. Sometimes we could feel
one side then the other of the car
raise up like spring wagon over a
rough road, but in some way the
air brakes had become disconnected
and they had lost control of our
train, and We did ramble. I thought
we would make up time by those
couldn't do anything but the helper
! on the rear end was on yet so they
helped to stop us, and busy lot of
trainmen for both crews were busy
| running back and forth. They
talked quite bit of French when
they were so excited, and working
so hard. We were soon started again
ON cur adventuresome journey which
it sure did seem to me.
We didn't see much along the road
| aside from the beautiful scenery,
md this being the third for me it
was not SO interesting. Then again
one living in the west among its
lofty mountains and rushing streams
and beautiful lakes. So those love-
ly sceneries are an every day affair
to us.
It was along the mountains of
Montana we saw couple of hunting
parties. Three women in one party
and four women in the other. The
ladies looked fine in their red and
black hunting suits, with high top
button boots, while the men wore
a red jacket and red cap, or red
band on cap. The red is much
safer color when hunting large
game in our western country, for
many times one is shot by accident,
when wearing more common colors.
When we got to Billings the train
auditor got on, and so many of their
tickets he condemned and gave them
new ones. The conductor came just
behind to punch the ticket when he
was through finding fault with
them. When the auditor looked at
my ticket he said you have no right
riding on this car on this ticket. l
said sir, I have q great deal of con-
fdence in that little piece of paper,
it has taken me long way and
taken me about as fast as want to
go. So saying it was good, also say
ing about fool agents. Well, said,
none of these, conductors have seen
any flaw yet, and you keep quiet and
We will all get home all right. He
laughed and told me TO sign my