The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-07-06
THE RAIL ROAD
CLERK
By STELLA ESTHER DUNN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
ciation.- 1911.


the plains. It'll he's tried. When the
Union Pacific was stretchin' itself
westward from Omaha. with tempo
rary terminals. SIGH as Julesburg, Lar
annie and them kind. a little fellow
come out from the east to take posi-
ton In the Office. He wasn't more'n
eighteen years old and was awful
dandified. He wore one O. them col
lars they called chokers In them days
because. suppose. the men as wore
em always looked as II they was
bein' choked. They said he was the
son O. one o. the men who was back
in up the road financially and had
come out to learn the railroad bust
ness in these yere parts SOS he could
be one O. the managers when the road
got to runnin' regular.
Every body laughed at such thing
as that. for the boy wasn't more'n
FIVE feet Eve and not a sign of
beard. His hair was the color o.
molasses candy. and his eyes was like
two robins eggs-jist purity boy.
There was a ranch not far from the
terminal. where this young TELLER
Johnny Bittern was his name-was
slingin' ink on high stool. on which
there was the purtiest little gal you
ever see. She was at the colt age,
mostly legs and arms. but Der face
would make yer mouth water to look
at. She and Johnny met somehow or
other-l disremember jist where 1t
was-and they took shine to each
other right off,
81 got a horse and wagon my dad
sent me from Chicago said John.
Will you 20 ridin' with meY
YOU'D come back dead If I did
got a Teller. an If / went ridin' with
you he'd fill you full of holes
Maybe might shoot fust.'
4 don't keer. Eff you want to take
the chances I'll go with you
$50 that afternoon Johnny drove up
to the house where Lizzie lived and
TUX her into his wagon. and the two
went off just as II they was a grown
up man and woman.
"Ben Hackstaff was the Teller that
was courtin' Lizzie. When she and
Johnny started Ben was a-huntin' up
some lost cows, but he come home
soon after.
"'Ben.' said one O. his pals. yer gals
gone off to ride with that measly lit
tie tenderfoot in the railroad Office
Johnny BitternF
"'YaaS.'
"'Which way?'
"'That way
"Ben wheeled his boss about so sud-
den that he come nigh THROWN him
the railroad track. Them as seen him
go remarked that 1t was a pity there
was no parson in the town to make
decent funeral for Johnny.
"The children had gone as far as
they wanted to and was comm back
when they saw Ben tearin' along to-
wards 'em. furious.
There he comes,' says Lizzie. Git
yer gun out. Johnny
Johnny throwed the reins to her
and took revolver In each hand. Liz
zie TUX the reins in one hand and put
t'other one around him. She didn't
think that Ben would dare shoot at
Johnny so long as he might hit her In
stead. though she took risk. for Ben
was mad enough to shoot her too.
"'Ie' CO. said Johnny.
al won't says Lizzie.
Ill ~l~HS
He list TUX deliberate aim at Johnny,
and his bullet passed between the two
children's heads.
"That made Johnny mad. He let
drive with Lizzie's arm around his
waist. never mindin' the danger they
was both In. He seemed to think the
best way to protect her agin man
that would shoot as Ben had shot was
to disable him as soon as possible. He
had both arms stretched out for'ard.
firm from both pistols. at the same
time calm on Lizzie to duck.
1T may "a been that Ben on second
thoughts was afraid o. hittin' the gal.
Anyways. none o. his shots TUX effect.
while nearly all O. Johnny's made holes
in Ben. There wasn't none o EN- that
killed him at onct. but he lost so much
blood that he dropped often his boss
and lay in the road as good as dead.
"Some railroad men in wagon come
along about that time and seen Johnny
down in the road a-kickin' man lynn
there.
"'What you dom that forY they
asked.
He was a-shootfn' at q gall said
Johnny. and with that he began kickin'
agin.
You better git back into yer wagon
and drive the gal home: wen look out
for the corpse
Johnny give last kick. then climb
ed up beside Lizzie. and they driv off.
"Jes' s soon's the story got out In the
town Johnny was elevated from q ten
derfoot that wore chokers to hero.
Everybody was down on Ben Hack
staff for shootin' at Johnny so clost